“Hello? Earth to Lola!” Sid grinned. He was overly familiar considering we’d only met an hour ago, but I didn’t mind it.
“Sorry, what?”
“I was asking if you straightened this whole mess out? Are the suppliers going to send the rest of our order or do you need to rework the piece?”
I followed him into the tent where we’d be storing our supplies. I lay my tray on the ground next to Sid’s.
“Oh, no. I think Julia fired them. I’ll need to call my old job to ask for help.”
“Yuck,” he wrinkled his nose, the silver hoop twinkling in the sunlight. “Hate that.”
I spent the next twenty minutes moving stacks of plants and flowers with Maia and Sid. I didn’t see Julia again and I was gladof it. It made me nervous that she’d brought up something so personal. Would she do it again? She’d looked at me like I was something to eat.
I wanted to call Alfie. He knew Julia. If I told him, he’d make sure she never spoke to me again. It felt childish though. This was my professional problem to deal with. I could handle it on my own.
I shook the worry off as something to deal with later. For right now, I had some sky blue peonies to hunt down.
There were memories in every brick and cobblestone in this place.
Rosie’s nursery had been my second home after my gran had died. A place that had warmed and welcomed me. At midday on a Wednesday, it was busy enough, the cafe full of mostly older women in cardigans and elasticated trousers, stopping by for tea and scones.
Maia stayed in the car while I went in search of my old boss. I was glad that she didn't hover as much as another security detail might have. The advantage of having her as my guard was that she knew already where my boundaries lay.
I headed straight for the herb garden towards the back of the nursery. The place that had always been Rosie's favourite. The sun was high and the breeze soft, it was the best weather for planting. I was sure she’d be there.
She spotted me before I could surprise her. She smiled and stood, pulling me towards her in a hug that seemed to squeeze me from all sides. Her new Labrador puppy, Violet, was a gangly teenager now. She trotted over to greet me too, her paws muddy, her eyes shining.
“Oh, my darling! Why didn't you tell me you were coming?”
“I wanted to surprise you. I sort of assumed that you'd know I was coming back into town anyway.”
“No! No, I had no idea. Although,” she paused, thinking, “are you involved in all that hubbub that I hear is going on at Harrington House? I did wonder if you might be involved what with, you know, with you and that handsome man being an item and all.”
“Yes, I’m a part of the production,” I answered, smoothly dodging her mention of Alfie. “Do you remember Imani Kishi?” I asked her and she nodded. I had introduced them briefly when Rosie came to support me at the Chelsea Flower Show. “Well, she's been asked to be a judge on a TV show about flower sculptures.”
“Oh…” Rosie said, looking understandably confused.
“It's like the Great British Bake Off but with flowers,” I explained.
“Oh! Well, I can't wait to watch! That sounds fascinating!”
“It is! To people like us anyway. Imani’s hired me to head the project design. That's why I'm here.”
“So, this isn't just a social visit?” She grinned, her smile filling her warm face. “What do you need, my darling?”
We spent the next two hours poring through everything that I would need over the coming weeks. By the time we were done, I was breathing a sigh of relief. Whatever Rosie couldn't supply me with, she knew someone who could.
Our business talk over, she insisted on buying me lunch. I didn’t argue. Most people couldn’t be paid enough to go back to an old job but I’d missed this place so much.
She took me into the cafe and ordered my usual for me. A pork sandwich with crackling, stuffing and applesauce. I knew I wouldn't be able to leave without at least one blueberry muffin in my hand as well.
We talked for a while and it wasn’t long before Rosie mentioned someone that had been on my mind since the moment I got here.
“Bradley will be sorry he missed you. I’ll give him your best, shall I?”
“Yes, but where is he? I’d have liked to see him.” We’d had a bitter parting years ago but had become friendly again.
“Oh! He’s on his honeymoon! He and that lovely girl married a few weeks ago now.” She paused, looking a little uncomfortable. “I had wondered if he would invite you to the wedding, but then I know there was some sort of attachment – at least on his part anyway – and, well you have hardly seen each other these last few years so…” She trailed off. Her eyes were round with worry that I would be hurt.
