James declares as he steps into the entryway. “Thank you. Not too shabby yourself,” I reply, as I take the flowers from him and start towards the kitchen. “These are beautiful. Let me get these in water. One sec.” He follows me to the kitchen, and leans against the doorframe while I retrieve a vase from a shelf above the sink. I take my time filling up the vase with water, trying to stop my hands from shaking. I can feel him watching me. I try to think of something to say, but the harder I try to think of something interesting, the more jumbled my thoughts become. I set the flowers in the water, and throw away the plastic and tissue paper. I spend an extra moment fluffing the bouquet and picking at the arrangement. As I pick and obsess, he crosses the room and wraps his arms around me. He smells amazing, and I feel myself relax into his arms. “How was your day?” I ask, without turning around.
