Page 49 of Where You're Planted

“As you can see,” Jack said, unaffected, “it’s also well suited to our zone, if you happen to be looking for something new in your own garden.”

The tour dissipated with the commissioner snagging someone who looked like a reporter and saying, “Let me clarify some of what he said.”

Jack answered questions from a few people, oblivious to the intense flirtatious energy of the final woman who lingered. She touched his forearm and slid in closer to ask on a giggle, “Do you offer house calls to help a clueless gardener get started?”

Tansy’s face must have given away the flash of annoyance that burned through her. Jack followed her beeline glare at the woman’s hand on his arm, his lips twitching into a quick grin. He clutched that spot he routinely squeezed on the back of his neck, making her let go. “Not at this time,” he said.

“Well, shoot,” the woman pouted.

“Hi, Jack,” Briar cut in, shifting from one foot to the other impatiently. Her pipe-cleaner ladybug antennae bobbed with the movement.

“Hey, Briar.” He shrugged apologetically at the woman. “If that answers your questions…”

“If I think of anything else, I know where to find you,” she said.

Was this how he got women, by looking like he walked straight out of an REI catalogue and talking knowledgeably about plants? Tansy couldn’t even be that bitter about it because she herself had become about ten percent more attracted to him during their afternoon at the creek two weeks ago. That thought stirred a heavy feeling in her stomach, though. After his abrupt departure that day, she didn’t know why, but she was pretty sure he’d been avoiding her for the last two weeks.

“It’ll be someone else here in a few minutes,” Jack told his admirer, “but anyone on staff can answer your questions.”

Then he turned his full attention to Briar. “Hey, sorry about that. You having a good time?”

“I’m bored from helping Mom.”

He laughed, and his eyes crinkled in a way that made Tansy’s heart clench. “You two on a break?” he asked, turning his lingering smile on Tansy.

“Only for a few more minutes.” She couldn’t help but add with a hint of sarcasm, “But don’t let us get in the way of anyone’s pressing gardening questions.”

He grinned knowingly, bigger this time, which made her cheeks burn with embarrassment. She was acting jealous and petty, which was bad enough without him clocking it. He tilted up his chin at the bee version of Briar’s headband on Tansy’s head. “Nice antennae.”

“Can I hang out with you?” Briar asked bluntly, singularly focused on her own agenda.

“Uh…” Jack scratched his beard roughly, something barely perceptible shifting in his posture. The warmth from that crinkly smile cooled.

Tansy felt like someone had dumped ice water over her. She’d turned this over a million times in the last two weeks.Hadn’t he enjoyed their afternoon down in the creek? He’d seemed so open and engaged that day. She thought she’d seen a gentler side of him. But then he’d left so awkwardly, and she’d barely spotted him since. She’d told herself not to read into his absence. But now…

He was clearly stalling. “He might be too busy,” Tansy told Briar, edging herself between them.

Briar didn’t pick up on the subtle maneuvering and asked him point-blank, “Are you busy? Because I can be a good assistant. Just ask my mom.”

“I’m sure you’re a great assistant,” he mumbled, glancing helplessly at Tansy.

She didn’t know what had changed since they’d come back out of the ravine that day. But then, maybe her mistake was thinking what she’d seen in him at the creek was a fuller picture of him, a new layer underneath his gruff exterior, rather than an anomaly. Maybe he hadn’t changedbackto this. She’d just given him too much credit, seen gentle patience and softness in him that weren’t really there.

“Please?” Briar pressed.

Tansy had opened her mouth to let him off the hook when something changed like a switch had been flipped. He crouched down, smiled genuinely at Briar, and said, “You know what? Yeah. I’d like to hang out with you. Sorry, I was thinking about something…Doesn’t matter. But we have to make sure it’s okay with your mom first.” He looked up at Tansy, earnestness shining from his face.

Tansy had no idea what to think. But she was due in the courtyard in a few minutes. “Are you sure?” she asked.

“Absolutely.”

“No ravines this time,” she warned.

He raised his palms.

“Fine. Briar, I’ll be back at the canopy after my story time. You’ll come back there when you’re done?”

She nodded.

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