Must Love Flowers, page 9
“Yes, well…”
“You’re lonely and this dog is the perfect solution.”
Joan continued to shake her head. “He’s not a solution; he’s a nuisance.”
Her son refused to listen. “Look into his eyes and tell me you aren’t smitten.”
“I’m not smitten,” she insisted, while avoiding looking at the dog, who whined softly.
“You can’t resist this, can you?” Nick continued, sounding downright gleeful. “You might think you don’t need a dog for a companion, but you do. I’m here to see that you don’t have a reason to be lonely ever again.”
“I don’t need a dog for a companion,” she repeated, and then added, “because—” She didn’t get to finish as her son cut her off.
“You’ll thank me later, I promise you.”
“Nick,” she pleaded again. “No.”
“Here, take him.” He placed the dog into her arms and hurried down the front steps.
“Where are you going?” Joan shouted after him, intent on giving the puppy back to her son.
“I have food, a crate, and a few toys to entertain him. They’re in the truck. I’ll be right back.” He made a quick run from the truck to the house and set everything down in the small foyer. “Sorry, Mom, I’ve got to run. I’m on my lunch break and I gotta get back to work. Love you.”
“Does he have a name?” she shouted.
Nick shook his head as he hopped inside his truck. “You get to name him.”
Great. She looked down at the tiny dog in her hands and he looked back at her and licked her arm.
“Well, well,” she muttered. “I guess we’re stuck with each other.”
The puppy looked up at her, and Joan had to agree with her son. He was adorable.
Just then he peed, as if he’d been holding it far too long. The warm liquid ran down the front of her silk blouse.
As she looked in horror at what he had done, Phil Harrison’s truck turned the corner and pulled up to the front of the house.
Chapter 12
Joan rushed into her bedroom and quickly shucked off her wet blouse and wiped herself down with a washcloth. The puppy sat obediently at her feet as she shuffled through the hangers in her closet, seeking another top. After considering several, she chose a long-sleeved cotton pullover.
Phil had the lawn mower out of his truck and paused when she came onto the front porch. “I see you’re ready to get to work.”
He grinned. “Johnny-on-the-spot is what I like to tell my customers.”
“I appreciate it. Listen, I…hope you don’t mind, but I baked you something. I wanted to thank you for all your help the other day with Maggie and her father. I don’t know what I was thinking, involving you the way I did.” Even now she marveled at how Phil hadn’t hesitated to step into what might have been a delicate situation with Roy Herbert. His insight into Roy’s behavior spoke of a deep compassion and understanding. His wife was a lucky woman.
“It’s fine, Joan. I was happy I was there to lend a helping hand.”
She’d looked for a way to show her appreciation and felt a bit shy about mentioning it. “It’s not much, but both Maggie and I wanted to let you know how much we appreciated what you did. I hope you like banana bread.”
His eyes widened with appreciation. “How’d you know that’s my favorite?”
“I didn’t,” she said, hiding a smile. “It just so happened I had several ripe bananas and I thought, you know, that I shouldn’t let them go to waste.”
“It’s been a good long while since I had homemade banana bread. Thank you.”
“When you’re finished, I’ll cut you a slice. Would you like a cup of coffee to go with it?”
His eyes brightened. “That sounds great.”
Almost against her will, Joan noticed how lean and muscular Phil was. As she had before, she noted he was deeply tanned from his work outdoors. In fact, by all outward appearances, he seemed quite ordinary-looking, and yet despite their brief acquaintance, she viewed him in a completely different light. She returned to the house and cut off a slice from the loaf and wrapped up what remained.
When the sound of the mower died down, Joan stepped onto the porch with a plate and a fresh cup of coffee. He hadn’t mentioned how he liked his brew, so she left it black. Seeing her lawn mowed, she was surprised at what a vast improvement it made. “The yard looks great.”
“All it needed was a little TLC,” Phil said, wiping the sweat from his brow as he headed up the steps.
Joan handed him the slice of banana bread and the coffee. “I hope you like your java black.”
“I do,” he said between bites of the banana bread. “Have there been any more threats from the HOA folks?”
“There shouldn’t be. I’ll let them know I’ve hired you, and that should satisfy their concerns.”
“Good.” He said the lone word with a nod.
The puppy cried from behind the screen door, and Joan collected him, still unsure what she was going to do with this dog. “Look what my son brought me this afternoon.”
Phil’s smile widened as he set aside the empty plate and the coffee cup. He took the pup from her hands and held him at eye level as he looked him over. “What a cute little fellow. Do you have a name for him yet?”
“No…I haven’t even started to think about that. If you have any suggestions, I’m open to them.”
Phil thought for a moment and then shook his head. “No need to rush into it. He’ll show his personality soon enough. When the time is right, you’ll figure out one that’s perfect for him.” He passed and then added, “Amanda had a dog when she was little. Oh, how she loved that silly dog. He followed her everywhere. She named him Cocoa.” His eyes became sad. “Cocoa died shortly before she left for college. Losing him nearly broke Amanda’s heart.”
“I’m sorry.” Joan felt bad for bringing up unhappy memories.
