Let Me Count the Flowers

By K.S. Murphy

Ever since earning his accounting degree, Cody McIntyre has bounced from temp job to temp job. For almost a year now, he's been the receptionist at Coffee Brew Distributions, and his contract with them expires in exactly twelve days. Hoping to stay with the company, Cody has interviewed for a permanent position that's recently become available. If he gets it, not only will it save him the aggravation of having to find a new job, but he'll get to keep working with his awesome coworkers, especially fun, easy-going, and attractive Shane Wilson.

But when someone starts leaving flowers with special meanings on his desk every morning, Cody doesn't know what to think, and can't even begin to speculate who they're from. Considering how hard he's been crushing on Shane, he can only hope he gets good news sometime in the next twelve days, bright and beautiful as all the lovely flowers.

Will Cody find out who his secret admirer is? Or will he have to leave the company without solving the mystery?

• Language: English
• Publisher: JMS Books LLC
• Release date: Jul 25, 2022
• ISBN: 9781685502164

Book preview

Let Me Count the Flowers

By K.S. Murphy

Published by JMS Books LLC

Visit jms-books.com for more information.

Copyright 2022 K.S. Murphy

ISBN 9781685502164

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Cover Design: Written Ink Designs | written-ink.com

Image(s) used under a Standard Royalty-Free License.

All rights reserved.

WARNING: This book is not transferable. It is for your own personal use. If it is sold, shared, or given away, it is an infringement of the copyright of this work and violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

No portion of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts used for the purposes of review.

This book is for ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY. It may contain sexually explicit scenes and graphic language which might be considered offensive by some readers. Please store your files where they cannot be accessed by minors.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are solely the product of the author’s imagination and/or are used fictitiously, though reference may be made to actual historical events or existing locations. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Published in the United States of America.

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To Dad. Thank you for all the flowers.

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Let Me Count the Flowers

By K.S. Murphy

Chapter 1

Cody McIntyre, adjusting the strap of his messenger bag over his shoulder, sighs as he steps off the subway. His phone informs him he still has enough time to grab a coffee from the little bodega down the street he likes, but he’s cutting it close. Better than Starbucks. Cheaper and faster, too. Plus, it’s not far from his old high school, so he’s been going there for years and knows the owners. Always good to support a local family-run business. If it’s not too busy, Cody’ll be able to grab a bit of breakfast too, since he overslept and had to haul ass to make it to his train on time.

Overslept takes too much of the blame off Cody. Played the five more minutes game with his alarm until the very last minute is more like it. At least he can say he won at the home stretch.

Chuckling at himself and his stupid joke, Cody hustles those last few feet to the corner and up the one step of the bodega. Bells ring over his head as he pushes the door open and enters. The woman behind the counter, middle-aged with warm, kind dark eyes, a soft smile, and a golden-brown complexion, glances at him as he comes in and then the clock on the wall. Stomach twisting the same way it would when his mother gives him that look, Cody, under the weight of silent scolding, gives her a sheepish grin. To which she replies with a playful eye roll.

Luck seems to be on his side today; there’re only three people in the whole place and one is already checking out while the other two are browsing the ready-made section of the coolers.

Mornin’, Mrs. Safari, Cody greets as he gets behind the person receiving their change. New hijab?

Good morning, Cody, she replies, thanking her last customer and frowning at Cody when he steps up to the counter. Stop trying to divert my attention. Why are you so late?

Uh. Cody chews his lip. Just overslept, is all.

Eyebrows lifting as if she doesn’t really believe that, Mrs. Safari pushes away from the counter to pour him the cup of coffee she knows he’s here for.

Same excuse since you were a kid, she says. Still staying up late to play those video games?

Cody chuckles. While he had been up too late, it wasn’t because of playing video games. Last night, he happened across some good gay fan fiction and got lost in it for a few too many hours. But he isn’t about to