Page 45 of Wishes on Wildflowers
“What?” She didn’t look up.
“Can we truly put the past behind us?” On Saturday he’d thought they had, even though she didn’t know absolutely everything. “Because I can’t undo it. All I can do is ask your forgiveness and move forward from here.”
“What do you need to forgivemefor?”
Nathan blinked. “Pardon me?”
She glanced up at him. “In your prayer. You asked God to help us forgive each other. I know what I need to forgiveyoufor — and I’m honestly trying — but what about the other way around?”
Dangerous question. Had he really verbalized that? He took a deep breath. Here went nothing. “Sometimes I felt you tried too hard to control me. I know now that can be a really positive characteristic. It—”
“Can be?”
Thin ice. “You see things so quickly and clearly. What seems to others like a snap decision is well-thought out, but analyzed in some kind of shorthand others can’t see.”
Jasmine studied him through narrowed eyes. “And how is this a flaw I need forgiveness for?”
“Not a flaw.” He breathed a prayer. “I just... just felt like I had no say. You were plotting out my career, whom I’d work for, how I’d climb the ladder. You were planning the wedding, choosing our home, naming our kids.”
“I see.”
She didn’t see.
“So, if I’m so difficult to get along with — too controlling — then why are we here?” She toggled her finger between them.
“Because we’re both older. Because I’m not afraid to be an equal partner with opinions of my own.” He could say that, but did he mean it? Because he was quaking on the padded bench right now. Still, if they couldn’t have this conversation and get past this, there was no hope for their future together. He laid his hands on the table, palms up, on either side of their plates. “I’m ready now. I love you, Jasmine.”
Ready was an understatement. Today, she could tell him what their wedding would be like. Who the bridesmaids would be, what kind of flowers they’d carry. He’d be all over the idea.
She searched his face. Then, with movements so slow he wasn’t sure, at first, if he were imagining them, she placed her hands inside his.
Thank You, Jesus.
18
“This is moreof a happening place than I would have thought for the time of year.” Nathan looked around the Spokane Farmers Market. Two rows of booths lined a grassy walkway crowded with Spokanites carrying baskets and bags bulging with fresh produce. It didn’t hurt that the sun was shining after several days of rain.
Basil leaned on the table inside the Bridgeview Backyards booth. “I’ve sold all the peas I brought and most of the lettuce. There’s not much broccolini left, either.”
“That’s great.”
“People keep asking for strawberries and early cherries.”
“Good thing we planted all those runners in Mrs. Essery’s yard.”
“Fat lot of good that does us this year.” Basil scowled. “People don’t care what plans we have for the future. They care about what they can take home today.”
A second glance at Basil’s face told Nathan this wasn’t the moment to remind his friend that formal agreements still hadn’t been signed with Mrs. Essery or the Johnsons a fewblocks over. It wasn’t his place to nag, but he couldn’t quiet the unease in his gut that his friends — especially Jasmine — were so heavily involved in real estate they had no legal right to.
Nathan leaned into the booth and tapped the paper in front of his friend. “But you’ve taken quite a few names and email addresses for folks curious about the subscription service, and you’re nearly done setting up the signup page.” All the interest would give the new business owners added impetus for the legalities, wouldn’t it?
“I guess.”
Frankly, it was a wonder Basil had sold anything at all, as surly as he seemed. Wasn’t he supposed to be the easy going Santoro, the one who never stopped schmoozing? Maybe he missed his family.
“Wish you’d gone to Helena after all?” It was gotcha day for Rob Santoro, the day he was formally adopting his wife’s two children.
Basil swung his head, his astonished expression putting that thought to rest. “Are you kidding me? You have no idea how much I’ve looked forward to a family-free weekend. I’m happy for my cousin and all that, but the thought of packing into a car with my siblings and then spending two days elbow-to-elbow with the lot of them sucks all the air out of my life. They’re all just too much, if you know what I mean.”
