Hale's

Chapter 10

"Just because I'm not a serial dater like you, doesn't mean I'm asexual!" Rafael snapped in amused annoyance.

"I dated two women in this entire past year!" Wesley lifted his hands in outrage. "So what's the story with her?"

Rafael sighed heavily. "Well... I really liked her as a kid... And later on... But she was in love with my ex best friend, Jonathan, back then."

"Harsh," Wesley sympathized, patting his shoulder before his expression turned to confusion.
"Wait, I thought you were with her, and then she dumped you for this Jonathan dude?"

"No... Well... Sort of. I was with her for a while... ten years," he muttered stupidly; he wasn't sure if telling him that he had also been with Jonathan was such a good idea so left that part out.

"Ten years?!" Wesley asked shocked.

"Yeah," Rafael mumbled sadly.

"What the heck happened?" Wesley was clearly still shocked.

Rafael shrugged. "She left me... She said our relationship wasn't working anymore because she was actually in love with Jonathan, and though it had been fun with me, she would rather be with him..." Just talking about it nearly made him cry as he remembered the letter she had left on his bed before disappearing with Jonathan. How could they have betrayed him like that?
Of course he knew the relationship they had been in was crazy, but it had been working. It had been working amazingly well and it had been all he had ever wanted... But obviously they didn't think so... Backstabbing assholes... Rafael hated them.

"I'm sorry, man," Wesley said gently. "How come you never told me about her?"

Rafael shrugged. "I didn't know what to say." It was actually because he had been afraid to let the thing with Jonathan slip... Jonathan... that jerk who had always claimed to love him and then broken his heart... He missed him so much...

Ever since Wendy and Jonathan had left him, he hadn't been able to trust anyone ever again and had refused to date again. No relationship could ever be better than the one had already had, but he had lost it, and no matter what came along, it would pale in comparison. He simply had no desire to love anyone again. Also because he was terrified of being abandoned like that again; after all, if he couldn't even trust his two best childhood, who could he trust?

During the one hour drive, they eventually did manage to talk about work for a while, after which the limo finally stopped in front of the small, quaint flower shop named Hale's.

Suddenly Rafael was nervous. What if it really was from Wendy and/or Jonathan?

"Okay, you wait here, I'll be right back," Rafael instructed as he got out of the car.

"Can I go for some lunch meanwhile? I haven't had breakfast yet," Wesley complained.

Rafael rolled his eyes; Wesley was always thinking about food. "Yeah, sure. I'll see you later." He nodded as he closed the door of the car, taking a deep breath before entering the small shop. It smelled like flowers. Obviously.

The bell above the door made a small chiming sound, alerting that he had entered, and he waited a moment before a little girl came out of the back of the shop.

"Hello," Rafael said awkwardly at the girl who beamed up at him.

"Hello. What can I do for you?" She asked cheerfully. Rafael recognized the voice from the phone. Seriously? Who let a little girl operate a shop?

"I'm looking for... um... a grown up? Maybe?" He asked hesitantly.

The girl made a skeptical face, crossing her arms. "Why? You think selling flowers is too difficult for me?" She asked a bit miffed.

"No. No, that's not what I meant," he said quickly. "I think we spoke on the phone? I'm Rafael Raine... I've been getting flowers from your shop but I don't know who the sender is?" Why was he talking to a child? Ugh. He hated kids.

"Ah yes," she smiled. "Did you like the flower arrangements? I made them," she continued happily.

"Oh... really?" Rafael asked a bit stunned; they had indeed been very nice. "Wow, that's pretty impressive. I honestly didn't think they were made by a... How old are you, 5, 6?"

The girl pursed her lips with a dry look. "I'm 11."

"Oh... that's old." Rafael nodded. He was bad at judging ages.

"Excuse me?" The girl asked shrilly.

"No, that's not what I meant. Of course you're not old – you're just a little kid... I mean..." This was not going well. "I'm very sorry," Rafael apologized politely. "I'm not very good with children."

"Clearly..." the girl nodded slowly.

Rafael sighed. "Anyway... As I said on the phone, I'm trying to find the sender of those flowers."

"Why?" the girl named Hale asked curiously. God, kids were such a pain.

"Because I'd like to know who's sending them to me." Nosy brat...

The girl hesitated for a moment before replying. "I sent them."

Rafael nodded. "Okay great, who placed the order for them?"

Apparently Hale was debating whether to answer or not, but finally she did. "A guy named Jonathan."

Rafael took in a sharp breath. Jonathan. "Oh. I see. Do you happen to have his address written down somewhere? I'd really like to contact him." Of course he could do a bit of research and try to find him, but this might be a whole lot easier. Especially because Jonathan hadn't been anywhere on any social networks under his name.

"What do you want it for?" She asked.

Rafael wanted to yell at her. "He's an old friend of mine but I don't know where he's currently living so you'd be doing me a huge favor by telling me."

"Oh... how come you aren't friends anymore?"

Rafael's eye twitched. "That's a bit too complicated for an 11-year-old. Could you please just give me his address?" No wonder he had never wanted kids...

"We have all addresses written down somewhere... But our cataloging system is too complicated for 11-year-olds. I'm afraid I can't help you," she smiled sweetly, giving him an innocent look.

Rafael thought his head was about to explode. "Alright... fine..." He growled. "We lost touch because, after being in a relationship with him and a woman named Wendy for ten years, the two of them suddenly dumped me because they were tired of our 'twisted' relationship and wanted something more 'normal'. Which is why I'm quite surprised that I'm suddenly getting flowers Jonathan. What happened? Did Wendy also dump him and now he wants to get back together with me, or what?!" Rafael asked angrily, glaring at the stunned girl.

"Um, I'll ask my dad..." She said slowly, retreating into the back of the shop. "Dad? Can you come up here for a second?" She called.