Twisted in Tulips by Nikki Duncan

wasn’t happening.
    A woman harassing her ex-husband, a journalist trying to sneak into one of the labs, and an engaged couple visiting Tulle and Tulips Designer Weddings breaking a restroom toilet during an afternoon sex adventure had led up to the crowning moment. A visiting six-year-old, unattended by Mom, got into a server room and almost took the building’s main security system down. He’d found the giggling girl just in time. The idiot who’d left the door unlocked had so far been too cowardly to step forward.
    Through it all Jace struggled with his AWOL focus. Misty and thoughts of seeing her had patrolled the frontline of his mind. She’d set up an amazing reunion for him and hadn’t stayed around for the thank you or to watch.
    “I hear you’ve had…a day.”
    “A day.” Jace looked up from his last report to find Trevor leaning casually against the doorjamb. He’d loosened his tie and undone the top button of his peach shirt, yet he still looked crisp and innately powerful. A look in the mirror wasn’t needed for Jace to know his own crisp look had withered hours ago. “I guess that’s one way to put it.”
    “Seems you handled it well.”
    “Just doing my job.”
    “Which is done for the day.” Trevor jerked his head. “How ’bout a drink?”
    “You taking a night off from your pursuit to get Lori to marry you?” It was common knowledge that while Lori and Trevor were crazy in love and committed, she had yet to accept his proposal. From what Jace had heard, Trevor asked every night.
    “Hell no. She’s at a wedding for one of her brides, but I won’t miss a night with her.”
    It was a sentiment Jace seconded. Misty’s windows had been dark by the time he and his unit had closed down the bar. He’d entertained the ideas of pounding until she woke or sleeping on her doorstep or breaking in. In the end, none of those actions from a man who’d had too much to drink adequately said thank you or inspired romance. But tonight… “If we could do that drink another night… I want to finish this report and then I plan on tracking someone down.”
    “Misty?”
    “How’d you know?”
    “I recognize a fellow pursuer.” Trevor grinned with a happiness that transformed his professional polish to a giddy gleam. “And Lori told me about the pizza and gift card.”
    “I owed her an apology, and she works too hard.”
    “We all work too hard at times, and that was some apology.”
    “I know how to admit I’m wrong. I was wrong about Misty.” And he was going to top the apology with a thank you she wouldn’t forget.
    “She’s a surprising woman.” Trevor pushed off the wall. “Good luck.”
    Thirty minutes later, descending the back stairwell with the certainty that Misty was alone in her office with all the other planners gone for the night, Jace didn’t feel like he needed luck.
    He had waited.
    He had planned.
    He would conquer.
    With a swipe of his master key, he was in the lobby of Tulle and Tulips. Muted light shone from Misty’s office. Moving closer, before seeing her elegantly decorated space, he knew she wasn’t there. It felt empty.
    A door at the back of her office hung open. A song played with lyrics about not being able to find the way home reaching him. The raspily sung words had fit him and his life to perfection until last night. No. Until Misty. He just hadn’t recognized all the changes in himself until last night.
    Because of Misty he’d released his judgmental views. He’d lost all issues with her clothes. Before long, when men looked at her they’d look with envy because they’d never know how amazing the sexily clad woman was.
    Following the music, he went into the warehouse section that was larger than he’d thought. Tables on wheels were set up in long rows with acrylic sign holders hanging off the edges every few feet. He imagined the wheels were so the arrangements could be rolled in and out of the giant refrigerator in the back corner. Most all of