“That loss was a good life lesson for us both. A painful one for sure.”
Feeling bad for him, she paid attention to the puppy and changed the subject. “Until he shows me his personality, I’ll call him No Name.”
Phil chuckled. “No Name,” he repeated, and appeared to find that amusing. He waited a moment and then said, “It’s time I headed out.”
Joan hadn’t wanted this dog, had never considered getting a pet. Having No Name thrust upon her was a shock, and yet she found herself warming to the idea.
Phil handed the puppy back to her. “Thanks for the banana bread.”
“Oh, wait, I have the loaf ready for you.” With the puppy still in her arms, she returned to the house and collected the loaf, handing it to him.
“Thanks.” The warmth in his eyes revealed his appreciation. “The two of us are going to enjoy this immensely. I’ll be back later in the week. Can we discuss the flower beds then? I know you want to work on those, but I have a few ideas I’d like to pass along, if you’d like.”
“That sounds wonderful. Later in the week would be great.”
Again, he hesitated. “Before I go, I wanted to check to see if everything was okay with Maggie.”
“It’s working out well. I’ve never had a boarder before, and the truth is I had a few qualms about taking one on. Once I heard the circumstances surrounding her home life, I felt the need to act quickly. I’m grateful I did. Maggie’s a delight.”
“From what little I’ve seen of her, I agree.”
“Maggie’s decided she wants to check in on her father now and again to be sure he’s getting along okay without her.”
“That alone says a lot about Maggie, doesn’t it?”
“It does. I didn’t mean to detain you, but I wanted to thank you again for your help.”
“Like I said, no problem.”
Phil left her then, and she watched him go.
As his truck disappeared around the corner, it came to Joan that she was moving forward. A few baby steps at a time. When Jared was alive, she had purpose, working together with her husband, day to day. Her routine was set. She knew who she was and was comfortable in the work she’d been given. For the first time she could feel that again.
The puppy whined, and, thinking he might need to do his business, she placed him on the freshly mowed lawn, where he smelled the grass and hopped—yes, hopped—like he was walking on hot coals, causing her to laugh. He raced back to her and stretched up, using her leg for balance.
Joan returned to the house and poured herself a cup of coffee, which she took to the front porch, taking No Name with her. With the sun on her face warming her, Joan sat on one of the Adirondack chairs Jared had purchased the year before his death.
She held No Name in her lap, and the puppy promptly fell asleep. For the first time she could remember in a long while, Joan felt perfectly content.
Chapter 13
Maggie checked in for the early shift at Starbucks and reached for her apron. She was scheduled to handle the cash register again this morning. The rush in the morning sometimes overwhelmed her as she did her best to keep up with the orders and keep the line moving. She looked forward to seeing the two guys from the construction crew who routinely stopped in before heading to the jobsite. The completion of the apartment complex was on schedule, if the chatter the men exchanged was anything to go by.
Einstein was a big tipper and had captured her attention. Because of work and school, Maggie didn’t have time for relationships. High school was the last time she’d been out on a real date. That didn’t mean she was blind to attractive men, though. It flustered her how much this one construction worker had taken hold of her imagination. She looked forward to seeing him, especially when they had the chance to exchange a few words. He’d flirted with her, and she’d flirted back. Today, working the register would give her the opportunity again. She could hardly wait.
“You seem to be in a good mood,” Leanne said, as she put on the headset to take orders from the drive-through.
“I am,” Maggie concurred. Since moving in with Joan, everything was looking up. Living with the widow had worked out far better than she could have ever hoped. Although it had been less than a week since Maggie had moved in, Joan had quickly become a trusted friend, almost like a second mother.
“How’s the puppy?” Leanne asked.
The morning before, Maggie had arrived to work blurry-eyed because the dog had cried most of the night. She knew Joan had been up and down until dawn, caring for the distraught puppy.
“It was better last night.” Maggie sympathized with the sweet dog. He was miserable without his siblings and his mother. Joan was infinitely patient with him. She hadn’t asked for the dog and explained it was a gift from her son. Apparently, the puppy was Nick’s way of persuading her not to take in a boarder. Since he knew nothing about her living at the house, the puppy was supposed to help with Joan’s loneliness.
“Have you got a name for him yet?”
“Not yet. Joan is giving it serious thought. For now, we’re calling him No Name.”
“Clever,” Leanne teased, and rolled her eyes.
“She’ll settle on one soon.” Maggie smiled, remembering how Joan had gone online for the list of the most popular dog names and hadn’t found even one that caught her fancy.
The construction crew stopped off shortly before six. Maggie lowered her gaze when Einstein walked toward the counter.
“Morning.”
Maggie blushed and Einstein grinned. “Morning,” she returned.
“You look happy this morning.”
She blushed. “That’s because I am. Now, what can I get you?” He was a charmer. She nearly melted when he smiled, which he seemed to do often. “Do you want your usual?” she asked again when he didn’t immediately reply.
This guy definitely made her heart beat faster, and that smile of his was her kryptonite.
“Sure.” He leaned closer to the cash register.
