Black Rose (In the Garden 2)

"I smell spring," she said. "We're going to want to start moving . . . " She trailed off as she saw their faces. "Well, don't you two look solemn. Trouble?"

"Not exactly. Mrs. Haggerty was in today," Stella said.

"Is something wrong with her?"

"Not with her. She wondered how you were doing, though, if you were all right. "

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"She was concerned the scene at the garden club meeting had upset you. "

"Oh. " Roz shrugged. "She should know better. "

"Why didn't you tell us?" Stella demanded.

"Excuse me?"

"She said that bitch, that walking Barbie, insulted you right there in front of everybody," Hayley cut in. "That she was spreading lies and rumors and accused you of harassing that asshole she's hooked herself up with. "

"You seem to have most of the facts. She should have added, if she didn't, that Mandy came off looking foolish and shrill, and was certainly more embarrassed by the whole thing than I was. "

"You didn't tell us," Stella repeated.

"Why would I have?" The tone was aloof.

"Because whether or not she was more embarrassed, it had to upset you. And while you're the boss, and blah, blah, blah - "

"Blah, blah, blah?"

"And a little bit scary," Stella added.

"A little?"

"The fear factor has diminished considerably over the past year. "

"I'm not afraid of you," Hayley said, then hunched her shoulders when Roz turned cool eyes to hers. "Very much. "

"Despite us being your employees, we're friends. Or we thought we were. "

"Oh, for God's sake. Girls are so much more complicated than boys. " On a long sigh, Roz plopped down on the porch swing. "Of course we're friends. "

"Well, if we're friends, especiallygirl friends," Hayley continued, and sat beside Roz on the swing, "you're supposed to tell us when some skinny-assed bitch rags on you. How else are we going to know we hate her guts? How else are we going to know to think up nasty things to say about her? Like, here's one. Did you know that seventy-three percent of women whose name ends with thei sound are bimbos?"

Roz sat a moment. "Is that one of your factoids or did you just make it up?"

"Okay, I made that one up, but I bet it's true if they dot thei with a little heart - after the age of twelve. And I bet, I just bet she does. So. Bimbo. "

"She's just a foolish girl who believes a very smooth liar. "

"I stand by bimbo. "

"She had no right to say those things, to your face or behind your back. " Stella sat on Roz's other side.

"No, she didn't, and she came out the worse for it. And all right, it did upset me at the time. I don't like my personal business aired in public forums. "

"We're not a forum," Hayley stated firmly. "Or the public. "

Saying nothing for a moment, Roz laid a hand on each of their thighs and gave them a little rub.