“Sorry. That was an overshare.” I sighed, staring at the arrangement. In days of yore there’d been a language to flowers. Meanings for each bloom. Though I’m certain there wasn’t a bloom that meant sorry I cheated on you and it got posted on You Tube. Forget-me-nots, maybe. “They’re pretty though, don’t you think? They smell divine. Would you like them for your mom perhaps? Or your girlfriend or significant other, of course. I just assumed, I never asked if…”

He just blinked.

“Not that it’s any of my business.”

“Mom’s in San Francisco and I’m not seeing anyone currently. Though I appreciate the offer.”

I popped the card in the bin. An incinerator would have been preferable, but I could make do. Leave it to the creep of an ex to go so overboard. There weren’t enough flowers in all of Oregon to convince me to make that mistake again. Like I’d ever be open to the idea after being so publicly cheated on and humiliated by the man. Not that he was a man. An amoeba, maybe. A dollop of slime on the collective shoe of humanity. Something along those lines. And unfortunately, every time I saw the flowers I’d just be reminded of his existence. Not that I wished him ill. So long as he stayed the hell away from me and didn’t attempt contact again, all would be fine and dandy.

“You really don’t like him, huh?” asked Ziggy in a low voice.

“Bad break-up. And that’s putting it mildly.”

“I can get rid of them for you if you like.”

“Actually, that would be great.”

Ziggy nodded and picked up the Godzilla-sized arrangement. I opened the door for him. “Back in a moment, Miss Cooper.”

“I’ll have the coffee ready and waiting.” Much better. Someone else could enjoy their bright loveliness and gorgeous scent minus the taint of he-who-is-in-the-past-and-shall-not-be-named.

Alone for a minute, I took the opportunity to brush my teeth, run a comb through my hair, and put on some deodorant. My clothes were crumpled. But they could wait for me to be post coffee before I showered and changed.

When he returned, he carried a black duffle in one hand and a suit bag in the other. Guess he’d fetched them from his vehicle. “Would it be all right if I used your bathroom? Otherwise I could use the one down in the building’s gym if you’d prefer?”

“No. Please. Make yourself at home.”

A nod and he was gone.