"Hector"

I couldn't believe it. It was the first time in days I'd had any sign that Samantha would forgive me. When I stepped into that elevator and opened the card, I wanted to walk out and kiss her, but the door was already closing.

Samantha had written "make me believe," and I didn't need more to feel hopeful and know I still had a chance to win her back. There were only three words there, but they said so much more than they seemed.

I went to a meeting I couldn't postpone and returned to Mellendez's company as quickly as I could, but first, I stopped by the mall and bought a few things.

At the bakery, I asked the attendant to help me assemble the box. She placed the twelve red rosebuds and placed a bottle of marula liqueur between the stems, and around the bottle, placed several strawberry candies. She closed the box and artfully tied a red ribbon. I affixed the card to the lid that read, "I'll do whatever I can to show you I can be the man of your life."

When I returned to Alessa