Page 21 of Poinsettia Lane

“Hello? This is Asim.”

“Asim, hi” Everly replies, and she gets that same tingly feeling in her toes just hearing his voice again.

“Everly?” he asks.

“Oh, right! Yeah, it’s Everly.” And here she goes again, making a fool of herself. She’s surprised he recognizes her voice over the phone, given how little she’s actually spoken to him.

“I was hoping you’d call. How are the plants doing?” Asim asks, bypassing her awkwardness easily.

He was hoping she would call? Everly freezes, one foot hovering in the air mid-pace for a moment as she blinks rapidly and nearly forgets to answer his question.

“Um… huh.” Everly glances around her kitchen, not really seeing it. How are the plants doing? She hasn’t paid them much attention since heaving them out of the trunk of her car. “Maybe I should go check on them before answering that?” Her voice rises at the end, turning it into a question.

His laugh makes her heart skip a beat. It’s full and deep, and warms her up from the inside out.

“I adore how honest you are. Yes, that would probably be a good idea. If you haven’t watered them yet, you might want to do that too," he adds, and she can hear the smile in his voice.

“Noted, thank you.” Everly gives a hesitant laugh in return. She’s never had someone comment on her being honest before. She didn’t realize that was a particularly strong character trait of hers, but maybe he’s right. It certainly could be. If anything, she’s more honest with him because of how open and honest he is with her.

“Could you do my landscaping?” she blurts, then slaps a hand to her mouth as her eyes widen in horror.

How is she already so far off script?! Everly doesn’t want to pressure him into doing extra work if that’s not what he intended, and that is certainly not how she planned to clarify what he meant when he said he would help.

In a rush, she continues, her hand now flapping madly in the air around her.

“I mean, obviously I’m not assuming, and if not that’s totally okay. It’s only that you offered to help but I wasn’t sure if that meant you’d come here yourself or if it meant you’d help me find someone else. I shouldn’t have put that on you.” She’s shaking her head quickly as if that will reverse time. “I can do it myself of course or probably my neighbor can help, he’s always outside in his garden so I’m sure he knows—”

“Whoa, Everly, slow down.” Asim’s voice comes through loud and strong, and she realizes he’s been trying to stop her for a while now. He continues more calmly when she cuts off her rambling. “Slow down, it’s okay. I’m happy to help.”

“Oh my gosh, thank you so much.” She breathes deep in relief, her shoulders slumping before pulling up shortagain at his next words.

“On one condition," he states.

“And what’s that?” The butterflies are back in Everly’s stomach at the note of what might be mischief in his voice.

“If you’ll let me teach you, if you’ll let me show you how to plant everything and take care of them, then I’ll come over and help you. I won’t do itforyou; we’ll do it together.” Asim’s voice feels like a caress through the phone.

He wants to teach her? He wants to do it together? She’s never been one for manual labor before, let alone literally digging in the dirt, but she’s willing to do anything if he’s involved. Getting down and dirty with him sounds like an afternoon to remember.

“That sounds great," Everly replies. “I’d love for you to teach me whatever you want.”

There’s a moment of quiet as the sentence hangs between them.

“Whatever I want?” he asks, and she can practically feel the smirk in his voice as he draws out the vowels.

Her skin flushes hot, and she’s fairly certain he could hear the quick inhale she just took. She has no idea what to say, and she praises all the gods above and below when Asim smoothes it over again.

“Let’s get started now then. I’m guessing you haven’t planted the ones you bought the other day?” Asim moves on as if he didn’t just set her mind reeling with possibilities.

“No, I haven’t done anything. They’re in the driveway.” Everly somehow wrangles her thoughts back into the present moment and gives a fairly coherent reply.

“Okay, no problem. How about I come over this week to help with the design and we can start planting?” Asim asks.

Everly confirms a day and time, and they hang up with one last reminder for her to water the plants before then.

She drops her phone on the counter and stares at it, her mind and body feeling drained and energized at the same time; a fluttering mix of relief, anticipation, and nervous energy for what’s to come.

Somehow Asim makes everything easier. When her anxiety doesn’t get in the way, he’s so comfortable and easy to talk with, to be around. Everly has never felt that way with anyone before; she’s never met anyone quite like him. Someone who makes her feel like a better version of herself—one she wants to live up to—and who doesn’t let her weirdness or awkwardness get in the way. She’s never met someone who can so easily roll right past her eccentricities and seems to accept her as she is, obvious flaws and all, without any judgment. This is entirely new territory for her, and although it’s intimidating, it’s also a bit exciting.

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