Page 55 of Summer Escape
Willow nodded. "This arrangement will work nicely. You'll be able to arrange seating through the garden to give people the maximum view of the butterflies when they come."
Willow guided us where to put the flowers and peppered us with facts on how to take care of them. At some point, the kids finished the path and joined us.
"I'll take notes so that we'll know how to take care of the garden," Hayden said.
"You'll need to make sure it's watered. This is the most important time for growth," Willow said from her knees where she was patting the dirt around a milkweed plant.
"I can do that, and I'll leave the directions with the front counter staff so that everyone is aware of the care required," Hayden said, impressing me with her diligence.
Willow wiped the sweat from her forehead, leaving a streak of dirt. "This is going to be so nice when you're done. Phyllis has done a great job with the grounds."
"We built the gazebo, and the flower beds in the front and the back. Now she wants to build more walking paths so visitors can enjoy the property more easily," Shep said.
Willow stood. "Are you okay now? I have some floral arrangements I wanted to drop off in the main room, lobby, and a few other areas."
"We've got it," Shep said, and Hayden asked, "Can I help you carry the flowers in?"
Willow waved her hand at the other kids. "I could use a few of you."
The teenagers followed her to her truck.
"I'm going to get rid of some of this debris," Shep said as he gathered the leftover wood and carried it to his truck.
"Hayden's really responsible," I observed.
"I think she likes volunteering," Marshall said, "and I'm proud of her."
I nudged his shoulder with my arm. "You should tell her that. Everyone likes to hear what people think of them."
"I think I will. She's a good kid."
"That's partly due to your relationship with her, you know? You're an important figure in her life even if you weren't always physically present."
"I'd like to think so. But the bulk of the praise goes to her mother. She was with her for the first thirteen years."
"And now you'll be with her too." His life was moving forward in leaps and bounds. He was happy here with his family. I wish I could have a sense of that same belonging that he did. My grandmother lived here, but my parents moved to Maine a few years ago to get away from the heat. My family was spread out. I didn't have a reason to stay here, unless Marshall could be that for me.
Chapter Fifteen
Marshall
For the next few weeks, Hayden attended the graphic design class I found for her and was busy at the center clearing more paths and taking care of the new flower beds and gardens.
Phyllis was planning a party to showcase the grounds. She'd rented tents and tables but needed more help with scheduling a band and hiring a caterer. Hayden was more than happy to assist with whatever was needed at the center. It kept her busy, and in the evenings, she spent a lot of time with her new friends.
It was nice, and I understood how important her friends were. I just wished that we had more one-on-one time. Our summer was flying by. In June, I worried what we'd do with our time together, and now it was almost over. I didn't feel like I had much to show for it.
Hayden was happy with her work at the center and her new friends. But I wasn't sure we'd had any breakthroughs. But maybe I should count the reduction in the amount of eye rolls and heavy sighs as a good sign.
It meant that I spent a lot of time with Saylor. She'd complete her work in the morning, and we'd spend the afternoon exploring the nature reserve, the ice-cream shops, and cafes. We even ventured off island to go minigolfing and to a movie theater. It wasn't the same as the small one that was on the island when we were teens, but it made me feel young again.
We held hands and savored our time together, knowing it was limited. Whenever we had the chance, I was inside her. Each moment we spent together, I fell more for her. The thought of her leaving at the end of the summer made my chest tight.
Mom had invited me over for breakfast this morning, so I left a note for Saylor and Hayden to remind them where I was, and that we were meeting Ivy in the afternoon to check out a few houses. I was reluctant to put an offer on a place until I smoothed things over with my family.
At my parents', I parked next to Dad's truck, noting that I was the only one who appeared to be here for breakfast. This was my chance to smooth things over with Dad.
I opened the door and followed the smell of cinnamon and sugar into the kitchen where Mom was drinking her tea at the table. A French toast casserole sat on the counter cooling.
