Fallen for Her: Book 2 by Ava Armstrong Read Free Book Online Page B

around her doorway.  Bob’s note touched her, I’ll miss you, honey .  She inhaled the sweet aroma and smiled.  Maybe he did love her.  Maybe he was thinking about her. 
     
    The girls in the office came in to examine the flowers and all of them made silly comments, “Must have been a good night last night, eh?” one of them said.  Ella smiled. 
     
    “Yeah, it was a great night.” She lied.  It had been one of loneliest nights of her life. 
     
     
    The small crowd that had gathered in her office dissipated leaving her to the pile of phone messages on her desk.  One by one, Ella called each person back scheduling appointments or changing them.  All the while wondering why Bob sent flowers.  He seldom did something like that.  There was more to the note on her steering wheel and the beautiful arrangement sitting on her desk.  Something was going on in Bob’s mind that he wasn’t sharing with her, not yet anyway. 
    There were so many differences between them.  Bob wanted to travel the globe when he wasn’t nailing down deals.  Ella wanted to have a child and make a home.  She had figured by the age of thirty-five Bob would have changed and been more willing to settle down.  But now she was having her doubts.  If only he’d stop and smell the roses, literally, he might find that he could enjoy life more rather than planning the next stop, the next client, or the next win.  Even as she enjoyed the beauty of the roses, she knew they would fade and die in a matter of days; this was how she felt about her relationship with Bob.  It blossomed and looked beautiful for a while, but now the enchantment had worn off.  And, her feelings for him were dying.

~ Ray ~
     
    As he closed the iPad he took a deep breath.  Damn, he was hoping Ella was having second thoughts about Bob.  He glanced around his one-bedroom apartment and decided to exercise while the late night news came on.  He had to keep himself as strong as possible since the back surgeries.  Even though he couldn’t bench press like he used to, he did his usual weight routine.  He was now good friends with his physical therapist, Raoul.  He’d stop in the bar sometimes on the weekend and chat with Ray, even though Raoul didn’t drink.  He lived nearby and liked to shoot the breeze.  He was a good guy.  Ray had done some legal work for him gratis.
     
    It was important for Ray to keep his arms strong but he was restricted to using light weights when it involved his back muscles.  He was dedicated to the cause of staying healthy; well, as healthy as a guy with a broken back and four major operations could be.  His main focus was on his lower body and his legs were in good shape.  The bike in his apartment served two purposes.  He used it as an exercise machine and transportation around the city on weekends.
     
    Tomorrow he would pay a visit to his favorite person, Pops -- his father’s father, a World War II veteran and a crusty old Navy man. Ray had always had a close relationship with him and many of his values came from Pops.  He spoke five languages, was a good listener and an even better storyteller.  But, most of all, Ray always appreciated Pop’s worldly advice, especially when it came to women.  He wanted to tell his grandfather about Ella and get his take on how to proceed. 
     
    Before he turned in, Ray glanced at his iPad on the kitchen table.  Ella had left an inspirational message for him:  The best portion of your life will be the small, nameless moments you spend smiling with someone who matters to you.   And she posted a photograph of Ray holding Boomer.  He had no idea she snapped a photo of him with the dog while at the fishing camp and he smiled, knowing exactly what she meant.  He went to sleep that night with a warm feeling in his heart woke in the morning in good spirits. 
     
    His day at the firm was filled with phone calls and research for new pending cases.  He missed lunch and ate a protein