Page 19 of Poinsettia Lane

Asim points out the other areas, plucking weeds out of pots and snapping off dead leaves as they go, and honestly, she’s just happy to keep listening to his voice. She doesn’t even care what he talks about, Everly just wants him to keep talking. Although, she reflects, she does find it fascinating how much he knows about plants and how much care he puts into them. She’s more interested in it than she would have expected, but it’s hard not to be when he speaks with such passion.

They wander back toward the public area and he snags the cart again as he leads the way to the native plants section for her landscaping.

“Many of the more popular plants used for landscaping are actually invasive to the area,” he informs her, describing the detrimental impact it can have on the environment as a whole.

“Wow, I had no idea. Guess I came to the right place for help then.” Everly grins up at him, biting her lip when his eyes sparkle in reply.

They slowly walk up and down the local flora aisles. She keeps sneaking glances at Asim, noticing his muscles flex and shift under his shirt as he picks up various plants to show her. Asim points out different varieties, commenting on the leaf colors, textures, shapes, sizes, how much or little water they need, what animals they attract or repel, and any other random fact that comes to him. He offers advice and suggestions based on the limited amount of information she’s given him on the conditions of her terrace.

Everly feels so much more comfortable than she has the last two times they spoke, reaching out to touch the plants and ask questions about ones that catch her eye.Any she asks about or that he notices her looking closer at, he picks up and places onto the cart.

It’s at this point that it starts to sink in what she’s doing. Everly wasn’t actually re-landscaping, but apparently now she is. She also has no idea how to do any landscaping or take care of plants in general, so now she needs to find a landscaper to figure out what to do with all these plants that are quickly filling her cart.

“You really know a lot about all this,” Everly says, gesturing around as they weave through the aisles back toward the main building. He’s pulling the cart along behind them and her eyes are drawn to him, glancing up and down his body as they go. Once or twice, she thinks she catches him doing the same to her.

“It’s what I love.” Asim’s reply is simple, and it makes her both happy and sad. She doesn’t have anything like that in her life, but she’s glad that he does.

“Who is doing your landscaping?” he asks. They’ve just walked through the double doors to the indoor section, and luckily he isn’t looking at her so she has a moment to decide how to answer him. She decides on the truth, or at least a partial truth.

“I haven’t actually hired anyone yet,” Everly says, looking down at her fidgeting hands. “I was only just starting to think about the project, but it looks like it’s really happening now.”

She isn’t sure if she smiles or grimaces at the cart of plants, likely it’s a weird combination of the two.

“I know a couple people who could do it for you.” He stops for a moment, looking at her while he appears to be debating something. “Or… If you want, I could help with your project.”

This is beyond what she dared to imagine or hope for. Of course she wants his help. Everly manages to wrangle in the crazy though, and thinks she does pretty well at remaining composed.

“That would be amazing!” She smiles up at him, and he instantly returns it, lighting up her insides. His smile is stunning. Asim was already attractive, but that look of pure joy transforms him into something else entirely.

He steps behind the counter to ring up her purchases and pulls out a business card from below the register.Asim writes down a number on the back, informing her it’s his personal cell, and to call so they can arrange the details. Everly tucks it safely into her wallet as he snags a folded towel from under the counter as well, before grabbing the cart handle again and walking her out to her car.

As Everly opens up the back, Asim unfolds the towel and gives it a quick flick, spreading it down in her trunk.

“So your car doesn’t get dirty," he says in reply to the question she hasn’t asked yet.

“Oh,” she tilts her head at him, “thank you, I wouldn’t have thought of that.”

He gives her a quick little wink, or did she just imagine it, as he turns back to the cart. Next thing she knows, he’s picking up two plants at a time and placing them into her trunk for her. Again, those muscles. Flexing and shifting underneath his shirt, it should be illegal for anyone to look that good. Everly could offer to help, but truthfully she would much rather watch, and Asim doesn’t seem to mind. He glances over at her watching when he puts down his current armful, and she catches a glimpse of a smile as he turns back to grab the next ones.

Asim straightens once they’re all in, dusting his hands again and wiping them off on the small hand towel he carries with him, which he tosses onto the empty cart when he’s done. He closes up her trunk for her, then leans a hip against it.

“I’m really glad you stopped by," he says. This man is so direct, she’s not sure what to do with it.

“Me too," she replies.

Good one, Everly.

Asim reaches out a hand and gently brushes along her elbow where it hangs by her side. She wants to lean into that touch. Before she can, he skims his fingers up the outside of her arm to her hair and tucks back a strand that has fallen out of place, then steps back, taking hold of the cart handle again. Everly is pretty sure he’s just turned her into a statue; her whole body is tingling and she can’t move an inch after that touch.

Asim tilts his head down, those unique green eyes piercing straight into her soul.

“Hopefully I’ll see you again soon. Let me know if you end up wanting help with those plants.”

At this point, she thinks she would do anything he tells her to. He gives her trunk a quick tap with his hand, and it snaps her out of her strange fever dream, allowing her to rummage in her bag for her keys.

As she’s turning out of the lot, Everly takes a quick look back to see him leaning against the entryway watching her, massive arms folded across his chest. Everly waves, and he tips his head up, nodding goodbye. Her entire body heats, and she wouldn’t be able to stop the giddy grin from taking over her face if her life depended on it.

~~~

---