Chapter 210 - Flower delivery

~ Los Angeles ~

That afternoon, Jeff was sitting in the coffee shop looking through the large glass window outside at the people walking on the street. Since coming back from Seattle, his heart was not at ease and it was disturbing his mind.

Usually at this time he would be in his office, working. But now, he was not able to focus. He left his office and headed to a nearby coffee shop with hope to distract himself.

He felt as if he is losing his mind. In the evenings, when everything was quiet, image of a young girl followed him while repeating 'Big J...'. During the day, almost everywhere he looked he would see a young woman, resident at Franciscan Medical Center who once came to check on his IV by coincidence.

One young lady on the street was wearing dark green knee length skirt, and Jeff's heart skipped a beat. In his mind JoAnna's image flashed from that evening... she wore a similar skirt. Jeff anxiously looked up at her face and was disappointed to see that the lady has a short blonde hair. 'Definitely not JoAnna…'

He took a pastry from his plate and took a bite... he looked at his hand and observed a croissant. 'Eh, she finished my breakfast that morning. Shamelessly...' Jeff kept the croissant down and took a sip of his coffee. His eyes wondered through the small coffee shop. It was full of people. At one table, a couple shared a dessert; lady had some whip cream on the corner of her lip and man took a napkin to wipe it off for her... Jeff remembered how he wiped JoAnna's greasy chin when she ate a hamburger that evening.

Jeff was getting frustrated... why is everything reminding him of that infuriating woman? She was teasing him, barfed on him, made him carry her, slept in his bed, ate his breakfast, and shamelessly smiled at his misery... but it was a nice smile... and those eyes, deep blue eyes were enchanting…

Jeff took his phone and found a site for immediate flower delivery in Seattle. He picked a large bouquet, created a custom message and completed his purchase. He set his phone on the side... 'Why did I do that?' He took his pastry and coffee, dumped them into the trash bin angrily and walked outside of the coffee shop.

~ Seattle ~

JoAnna was at Franciscan Medical Center, just about to finish her shift, when she got a call from reception to come and get her delivery. She was surprised to see the flowers. In the resting room for nurses, she looked at the beautiful flower arrangement and smelled it. It was nice.

Jill got in the room, and her sight landed on flowers. "Eeeh? You didn't tell me you got a boyfriend."

JoAnna shook her head. "It's not like that... I don't know from whom it is."

"No card?" Jill was curious.

"I don't see one..." JoAnna looked but could not see the card.

Jill circled around the flowers. "Ah, here it is..." She pulled a small card in the envelope and gave it to JoAnna.

JoAnna opened it and her face showed confusion.

"What does it say?", Jill was curious.

JoAnna gave her card, and Jill read it.

>>> >> <<<

"Who is Jeff?" Jill asked.

Image of a black hair, perfectly trimmed, and deep dark eyes came to JoAnna's mind. That perfect nose, exquisite profile… She told herself silently, 'Just a patient... and a grouchy one. Just a patient.' JoAnna took a deep breath and responded to Jill while trashing the card. "It's no one... but the flowers are nice. Get the vase." JoAnna kept the flowers in the vase and left them in the resting room for nurses before heading home for the day. 'It's better to leave them behind. If I take them with me, they will make me think about him…'

~ Los Angeles ~

Jeff got a confirmation that the flowers are delivered. Since then, every time his phone buzzed, he would jump to check it... and was disappointed when he saw that it was not JoAnna.

As time went by and night fell over Los Angeles, his depression increased. When he felt that he hit rock bottom, he started getting frustrated. 'Why is that woman not texting me? Or call me? Is it that difficult? I gave her my cell phone number on that card! She could at least contact me to say thank you…' With every minute passing his frustration increased. 'That woman! When she talks, she drives me insane, and now she is not saying anything and still I'm going crazy!' He took his phone and lifted it with intention to slam it to the ground, but at that moment he thought, 'What if she tries to contact me and my phone is broken?' Jeff slowly lowered his arm, placed the phone on the desk in front of him and stared at it.

He was confused... why is he acting this way? It's totally irrational. Thinking about the whole situation, why would she get in touch with him? Because he followed her to the bar just to find out her name, and after that kept her in his room for the night? From that perspective... isn't he a creep? Why would she contact a creep? He should probably apologize honestly... to make her understand that his intentions are not to stalk her. What are his intentions? Even if she calls, what will he say? That seeing her reminds him of a small girl from his past, and he wants to check if that is her?

On the other hand, what if she didn't receive the flowers? Maybe she was not at work then, and someone else took the flowers?

Tomorrow he can try again... oh... tomorrow morning he is heading to Reno for his birthday... he will meet a woman his parents picked for him based on her family background. His mood dropped. He never cared about these things. He never cared with whom he will end up with. It does not matter, right? They are all the same… Why is it bothering him now? Why his insides hurt at the thought that he will meet the woman who will be his wife… who is not JoAnna?