Page 70 of When Fate Breaks
I swallow, still focusing on the wince. “That’s good. I’m really passionate about the chlorophyll.”
We stare-off for several seconds until Blake finally breaks.
“Shut up,” he chuckles, shaking his head.
My own body shakes with laughter in response and I feel myself relax. “No, but really, Blake. It’s amazing. I knew I could count on you, but this far exceeds any expectations that I had. You’ve seriously outdone yourself.”
Blake pushes off the wall he’s been leaning against, heading for the doorway to the outside. “Well, I appreciate it, Evangeline, but I’ve just had a lot of years to grow and improve my skills.” He ducks out of the doorway, stepping carefully but swiftly out into the uneven yard, still wet and mud-caked from the rain. He returns only a few seconds later with a couple of hanging pots in hand. “And it’s been a long time since you’ve been around me and seen what I can do,” he says, setting the pots down on the ground against the glass filled wall of the greenhouse, brushing his hands together. He starts to head for the door again but pauses right in front of me. The next words he speaks, whether he intended for them to or not, shoot straight from my ears to deep in my lower belly, leaving a trail of electricity in their wake. “You probably have no idea all the things I’m capable of nowadays.”
I attempt to gulp down the newly present lump in my throat as nonchalantly as possible. “Well, I’m thankful–and appreciative–”Don’t those mean the same thing?“of your…skills.” Blake’s lips pull up just a tad at one corner as he steps out of the door again, and I feel like he knowsexactlywhat he just did. I take the short opportunity of him being outside to roll my shoulders. “But, really,” I say as he walks back in with more pots in tow, “you wouldn’t even know it’s the same greenhouse aside from the shape of it.”
Blake turns to look at me as he transfers the next round of pots onto the floor. “I hope that’s okay,” he says, hesitation clear in his voice. “I didn’t originally intend to scrap so much of it. I just kind of got more inspired the longer I spent in here.”
“Totally okay,” I confirm. “I gave you free reign, didn’t I? Besides, I’m not that sentimental about hanging on to old things anyways.”
Blake visibly stiffens, just long enough that I notice, as he sets the last pot down. Once it’s on the ground, he slowly stands up straight, his hands going to his hips. He doesn’t meet my eyes as he turns for the door again, but I see his tongue pushed into the side of his cheek, his jaw ticked. “Right,” he agrees.
I see him just barely shaking his head as he walks out again. I start to wonder what that’s about, but quickly forget everything when he faces my direction from the outside and I catch the biggest smile I’ve seen out of Blake throughout the entire duration of his visit through the glass.
Not just any smile–thesmile. The smile that was created for and solely belongs to Blake. Huge and perfectly crooked, with nearly every one of his straight white teeth on display. The corners of his eyes crinkled and right cheek dimpled. When the smile fades and his tongue quickly pushes out of the corner of his mouth as he strains to pick up a heavy planter, my eyes threaten to water. That’s Blake. The real Blake…MyBlake. He’s still in there.
And I think it just truly set in how much I’ve missed him.
It takes Blake’s gaze lingering on me for several seconds too long as he shuffles back inside, his brows pulled together and steps slowing, for me to register the expression of astonishment and adoration that must be plastered across my face. I quickly allow it to drop, attempting to cover it by pretending I suddenly have a nose itch. “Well,” I stammer, “just make sure you’re keeping track of everything cost wise so we can get you what we owe you.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Blake replies dismissively.
“Blake, I mean it,” I say, my hand shooting out to grab his arm before he can walk out again. “All the labor costs as well. You don’t need to do us any favors. You already came all the way out here for us.”
Blake stares down at my hand on his arm, blowing a breath out of his nose. I instinctively move to release his arm, but his hand comes down on top of mine before I can do so. “Evangeline,” he sighs, his blue-green gaze flicking up to my face. “It’s not a favor if I’m doing it for you. And I’d build you a greenhouse on the goddamn moon if you asked.”
He removes his hand and my arm falls abruptly, smacking against my thigh as I’m too stunned to catch it. “But–”
Blake takes a step back, the look in his eye and his tone softening. “Really, Evangeline. You already bought all of the main supplies. I have the plants and everything else handled.”
“But what about your time?”
“It’s covered.”
“But–”
“Evangeline,” Blake pleads, stopping in his tracks in the doorway and spinning around with an exasperated look on his face.
“What?” I question, throwing my hands in the air.
“Shut up,” he states, the ghost of a smile crossing his face as he continues out the doors.
I think I literally stomp my foot in frustration like a toddler. “Fine!” I shout, shrugging off my denim jacket and flipping my head over to pull my hair into a ponytail.
“Um, what are you doing, Jacks?” Blake questions, back inside.
“I’m in, Di Fazio,” I reply, standing back up and pulling my fastened ponytail tighter.
“And what exactly does that mean?” he asks, the amusement on his face betraying his flat tone of voice.
“My afternoon is free. If you won’t let me pay you, I’m gonna help.”
“That really won’t be necessary–”
