'Til Sun Beams Find You [COMPLETED]

Fifty-two (Part 1)

"Aren't these so pretty?" Valerie asked Nico once she exited her office, as the receptionist arranged the flower in the vase at her desk.

They had been delivered a few minutes ago with a note from her boyfriend with a note that said 'Happy Valentine's Day', and she was blushing hard at the dozen pretty red roses he had sent.

It was her second bouquet of the day, as he'd sent some pink roses to her apartment that morning as well, and Valerie spent the entire time Nico was getting coffee in the kitchen of their office gushing about the flowers.

"They are," Nico smiled a tight-lipped smile.

Valerie fixed the way one of the roses stood and turned her head to the side.

"You're leaving?"

It was just past noon.

"Yeah," she ruffled through her bag to make sure her keys were in there. "Checking out the lakeside manor apartments that opened up the other day.."

She and Carter had been spending the last week or so looking at different apartments in the city, but they couldn't settle on anything because there was always something that Nico didn't like. And the apartments in the complex she had raved about had been scooped up with quickness, leaving only apartments without a view of the water available.

But she had gotten an email last night about it being available to view, and she scooped the keys up with quickness. She also made sure Carter canceled his afternoon appointment with his client to come see it with her, even though he insisted he'd like any apartment she chose, just as long as it meant she would be in it every day.

"Oh. Okay. I'll let anybody who calls know. By the way, you got a package," Val said, and Nico's eyes lit up as she watched her round the table to grab it.

She was expecting a bouquet of roses, and literally felt her happiness get replaced with disappointment once Valerie revealed the Amazon package that arrived.

She already know it was the pens she had ordered and grumbled. She tore the tape off and walked back to her office to put the pens on her desk before tossing the box into the recycling bin.

"Were you expecting something else?"

"No," Nico lied as she walked towards the elevator.

Who needed flowers anyways?

Besides, Valentine's Day was a stupid holiday that didn't even matter.

"You look beautiful, by the way," Valerie called before Nico got on the elevator.

She felt even more ridiculous, as she had put time and effort into her appearance today by curling her hair, putting on a nice dress and spending more than the usual 5-minutes on makeup that she did.

While other women got bouquets on bouquets of flowers, she couldn't even get a happy Valentine's Day text or call.

Nico blew out a breath as she dialed Carter's number on her way to her car.

It took him a while to pick up.

"Aye baby.. what's up?" Carter said, and she heard the sound of his tattoo needle buzzing and frowned.

"Are you still working?"

He was supposed to be done by now.

"Yee gimme ten more minutes and Imma be done. I'll meet you there, send me the address..." he said, as obviously the plan of them heading together had fallen through due to time constraints.

"Okay..." she sighed. "I'm leaving work right now so I should be there in fifteen."

"Aight.. love you," he said, sounding distracted.