Page 6 of When Fate Breaks
“I’m not totally sure,” I say, chewing at my bottom lip. “Six years, I think?”
“Wow. Yeah, that…sounds about right…” Blake says, trailing off.
The awkward tension grows with the silence. I clear my throat, attempting to ease it. “So, the reason I called,” I say. “...Is there any chance…you still work for that landscape construction company?”
“Oh,” Blake says, clearly caught off guard by my random question. “Um, yes. Yeah, I still work with them. Why do you ask?”
“Well, it’s kind of a long story, but I just moved into a new house– Well, notnew. It’s actually, like, really really old, but anyways–” I babble, running my hand through my hair. “It has this old abandoned greenhouse attached to the back of it. It’s in pretty rough shape, but I think it has a lot of potential. I’d hate to just tear it down…but I literally have no idea where to begin. Do you think…” I pick at the light blue nail polish on my thumbnail, my stomach feeling like it’s in knots. “Do you think that’s something you–your company…could maybe take on?”
I hold my breath, waiting for his response.
“Oh, wow, Evangeline…” he says after a moment.
My cheeks begin to heat the longer his silence stretches. He surely thinks I’m insane. That I’m a total weirdo for calling him up out of nowhere all these years later about a freaking greenhouse.In the middle of the night no less–
“I’d love to.”
What?
“What?” I say, audibly this time. “Oh– I mean–” I slap my palm to my forehead.
Words, Annie.
“Really?”
Blake lets out a light chuckle. “Yeah. Yeah, I would,” he says.
“Wow, great. That’s great.” I can hear Blake shifting around on the other end of the line and take the opportunity to let out the breath I’d been holding.
“So,” his voice sounds again, making my spine steel. “Does this mean you finally made it to New York then?”
My mouth dries slightly. I turn, wrapping a hand around one of the glassless wooden panes, looking out of the greenhouse into the backyard. “Um, not quite.”
“Oh,” he says, confusion in his tone. “Well, where’d you end up? Somewhere close by? Boston? Philly?”
“Just a little further South…” I sigh. “I’m actually still in Alabama.”
“Oh,” Blake says again, his voice nearly inaudible this time. Several silent seconds pass, my cheeks warming as each of them tick by. “...Ramer?” he asks.
“Yep.” I’ve completely cleared one thumbnail of nail polish and have now switched to the other hand.
“Well,” he pauses, “I just assumed– I mean, that’s a little further than I anticipated. I typically just work in upstate New York–”
“I’ll fly you out.” I blurt it out before I even realize.
“What? Evangeline, seriously?” he questions.
“Yeah. It’s not a problem.”
What are you doing?
“I can’t let you do that,” Blake replies. “I’m sure there’s tons of contractors in Alabama that could get the job done.”
“Yeah, probably, but…” I trail off, my mind feeling like it’s racing a million miles an hour.
Just hang up, Annie. This is crazy.
“This greenhouse,” I say, ignoring my inner thoughts. “It’s really special to me… I want it in the hands of someone I can trust. If there’s anyone that can somewhat return it to its former glory, I know it’s you.” When he doesn’t respond right away, I add, “I really don’t mind flying you out.” I glance up at the huge house attached to this withering structure I’m currently standing in. “I even have a room you can stay in while you’re working on it.”
