Page 8 of Love's Bloom
She placed the flowers David had given her on the coffee table and stood back to admire them. They were ideal. As she stared at them, she wondered if Petals, the local flower shop, needed help on the weekends. If she was going to make a change from depending on her sister, that might be a better way to earn extra money than working at the café. She’d have to see how the school year went before adding more work to her schedule.
After adding the finishing touches to the room, Misty loaded the box of trash into her car and went to the dump. In a small town like theirs, the local dump was often a source for exchanging trash for usable items people placed to one side for anyone who wanted them.
When she arrived, she parked by the entrance, carried her box over to the trash section, and studied the pile of old furniture and items off to the side. She picked up a small metal and glass table for the deck. A fresh coat of paint would make it seem like new.
Carrying her treasure to her car, Misty was thrilled by how the day was turning out.
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When Misty entered Jake’s that evening and saw all her friends, any idea of going to bed early fled. This group filled her world with their friendliness and kindness.
Ross Roberts spoke as she sat at one of the large tables. “Looks like we’re going to have another softball game fundraiser. I’ll be acting as an umpire, nothing more. But I can’t vouch for what my fiancée will do.”
Several people laughed. Melissa had run into Ross at the last baseball fundraiser, causing an injury that required him to have knee replacement surgery.
“You’ll have to choose your teammates wisely,” commented Melissa, causing more laughter.
David didn’t appear, but Misty was happy to talk and joke around with other friends. She especially liked how Nettie and Jason fit into the group. Nettie had even volunteered to play ball. It was important because owning the Café meant participating actively in the local activities.
Taylor announced that following the game, a summer picnic for the players would be held at the Lilac Lake Cottage that her grandmother, GG, had given her and her two sisters.
“Everybody bring a dish to share; we’ll supply the rest,” said Taylor.
Dirk’s fiancée, Samantha Waters, offered to handle publicity for the game. She was a marketing person who’d given up her job in Washington, D.C., to move in with Dirk. And though she was still getting used to small-town living, she was easy to be with.
Misty prepared to leave the group right after Hazel left with Mike Dawson. As Ross’s partner in the sports center and a former tennis star, Mike was a little intense but seemed to get along well with Hazel. Misty was happy to see it.
As she headed out, Whitney said, “Why don’t Nick and I give you a ride home?”
“Thanks,” said Misty, aware of their protection, reminding her of the marked-up books and how threatened she still felt by Vince. Determined to focus on something else, Misty eagerly told Whitney about her find at the dump. She couldn’t let unhappy memories destroy the new life she was creating for herself.
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A few days later, as she’d done each morning, Misty got up, walked to “David’s Park” for a few moments of reflection, and then walked into town for coffee. Too soon, school would start, and she’d lose the opportunity to do so.
This morning, the sun was rising in a pinkish dawn, part of an expected heat wave underway. She dressed in shorts and a tank top, put on her walking shoes and socks, grabbed a sports towel and her phone, and headed out.
The humid air clung to her like a soggy wool sweater, but she kept moving. If she were lucky, David would be at the park. She wanted to make sure he was all right because he hadn’t been to Jake’s in a while.
When she reached the entrance, she saw David talking to the red-haired woman as they studied one of the flower beds. He looked up, saw her, and waved.
She went over to him. “Hi, nice to see you here. We’ve missed you at Jake’s.”
“Yes, sorry, I’ve been busy doing some landscaping work at The Meadows,” he said, smiling at her. “Meet my mother, Susie Graham. Mom, this is Misty Owens.”
His mother held out her hand, and Misty shook it. “It’s nice to meet you.”
Susie said, “You’re Crystal Owens’ younger sister. Right?”
“Yes, I am,” said Misty.
“I’ve been staying close to home these past few years,” said David’s mother. “It seems a lot of young people are returning to town. It’s nice to meet you. You were here in the park a few days ago, weren’t you?”
“Yes. It’s a beautiful spot in our town. I was sorry to hear of your daughter’s death. This garden is such a lovely tribute.”
“I think so, too.” His mother’s eyes filled as she patted David on the back. “We have David to thank for it. He put together the plan and carried it out. He and Lily were very close.”
“I told Misty a little about it,” said David quietly, giving me a steady look.
