Free I Speak...Love (A Different Road #3) by Annalisa Nicole Page B

two.
    “Is this for you personally or a gift for someone else?” he asks.
    “It’s a gift,” I answer.
    He asks me several more questions about how the person will be using it and in what capacity, and these questions I know the answer to. To my surprise, he recommends the less expensive of the two cameras, then he proceeds to tell me why.
    “I’ll take it,” I tell him.
    “Very well, sir,” he says, excitedly.
    “I’d also like to purchase two additional lenses, you pick, and a camera backpack that will hold everything,” I add. I know photographers change lenses for specific jobs, and I trust the salesman to pick out two that will serve Maddy well.
    “Does she have a memory card?” he asks.
    That was most likely stolen too, I imagine.
    “Give me the best one you have,” I tell him. “Just one more thing,” I say, stopping him from retrieving everything. “I need you to break the camera itself,” I finish.
    “Pardon me?” he asks, shocked.
    “I need you to break it somewhere on the outside shell. Obviously, nowhere that it will interfere with the function of the camera, but I need you to crack the case somewhere.”
    “But, sir!” he exclaims. “That will void the warranty.”
    “That’s OK,” I tell him.
    His face changes from shock to bewildered when he realizes that I’m actually serious.
    “You’ll need to pay for it first,” he says. I reach for my wallet and pull out my Centurion American Express card and hand it to him. His eyes again go wide when he sees the extended “Black” card. He takes the card, then processes the payment. He hands me back my card, then says, “I’ll be right back.” He goes into the back room and returns ten minutes later with the camera in one hand and the box in the other. “That was the most painful thing I’ve ever had to do,” he says, then he shows me where he cracked the case.
    “Thank you,” I tell him, then he packages the camera back inside the box.
    I take my purchases, then head back to the office. I get off the elevator on my floor and stop at Caleigh’s desk to check in.
    “Maddy is waiting for you in your office with lunch,” she says with a smile. “I’m going to head out myself for lunch. Do you need anything?” she asks.
    “Nope. Have a good lunch,” I tell her, then enter my office.
    Maddy is sitting in one of the chairs across from my desk and the instant I open the door I smell it. The faint sweet smell I smelled yesterday, now fills the room and makes my mouth water. She brought me some of her famous chocolate chip cookies. Maddy turns around, and her beautiful face turns toward me. My mouth no longer waters for food, but for her.
     

    Stephen’s office door opens and he walks in carrying several large bags. His face lights up with a smile, happy to see me. He places the bags in his chair behind his desk, then he walks back around the desk, leans down, and places a warm kiss on my cheek.
    I don’t know where it comes from but my hand suddenly has a mind of its own and it automatically reaches up, and I place it on the side of his face as his lips touch my cheek. It’s like an episode of Leave It to Beaver and I don’t know why I just did it.
    He pulls away, but stays close to my face, a sexy smile creeps up his face, and his warm eyes sparkle.
    “How are you?” he asks.
    A question I’m not used to people asking me. No one ever cared about how I was growing up. No one cared if I was sick or hurt and they certainly didn’t care that I had to cut open a tube of toothpaste with dull scissors to scrape out the very last vapor of toothpaste just so I could brush my teeth. No one ever missed me and no one certainly ever looked at me the way Stephen did when he walked into his office just now.
    I frown though when I remember that I’ve been procrastinating all day about calling Courtney. I hate the fact that I’m going to upset her. After I leave here, I’m going to have to bite the bullet and call her. It’s not