Building up her courage, she asked, “Do you mind if I ask you a question?” Distracting herself from looking at him, she wrote out his order on the cup and handed it to Ashley, who elbowed Maggie in her side. The entire morning crew knew she was attracted to him.
“Not at all,” he returned with a sly grin, as though approving of her interest.
“Is your actual name Einstein?”
He snickered and rolled his eyes.
“Nah, it’s a nickname because he’s got a head for trivia,” his friend offered. “This guy is good. We’re on a team together, and he’s our secret weapon.”
Einstein thrust his hands up as if awaiting her applause, which made Maggie laugh out loud.
Kurt nudged his buddy and leaned toward the counter. “But he can be a real idiot when it comes to asking out a woman he’s attracted to.”
Einstein glared at his friend.
In an effort to get back to business, Maggie turned her attention to Kurt. “What can I get you?” she asked.
“My usual, same as Einstein here,” Kurt said, as if testing her to see if she remembered his order the way she had his friend’s. Her mind was whirling, and she had trouble concentrating. Kurt seemed to suggest that Einstein wanted to ask her out. She would enjoy that more than she was willing to admit.
“Did you really pawn that puppy off on your mother?” Kurt asked as they moved forward, waiting to collect their orders.
“I didn’t have a choice. No one else wanted to take him in, and I couldn’t continue to leave him all day and not expect to come home to a few messes.”
“And she bought that this was just a generous gift?” Kurt shook his head.
Einstein sighed. “I left before she could say anything.”
Maggie’s gaze shot back to the two men. Joan had mentioned her son Nick worked in construction. She also knew Nick had dropped off the puppy, not giving his mother a chance to refuse. Could it possibly be that Einstein was Nick Sample? Her breath froze in her lungs. Could it be that this guy she’d found so attractive was Joan’s son? It seemed too much of a coincidence that he not be. With her mind spinning, she tried to think of what would happen if Einstein was Nick Sample. He was bound to be furious once he learned she was living in his old bedroom.
She avoided eye contact and focused her attention on the next woman in line placing her order.
Maybe she should ask him. She quickly decided against that. What a mess. It was just her luck to find herself attracted to Joan’s son, if indeed Einstein was her son, but it seemed highly likely that he was. Furthermore, this puppy wasn’t the thoughtful gift she’d assumed.
The two men collected their orders and left. No sooner had Nick walked out the door when he returned. He got at the end of the line, as if he wanted to place another order.
When he approached the cash register, she asked, “Was there something else?”
“Yeah, are you available Friday night?”
Her eyes widened, afraid he was about to ask her out. “I…I’m sorry but I already have plans.” This wasn’t good. From their earlier conversation, she was afraid this would happen. If they were to date, he would discover his mother had gone against his wishes. There had to be a better way to break the news, and going out with him wasn’t it.
“What about Saturday night?”
“Ah…then, too. Sorry.”
Surprise filled his eyes and his easy smile disappeared. “Are you giving me a message here? Are you saying you’d rather not go out with me?”
She pinched her lips together, not knowing what else to do. “I’m sorry, I…don’t think it’s a good idea for me to date a customer…It’s against company policy.” She had no idea if that was true or not and hoped Einstein would accept the excuse without question.
He didn’t easily accept her rejection. “That’s ridiculous.”
“It’s best you don’t ask me out again.”
“If that’s what you want.” He shrugged as if it was no big deal and left. Maggie swallowed hard and was fairly certain she was destined to meet Einstein again soon. When they did, she had a feeling it wouldn’t be pleasant for either of them.
Both Ashley and Leanne sent shocked looks her way when they heard Maggie turn down Nick’s invitation. Maggie thought it best not to explain when they riled her about the company policy she’d quoted.
* * *
—
Maggie’s mind wasn’t on her chemistry final when she headed to Seattle Central College on Friday. This was an important exam and the last one for the day. Then and only then could she relax. Getting a top grade on this exam could be the difference between receiving a scholarship and needing to apply for a student loan. She should be thinking about this test. Instead, her mind was on Joan’s son.
Thankfully, because Maggie had studied hard and was familiar with the material, she cruised through the final. It wasn’t until after she finished and left the classroom that doubts assaulted her. She found herself second-guessing her answers. She so badly wanted to make the grade, but decided to put it out of her mind. She’d given it her all and had to trust that that was enough.
Although it was well past lunchtime, Maggie treated herself to a Whopper, her favorite fast food. It also happened to be her father’s favorite as well. She hadn’t had any contact with him since she’d moved. He hadn’t reached out to her, either, although she didn’t expect he would.
Her father’s reaction to her moving weighed on her mind all afternoon. Her dad had relied on her heavily since she’d lost her mother. He would never openly admit that he needed her; that would show weakness. To Roy Herbert, weakness was unacceptable.
Although it didn’t fit into her food budget, she ordered a second Whopper for him.
When she arrived at the house, the sight of it brought up a slew of unhappy memories. For a good five minutes she sat in her car, wondering if this was a good idea after all. By now the electricity would have been cut off and he was sure to be in a foul mood. The last person he’d want to see was her. Almost against her better judgment, she opened her car door and climbed out. Although she’d spent most of her life in this house, she knocked softly before letting herself inside.
