Joey looked at him, questions in her eyes, but she was smart, and she looked over to her mother. Adam saw the recognition as it crossed her face, because Joey could read a room. It had just taken her a little longer this time.
“Yes, we saw some tomato starts in the garage,” she said. “How did you do those?”
“They’re not really in the garage,” her mother said. “We had Peter from down the street come and put a little greenhouse against the window, so I can check on them without having to go outside.”
“Right,” Joey said, though Adam and Joeyhadwalked past them in the garage and seen them through that window.
“It was really easy,” Joey’s mom said. “I set out those red plastic cups and filled them with dirt, and then I sliced a tomato and put one piece on top of each one. A little water and as much sun as possible, and now I have one hundred and twenty starts.”
“Wow,” Adam said. “What are you going to do with all those?”
From what Joey had told him, her mother was quite ill and couldn’t work—or do much of anything physically. Gardening would definitely be a lot of up and down, hauling supplies, and physical labor, and he hadn’t realized that Lauren was capable of it.
“She sells them,” Gloria said. “The nurseries and hardware stores around here sell a tomato plant for five dollars,” she continued. “Lauren can give them the same plant from her greenhouse, and she only charges three.”
“I started one hundred and twenty more a few days ago,” Lauren said. “I try and space them out every couple of weeks because people are ready to plant at different times.”
“That’s great, Momma,” Joey said. “I didn’t realize you’d done that.”
“I’ve been doing it about six or eight months now.” Lauren grinned at them from across the table. “I sold a bunch of plants to the members of the greenhouse society here in town,” she said. “Once they learned I had them, it seemed like everyone wanted one so that they could have fresh tomatoes out of their greenhouses this winter.”
She looked the happiest Adam had ever seen her, and he found himself genuinely smiling at her too.
The meal finished, and Adam got up to clear the table while the three women continued to chat. Just because he didn’t know how to cook didn’t mean he didn’t know how to rinse dishes and set them in the dishwasher. One glance at the leftovers told him he might be out of his league if he tried to put those away, so he left them for Joey or her grandmother to do later.
Laterwas really what Adam wanted to get to. Because later, after this meal, he and Joey had planned an intimate gift exchange and dessert at his place. She’d helped him set up a Christmas tree over the weekend—on the day she was supposed to move into her new apartment—and he’d gottenhis wrapped gifts back from his neighbor and put them under the tree.
He felt like a real person who did normal things for the holidays, and he’d bought a smoked turkey, mac and cheese, a dozen fresh rolls, stuffing, and a broccoli kale salad for their Christmas evening dinner. It came with brown gravy and sparkling cider as well, and Adam had bought three pies from Joey for dessert.
As far as she knew, they were eating here and doing dessert at his place later, because Adamlovedsurprising her with the things she loved and watching her face light up and then soften as she kissed him. He would do anything to make her happy, and he’d acknowledged that the reason he did those things was because…he was in love with her.
A couple of hours later, Joey rose from the couch where they’d put on a silly Christmas movie. Adam had done his best to watch it, but he kept sneaking glances at his phone instead.
“We have to go, Momma,” she said.
“Already?” her mom asked.
“It’s going to snow in a little bit,” Joey said. “I have to get Adam home and back to Grams and Gramps.”
“Oh, all right.” Lauren did not get off the couch to hug Joey goodbye. Joey leaned over and did it, and put off her grandmother’s offer for food once and then twice, before Adam helped her into her coat and they made it out of the house.
She’d stopped to pick him up, but he walked with her all the way to the driver’s door and opened it for her. When hegot in beside her and slammed out the winter weather, she drew in a deep breath and sighed.
“Sorry about that,” she said.
“Hey, you don’t need to apologize,” he said.
“Maybe she just tiresmeout,” Joey said.
“You’re definitely more aware of it than I am,” Adam told her. “You don’t need to worry about me at all.” He chuckled as he pulled his seatbelt across his body. “Just wait until you meet my mother.”
Joey looked over to him, something vibrant and electric in her eyes. “Is that a possibility? Me meeting your momma?”
Adam employed his cowboy head-ducking skills and reached for her hand. “I mean, I think so,” he said.
“Seems real serious,” she said.
“Would you have brought me home for Christmas this year?” he asked. “If I hadn’t already met your mother because of that snowstorm?”
