Eyeing him carefully, she lowered herself onto the step. She leaned over to peer into the bag, but he scooted it away. “Why can’t I just see what’s inside?”
“Because I want to talk first. How are you holding up?”
Leaning her forearms on her knees, she stared out into her beautiful surroundings. “Right now, in this moment, I’m good. I can almost forget all the craziness that’s consumed my life the last few days. I’m glad we came here. It’s taken my mind off my troubles for a little while.”
“I’m glad you like it as much as I do.”
“I’m just sorry Tara didn’t come with us. I know how happy you are to have her in town.”
“She’s probably having the time of her life. You and I both know Lily is giving her the VIP treatment, which Tara will eat up with a freaking spoon.”
“I hope so,” Eve said. “I wish I had some horses to ride or a trail to hike. Something to keep my focus off everything.”
Her mind went back to standing in the cozy bedroom. She hadn’t exaggerated when she’d said she could stay there forever. What she hadn’t mentioned was wanting Reid to be there with her. A part of her had wanted him to sweep her off her feet and keep her occupied in that bed for the rest of the day.
The other part warned it was still too soon. There were still too many layers to Reid she needed to peel back.
“If you have paint, I’m good with a brush. Maybe you and I could knock out that kitchen while we’re here.” She’d much rather be outside, soaking up the last bits of summer sun while the breeze filtered through the trees. But sitting and thinking were her enemies right now.
“I have a better idea.” Reid scooped up the bag he’d been hiding and set it between them. “Last night, the things you said about Tyson Brown stealing so much from you really stuck with me. I hate that he has that power. I meant what I said about taking back that power—about rebuilding your life. If you’re up to it, I’d like to help you take baby steps to do that now.”
She tried to make sense of his words but couldn’t.
Her silence must have spurred him on, so he continued. “You told me about your dad. About how he’d take you to pick flowers. Hell, you even brought me some to thank me. I don’t know if I ever told you how much that meant. You’ve used your love of flowers to bring joy to others as well as to make yourself happy. I want you to start reclaiming what you love.”
A shiver tap-danced down her spine and the scent of hundreds of petals invaded her senses. She pressed the heels of her hands against her closed eyes and tried to block out the image of rose petals left on her bed like some kind of sick offering.
A gentle touch on her back opened her eyes and she sucked in a large breath. “I want that, I really do, but I don’t know how. Especially with this guy still out there, threatening to show up and send me right back into a tailspin.”
“I understand your misgivings. But that’s where these come in.” He opened the top of the bag and shifted it so she could see inside.
Her heart melted like butter. “Are those flower bulbs?”
“Yeah. I snuck some at the store when you weren’t looking. Luckily, in these parts, you can find steaks to grill and garden supplies in the same place. I grabbed tulips and daffodils andpeonies. As you can see, we need to make the outside of the cabin look a little more presentable. If you’re up for it, we could plant these. Knowing that it’ll take some time for growth. Some time for the beauty of these plants to shine through.”
Tears stung her eyes. She dipped her hand inside the bag and touched the rough surface of the dirt-covered bulbs. These weren’t just flowers waiting to be planted. These were promises of a brighter future.
Promises of hope.
“This is the most thoughtful thing anyone has ever done for me,” she said, awe filling her voice. “You’re not just giving me a chance to use my hands and lose myself in something besides my own fear. You’re giving me an opportunity to bury seeds and allow them time and space to bloom. To thrive.”
“Maybe I just want free help to fix up this cabin?”
Laughing, she bumped her shoulder against his. “Maybe, but I doubt it. Thank you. This means the world to me. Do you have gardening tools?”
He shook the bag. “Best damn store around.”
“Then let’s get started.” Standing, she took the bag and walked over to the overgrown flowerbed in front of the picture window. “Do you have a plan for where you want these? A layout for what you want the garden to look like?”
“Nope. Madden and I have been so busy on the inside, we haven’t given much thought to outside. Not to mention I have two black thumbs.”
She studied the curve of the flowerbed, the width of the space and how best to utilize it. “At my house, I plant things in clusters to give a more English cottage feel. It’s organized chaos, like my life. We could do the same here.”
“Perfect. Just tell me what to do.”
She grinned. “It’s that easy? I just tell you what to do and you’ll do it?”
He returned her smile and shrugged, his cowboy hat hiding the crinkles she knew surrounded his eyes. “I’ll do whatever I can to make you happy.”
