The flowers that John ordered arrived an hour later at Evangeline’s office. Her secretary brought her the flowers and handed her the card.

“The strings are still attached. What the hell does he want from me?” She sat the card on the desk and did the one thing she thought she would never do. She picked up the phone and called John at the station.

“McBain”

“Hi.”

“Oh Hi.” He said with a smile crossing his face, “I take it you got the flowers.”

“Yes I did, what does this card mean John? The strings are still attached.”

“What do you think it means?”

“I don’t know John.”

“It was so good to see you today Evangeline, even if we were fighting.” There was silence on the other end of the phone. “Are you still there?”

“Yeah, Yeah I am still here.”

“Did you hear what I said? It was really good to see you. I am sorry Evangeline, for everything. I miss you” John said to her.

“John, please don’t.”

“Please don’t what Evangeline? You are always after me to open up and when I finally do it you tell me not to. ”

“Please don’t say those things, or send me flowers. I can’t handle that or you for that matter.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“John I told you it was over between us, and then you go and send me flowers with a card that says the strings are still attached.”

“What if I don’t want it to be over?”

“John… please don’t say that. I can’t trust you, if I can’t trust you how do you expect me to be in a relationship with you?”

“Evangeline, I know I made a huge mistake kissing Natalie, and I would do anything to take it back. Anything at all to make it all go away. I can’t do this over the phone is there any possible way you will talk to me?”

“John,” she sighed after she said his name. She wanted him back too, her life had been boring, stressful, and down right awful since they stopped seeing each other. She thought about Nora’s comments earlier on how she should cut John some slack. “Listen, I will meet to talk with you on one condition.”

“Anything, I will agree to anything.”

“Don’t say that, you don’t know what my condition is.” She said with a small laugh. “I will meet you at the Palace around 7:30.”

“Why can’t we do this at your place or my place?”

“John, you know why.”

“Yeah, I know why. But I thought I would give it a try.” They both laughed at his statement.

“I am glad that you called me, I will see you at the Palace tonight. I look forward to seeing you tonight.”

“Yeah, me too John.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, really.”

“That is good to hear, I will see you tonight.” He smiled as he hung up the phone and thought about their conversation and there future meeting.

“John can I talk to you?” Natalie asked coming into his office.

“Natalie, umm, yeah sure come on in. What can I do for you?”

“Listen, I saw what happened a while ago with you and Evangeline. Is there anything I can do?”

“Natalie, listen you are the reason that Evangeline and I are having problems. Your little statement a while ago and that kiss you laid on me get me in the dog house with her. I can’t be your friend if you are still in love with me. I only offered you my friendship because I felt bad for getting you and Cristian involved in the whole thing in Las Vegas. Evangeline means too much to me to lose her. I have to fix things with her now, and if that means I can not be friends with you, then I am sorry I am going to have to work it out with her. Can you understand that?”

“No, John I can’t. What is it that Evangeline has that I don’t? Is it the fancy law degree, the fancy clothes? What is it please just tell me what it is? Why can you love her and not me? I mean I can give you everything that you need.” She says walking towards him and sitting on his desk and reaching for his hand.

“Natalie, this is what I am talking about. First off you don’t listen. I just told you that I am going to work on getting Evangeline back and the first thing you do is throw yourself at me. There is nothing wrong with you, you will find someone who loves you as much as you love them, I am not that guy Natalie.”

“Yes you are John. I want you, and I will do anything to get you back.”

“Get me back, Natalie you never had me in the first place. I asked you to be patient with me and you told me No! You decided that you wanted to get involved with Paul Cramer of all people, and I take it you did that to make me jealous?”

“John…”

“Natalie really, I can’t do this any more. I want to be with Evangeline, she was patient with me and allowed me to work on things and I became a better man because of her.”

“I could have done that too, John if you just would have let me.”

“I gave you the opportunity, but you didn’t want to take it. There is a reason that Evangeline and I got together and you and I didn’t. I thank the lord for that everyday. Evangeline is the best thing in my life right now, and I am not going to lose it because you can’t get over your feelings for me.”

“So what are you saying, you don’t love me? You love her?”

“Damn it Natalie, I have been saying that from the beginning, yes I love Evangeline, and there is nothing you can say or do to change that.” I love Evangeline! John had never said those words out loud. It felt good to say them, but he had said them to the wrong person. He should have said them to Evangeline not Natalie, but he wanted her to understand that she was a good person, just not who he wanted to be with.

“Natalie I am sorry if I led you on in any way. But I have this thing with helping and trying to safe people, I confused those feelings of dedication and guilt as something else.”

“Fine, John I understand. But I am worth loving, and if you can’t be that person that loves me, then fine I will find someone else. Go be happy with your lady legal eagle.” She said in a sarcastic tone and walked out of John’s office and his personal life.

John sat back in his chair and took a deep breath. He was going to tell Evangeline exactly what he just did; hopefully it will show her how devoted he is to get her back. John couldn’t focus on work so he headed back home to change and get ready for dinner with Evangeline.

Evangeline hung up the phone and took a deep breath. She returned back to her work and tried her best to focus on the briefs that were pilling up on her desk. She worked on a couple of them and then headed out of the office around 6 to head back home and grab a shower and change her clothes.

The Palace Hotel

John arrived a few minutes early and asked the host to seat him some where private and away from the rest of the patrons. The waiter seated him outside, seeing as it was nice warm night. He waited impatiently for Evangeline to arrive. He kept looking at his watch and at the door, waiting for it to swing open and see her standing there.

Evangeline arrived looked around for John, and when she didn’t see him she went to the host. “Excuse, have you seen Lieutenant McBain.”

“Ah, yes he is outside.” Said the host.

“Thank you.” Evangeline smiled at the host and walked out on to the patio. She took a deep breath and opened the door and saw John. He immediately stood up as she walked out on to the patio.