Page 34 of Wishes on Wildflowers
“So you want to expand beyond basic yard care. Into what?”
“Well, there seems to be a demand for fewer chemicals. As a man with a baby on the way, I’d really like it if my kid could play on grass that didn’t poison him. Some of my regulars have asked for the same thing. Probably supplies would cost more, and some wouldn’t be willing to pay it. Some of them, of course, want to be rid of every dandelion regardless of the cost to themselves or the environment.”
Nathan nodded. “I imagine you service a wide spectrum. If you switched the business focus, you would probably see some changes in clientele. Am I right?”
Dan nodded and took a sip of his coffee. “That’s the part I need your help with, I guess. Knowing how to attract the ones with goals similar to mine.”
“I can definitely help. How long would the changeover take, do you think? From the business your dad created to the one you want to establish now?”
The other man’s cell phone buzzed with an incoming call. He glanced down and picked up the phone. “It’s Dixie. I need to take this. Hey, babe. How are you doing?” He listened for a minute then his face blanched. “No way. It’s early. Where are you? Your mom has the kids in the waiting room? I’ll be there as soon as I can.” He thumbed off the phone and took a deep gulp of coffee as he pushed back his chair. “Sorry. Gotta go, man. Dixie’s in labor.” He slammeda grass-green Ranta Landscaping baseball cap onto his head, dug into his pocket, then frowned. He patted all his pockets. “Oh, drat. The truck is in the shop.”
Nathan gulped the last of his lukewarm coffee and pushed to his feet. “Which shop? I can give you a ride.” He tucked the steno pad and pen into his briefcase and snapped it shut.
Some of the panic slid off the other man’s face. “Oh, would you mind? That would be great. It’s out on Sprague. Dixie and I dropped the pickup off, and she gave me a ride here. She definitely wasn’t expecting to go into labor today, but her water broke in the middle of Nordstrom.”
Nathan held up one hand. Too much information. “No problem. Let’s go.”
A few minutes later he idled his truck while Dan dashed into the garage. Through the plate glass window, Nathan watched Dan gesture wildly, shaking his head before stomping back out. “They just put it on the lift five minutes ago, and their courtesy car is out.” He grappled with his phone but dropped it. “I’m getting a cab.”
Nathan shook his head. “Hop in. Which hospital?”
Dan scooped his device off the concrete. “Really? You sure?”
“No problem. Let’s go.”
The other man jogged around the truck and clambered back in. “Deaconess.”
“Got it.” Nathan put the truck in gear and turned onto the street. “Hate to see you stranded, man. If the shoe were on the other foot, I’d hope someone would take pity on me, as well.”
Dan looked across the cab, a small grin countering the slightly narrowed eyes and raised eyebrows. “Well, thanks. Ican’t believe my son is arriving two weeks early, and I can’t believe a total stranger is taking me to the hospital. I was supposed to drive Dixie. Do you think she’s doing okay?”
“I’m sure she is.” Nathan flicked on the turn signal and slowed to take a corner. “And I’m not a total stranger. I grew up here, remember? Plus, I’m staying in Alex Santoro’s basement apartment, and I’ve met your soon-to-be brother-in-law a few times. We’re practically family.”
The other man chuckled as his hands wiped up and down his faded jeans. “Logan’s a good guy. He works with me some, keeps telling me God-stuff. You believe in God?”
The hospital loomed a few blocks away. “Sure do.”
“Right, you’re friends with the Santoros. Religious bunch.”
Not friends withallthe Santoros. Jasmine avoided him as much as she possibly could. Which was probably why he couldn’t seem to give up.
“I don’t get all that Jesus stuff. I mean, God... that’s one thing. The universe had to come from somewhere, and I guess God is as good an explanation as any. But then to say we needed saving from our sin? And God kind of separating Himself into parts and one part of Him dying for humans?” Dan shook his head. “Crazy talk.”
Nathan turned into the parking garage. “Does sound pretty strange when you put it that way, but it doesn’t make it less true.” Now where was a spot big enough for his truck? Nathan frowned as he circled to the next level. Why hadn’t he just dropped his passenger off at the front door? He had no need to park and go in. Ah, there were two vacancies. He spun the wheel.
A car veered in from the other end and zipped into the second spot. Someone was sure in a hurry.
“Linnea and Jasmine!” Relief was evident in Dan’s voice. “How did my sister know?”
Nathan couldn’t answer that, but he also couldn’t deny the way his heart sped at the sight of Jasmine exiting the small car mere inches from his driver’s door.
Jasmine startedat the sight of Nathan’s truck. Nathan?
Linnea darted around the backs of both vehicles and grabbed her brother’s arm. “Come on, Dan. Have you heard anything more?” The siblings jogged toward the connecting walkway.
Nathan slid out of his truck, his eyes never leaving hers. “Fancy meeting you here.”
“You and Dan...?”
