Alex Knightley

She couldn't see him. She couldn't. She couldn't hear him say what she knew he wanted to say. Not now. Not after she'd finally realized…

She'd declared herself perpetually single because no man would be worth her time when he could never meet her high expectations. But she failed to realize one thing about her "expectations." He already met her expectations. No, that's not quite right. He exceeded them. And he…was Alex.

Alex Knightley. How had she never seen it? He'd been there her whole life. He challenged her, encouraged her, supported her, and lectured her. He was the ultimate gentleman and thoughtful to a fault. Sure, he lacked a fashion sense and his haircut was a little…plain. But what did that matter really? And, now that she thought about, style wasn't on her list of expectations. How had she never added that to her list? Was it because she always knew, on some level, who that list was really about? Could her feelings for Alex really be traced that far back? Had they been hidden in the back of her subconscious all this time?

Her chest clenched. Oh god, yes. That's exactly what had happened. Every time she'd added something to the list she'd thought of Alex or been with Alex or been reminded of Alex. It was all always about Alex. And somehow she'd been blind to it for years. How had she not seen it?

And now it was too late. She'd lost him…to Harriet.

At one time she'd declared herself purposefully single because no man would do but now—now she supposed she was single because only one manwould do.

But apparently she wouldn't do for him. But did that mean she would lose him completely? No, she didn't want that. She needed to breathe and pull it together. Be a professional and a friend. One quick pep talk into the camera and she had herself feeling as though she could do it. She could face him. She could hear him say the words she dreaded.

But he didn't. She sat there and waited for it. She closed her eyes and talked herself into a positive outlook but when she opened her eyes there were flowers. Flowers and sweet words and confessions of feelings she'd never dreamed he would feel. But most of all flowers. She stared at them and could barely comprehend what was being said. She heard every word and she committed them to memory but it was difficult to believe it all. But flowers…flowers are romantic.

She'd learned the hard way that you couldn't argue with that.

The flowers were hastily set aside and she found herself doing something she never thought she'd get the chance to do: kiss Alex. Deeply and a lot. Over and over again.

And, as always, when it came to Alex her expectations were greatly exceeded.

No matter how high they were Alex always exceeded them. Old khakis and all.