“I’m a free man. About to leave the program.”
Her frown deepened. “Oh, yeah. When we met, you said you wouldn’t be around to see the community garden growing.” Pain laced her words.
He shook his head. “I don’t have to leave. There’s an opportunity at the training facility. If I want it.”
If I’m brave enough to take it.
Staring down at this beautiful, creative and caring woman in his arms…he thought he could be.
* * * * *
Fern stood at the potting bench of the greenhouse, the fresh air from the open door rushing through her senses and teasing the ends of her ponytail. She had several pretty annuals lined up and a much larger pot on the floor at her feet to plant them in.
From somewhere in the greenhouse, she heard Marla take a phone call. She spoke in a low but friendly tone, but Fern couldn’t make out the words.
She started to reach for one plant when she remembered the bracelet Crew had made her still circled her wrist. She stared at the beads in all colors of green—some clear glass and some with swirls of other colors. But all perfect.
For this job, she would be up to her forearms in dirt. She didn’t want to get the bracelet dirty or risk breaking the fragile cord he’d strung it on. Sighing, she slipped it off and set it on the shelf over the bench.
“Fern,” Marla called.
She turned to see the older woman bustling toward her, apron dirty and water beading on her rubber clogs.
“What’s up?”
“I just took a call from Vera at the bakery.”
She almost wrinkled her nose at the name—and her boss saw it.
Marla chuckled. “I know. She isn’t the easiest woman to get along with. But this was a good call.”
“Oh?”
“Did you make a pot for the front of the bookshop?”
“Yes! I created it for Felicity, and she asked me to swap out the plants with the seasons.”
The woman beamed. “It’s great that you’re generating repeat business, both for you and the greenhouse. And now you’ve got a new client—Vera at the bakery. She would like a color theme of pink and white flowers.”
She tapped her fingertip to her lips, mind already selecting the blooms and varying greenery to complement the flowers. “I have just the right ones in mind.”
“Great. She’d like you to deliver the pot to her tomorrow.”
Smiling, she nodded. “Shouldn’t be a problem.” She thought of all the other businesses in Willowbrook—the hardware store, the thrift shop and coffee shop too. So many different pots she could make.
“Marla,” she said thoughtfully, “what do you think of me soliciting the other businesses in town tomorrow? To see if they’d like to invest in seasonal pots too.”
Her face lit up. “I think it’s a wonderful idea. I knew hiring a woman named Fern was a sign of good things to come.”
Warmed by the kind words and the genuine feeling behind them, Fern impulsively threw her arms around Marla. She hugged her back. When they broke apart, they were both grinning and Fern felt so happy that she’d seen the exit for Willowbrook and decided to put down roots here.
“I’d better finish this pot.” Fern beamed at her.
“Get back to work.” Marla beamed too, then turned and walked to the succulents.
Just seeing the little handwritten sign for the succulents section felt like a cloud crossing over Fern’s beautiful day. The Black Heart Security team hadn’t uncovered the source of that succulent that suddenly appeared in her car that day. And after digging deeper, they’d learned nothing more about the truck either.
As she positioned the plants in the larger pot, she realized she needed another to fill in. She wandered down the row to retrieve the exact greenery she needed to add appeal. After she planted it, she spun the pot around, getting a feel for appearance and making sure every angle looked attractive. Lost in her task, her mind wandered.
