Page 120 of Out on a Limb
“You don’t think he’d just fire Alan?” It was the most logical outcome. Fire the man who took money and sue him to get it back.
“I’m worried he might just close down the garden instead.” Collette blinked a few times. “He doesn’t really care about this place. He never has. Not unless it served him.”
“He could make it serve him again.”
“That would take work he doesn’t want to put in.” Collette’s lip curled. “He and Alan have a lot in common when it comes to where their interest is focused.”
“I’m pretty sure your granddad never propositioned an eighteen-year-old.”
“No. I guess that’s one good thing.” Collette’s nose wrinkled. “He definitely likes women his own age.”
We finished our lap around the park, stopping and brainstorming ways to improve on what was there. Coming up with ideas that might draw in more visitors. Things like scavenger hunts for kids, and wine tastings for adults.
By the time we got back to the gift shop, the rest of the staff was starting to arrive, and Collette had a whole list of ideas to look into.
And she looked like she used to. Light and happy and free.
I left her and Phillip in the gift shop and went to start my own day of work, which mostly consisted of trimming any plant with a little extra so I could start the plant babies Collette wanted to sell in the gift shop.
I was working my way through the Carolina jessamine vines that grew up the side of the trellis attached to the small gazebo tucked into the section of the garden that focused on plants native to Florida, when a familiar voice caught my attention. I glanced up to find Collette walking my way with a couple.
One of whom looked very familiar.
“Dennis, you remember Andrew Simmons.” Collette came my way carrying a clipboard. She turned to stand close at my side as I faced down one of the cops who arrested me yesterday. “He’s our horticulturist.”
To his credit, Dennis didn’t react like he’d been putting me in cuffs less than twenty-four hours ago. He immediately held out one hand. “Good to see you again.”
The exchange would only be as awkward as I made it.
Which meant it was about to get awkward as hell.
I swiped my hand over my pants to knock as much dirt off as I could before shaking his. “Thanks too.”
Fuck.
I meant to say ‘thank you’.
Or possibly ‘you too’.
Two damn options, and the best my brain could do was ‘thanks too’.
I looked at Collette, judging her a little for all the nice things she said about me last night.
But she seemed completely unfazed by my blunder. “What are you out here doing?”
“Uh,” I turned to the vines, “I’m working on getting some clippings from this so I can start some new plants.”
“That’s how they make new plants?” Dennis’s fiancé leaned to look at the collection of trimmings I’d accumulated.
“Sometimes.” I pointed to the canna. “Those plants make babies all on their own.” I stepped over to separate the leaves to show the difference between the older and newer sections of one plant. “All we have to do to these is separate them out.”
The bride-to-be looked shocked by the revelation. “I thought all plants grew from seeds.”
“Most can, but that’s not always the easiest way. Growing from seeds can be tricky.” I picked up my bin of future plants. “This particular plant does have seeds, but I’ve had better luck starting plants from new-growth.”
“So cool.” The bride looked Collette’s way. “Do you guys have classes here? I love plants, but I kill everything.”
“We do.” Collette said it with a completely straight face. “Andrew and our arborist teach them. We will be enrolling for the next round soon.”
