Page 45 of The Floral Arrangement

CHAPTERSIXTEEN

ROZ

“Thanks for doing this.”I held the back door of the farmhouse still while Matt positioned the drill. The door had fallen off its hinges this morning with a spectacular clang that had sent Thelma and Louise mooing loudly.

The nail glided smoothly into the doorframe. I tentatively let go.

“No problem,” he said, opening and shutting the door to make sure it worked.

The last of the farm’s visitors were trickling out of the petting zoo and back to the parking lot. The laughter of pre-teens and the wail of an overtired toddler carried on the cooling breeze.

“Can I still hang out with the animals?” Lottie yelled from the entrance to the petting zoo.

“That’s fine,” I called back. “You can give Ronnie a hand feeding the chickens. Just don’t get too close to the cows!” I glared at Thelma and Louise. As usual, they were placidly eating grass. I would speak to my neighbor tomorrow about rehoming them.

Lottie let out an excited yelp and disappeared.

I turned to Matt. “Do you want a beer?”

We retrieved two beers from the fridge and parked ourselves on the wicker chairs on the back deck.

“How’s the tractor driving going?” Matt asked, sipping his beer as he stared at the grassy patch where my crushed car had sat. I’d finally gotten it towed this morning. The local mechanic had confirmed it was a write-off.

I managed a weak smile. “I’m improving. I drove it up and down the hayride route a few times this morning before the farm opened. No fatalities to report. I should be ready to take Lottie out soon—if she’s not traumatized by witnessing the crash.” I winced.

Matt grinned. “She’s still excited to go.”

“Good.” Lottie ran out of the petting zoo holding two carrots, her blond hair bouncing and her cheeks flushed. My chest filled with warmth.This is why I’ve turned my life upside down.Ronnie, one of the farmhands, jogged behind her.

“Is it okay if I feed Thelma and Louise?” Lottie asked, poking her head through the deck rails. “Ronnie said they like carrots.”

I furrowed my brow. I’d seen countless children feed the cows under Ronnie’s supervision since I’d taken over the farm. Lottie would remain safely on this side of the fence, away from their powerful legs. But still…

“Pleeeease, Auntie Roz.”

How could I say no? “Fine. Just no loud noises near them, okay?”

Lottie squealed and scampered away. My lips curved up.

Matt chuckled and then took a sip of beer.

“Any news from Mel?” I asked, keeping a close eye on Lottie as Ronnie demonstrated how to present her flattened palm to the bovines.

Matt smiled. “She’s good. We spoke to her yesterday. Loving the challenge, but missing Lottie terribly. She was supposed to be finishing up in August, but she’s asked if she can finish earlier to be home in time for Lottie’s birthday, so we’re just waiting to hear if that will be approved. We’re not mentioning it to Lottie yet—don’t want to get her hopes up in case her application is rejected.”

“Well, I hope she gets the green light.” I jolted as Lottie offered one of the cows a carrot, exhaling as its long tongue scooped it into its mouth without taking any of Lottie’s little fingers with it.

“Me too.” Matt took another sip. “If you hadn’t invited me over, I was going to call you.”

“Oh?” I dragged my eyes away from Lottie and back to Matt.

“To find out what’s going on with you and Olivia. You’d never mentioned her before, but suddenly you’ve been dating for six months?” Matt raised an eyebrow.

I sighed. “Do you remember in October, when I went to Pryde and met that woman?”

Matt frowned. “The one you kissed and then ran out on?”

“You know that’s not exactly what happened.” The memory of Olivia breathing heavily, her body pressed to mine in the restroom, slammed into me. I shook it off. “Well, anyway, that was Olivia.”

---