Free Promise Me by Richard Paul Evans

in his hands. I shook my head then walked out to the front. He smiled as I came through the door. “Hi, Beth.”
    â€œHi.” I put my hands on my hips. “I told you—”
    â€œI brought you these,” he said, thrusting the flowers toward me. “I told you I wasn’t going to give up.”
    For a moment I just looked at them, unsure of what to do. Taking them was counter to what I had convinced myself was right, but when you’ve been on a diet sometimes you just have to have a little chocolate, if you know what I mean.
Besides
, I rationalized,
what kind of woman rejects a man offering her flowers?
    â€œThank you,” I said, taking the bouquet and setting it on the counter. “I love sunflowers.”
    â€œI know.”
    â€œHow would you know that?”
    â€œYou just seem like the kind of woman who would. Roses are pretty but sunflowers have meaning.”
    I looked at him quizzically. That was something I had often said to Charlotte.
Sunflowers look to the sun
, I told her.
They mean hope
.
    â€œWhat do sunflowers mean?” I asked.
    He looked at me and a knowing smile crossed his lips. “Hope.”
    As I looked at him, I couldn’t help but think how handsome he was. My eyes moved back and forth between him and the equally beautiful bouquet of flowers. Finally, I sighed. “What do you want?”
    â€œJust one date. If you hate it, or me, I promise I’ll leave you alone.”
    â€œOkay,” I said.
    His eyebrows rose with surprise. “Really?”
    â€œWell you’re not going to give up until I go out with you, are you?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œThen what choice do I have? One date. When?”
    â€œWhen’s good for you?”
    â€œMy babysitter is usually only available on weekends.”
    â€œHow about Friday?” he asked.
    â€œThis Friday?”
    He nodded. “Yes.”
    â€œBabysitter willing, Friday it is. What time?”
    â€œSeven P.M .?”
    â€œFriday, seven P.M . I’ll plan on it.”
    He smiled broadly. “Great.” He started to leave, then turned back. “I don’t know your address.”
    I pulled a sheet of paper from the order pad by the register and scribbled my address on the back. “It’s the home with the blue door.” I handed it to him and he looked at it, then folded it up and shoved it in his pocket.
    â€œSee you then.”
    I watched him leave, then I carried my flowers to the back. I was such a sucker for flowers. Always had been. Still, I couldn’t help but wonder if I had done the right thing.
    Roxanne was standing next to the press waiting for me. Teresa had alerted her to my caller, and the two of them had watched the exchange from behind the mirror. “Now I know why you didn’t want to come over on New Year’s.”
    â€œWhat are you talking about?” I set the flowers down on the counter behind the press.
    â€œYou’ve been holding out on me, girl. I’ve been telling you to get back on the horse and you’ve been bronco busting all along.”
    â€œBronco busting?”
    â€œI saw that man. Why didn’t you tell me about him?”
    â€œThere was nothing to tell.”
    â€œNothing to tell? How long has it been going on?”
    â€œWe just met.” I went back to work, putting a coat on the press.
    â€œWhere?”
    â€œAt a 7-Eleven.”
    â€œWow, all I ever get there is Diet Coke. Who made the first move?”
    â€œWho do you think?”
    â€œWhat did he say?”
    â€œIf you must know—”
    â€œI must,” she inserted.
    â€œHe head-butted me.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œIt was an accident. I dropped my gum.”
    â€œI don’t care. A man that fine can head-butt me up Main and down State. So why aren’t you acting thrilled about this?”
    â€œBecause
I’m not
thrilled about this. It doesn’t feel right.”
    â€œBecause of