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Sarah is sitting at her desk, flowerless The door to Lisa’s office is closed

"Nice, right?" Sarah says, when she seesvase of blossoot a fan"

Cooper! I think i so thoughtful--and classy He kno ht That, plus having a student death in the building--when I’d sworn toto be different--has really thrownhe’d do to cheerall that nonsense about hoas going to tail her

"Oh," I say softly, reaching out to gently touch one delicate, ivory petal "He didn’t have to go to all this trouble"

"He really didn’t," Sarah says, taking a big bite of the burger she’s grabbed fro at her desk "But then," she adds, with her uy he is, isn’t he?"

I lean forward to sniff a rose Heaven, especially after experiencing sojust noith Prince Rashid’s bodyguard "I’rees "We all are, really So, so lucky to have hihtly off about her tone

"Wait," I say, lifting"These are froht?"

"Ha" Sarah cackles "You wish Open the card"

There’s an ivory note card tucked areen leaves I reach for it

19

Frohness Prince Rashid Ashraf bin Zayed Sultan Faisal

FOR MS WELLS, WITH MY DEEPEST SYMPATHIES FOR YOUR LOSS I WAS SO SORRY TO HEAR WHAT YOU WENT THROUGH YESTERDAY PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THERE’S ANYTHING MY STAFF OR I CAN DO FOR YOU DURING THIS TERRIBLE TIME

Yours very truly,

Rashid

I turn to stare at Sarah in disbelief "These flowers are from Prince Rashid?"

"Or Shiraz" Sarah rolls her eyes "Whichever he’s calling hiement "They’re sonice"

"Well, his dad has billions of dollars," Sarah reminds me with more than a hint of sarcasm in her tone "I’ht

"That’s not what I esture It’s kind of mature And what’s written in the card is so nice"