“Some gardenias for you, dear Beatrice.” Said the person who was shoving a bouquet of white gardenias in the brunette’s face.

“Ugh! Can you not…..Ugh, thank you….Carlos.” Yes, she was still going to say ‘thank you’ because the flowers were beautiful. Unlike the person who proffered them, who was now obnoxiously on his way, feeling like he was the king of the world and sending a wink at her as he did so.

Merlin, she hated his guts.

As Beezus took a deep sigh, another person shoulder-hugged her from behind. “You’re flushing, Bee.”

“Yes, Meredith. I am flushing…..from extreme exasperation.”