Jared held up his hands. “These were made for holding tall glasses of beer. You girls are on your own from now on.”
That had been over a year ago, and since then the two roommates had been able to supplement their income with the flowers they grew.
Jared tapped on their front door lightly. All the lights were out so he doubted if they would hear him. He’d have to wait until morning to get the flowers—which meant that he wouldn’t get told off by Lexie. He didn’t know why he let his grandfather goad him into doing things he didn’t want to. Ever since he was a kid—
The door opened and there stood Toby, her long blond hair in a fat braid down her back, wearing a white robe with little pink flowers on it. He was relieved it wasn’t his opinionated cousin. “I screwed up with Ken’s daughter and I need flowers.”
Toby just nodded and stepped outside. “Let’s go around the house so we don’t wake Lexie.”
“Plymouth on island?” Jared asked. Roger Plymouth was Lexie’s boss and when he was on the island she was worked nearly to death. According to her he couldn’t tie his shoelaces by himself. He lived in a mansion out on Polpis Road, arrived and left on his own plane, and none of Lexie’s friends or family had ever seen him. They teased her that he didn’t actually exist.
“Yes, he’s here,” Toby said, “and she’s exhausted. He calls her night and day. He wants her to move into his guesthouse but she won’t do it. So what did you do to mess things up with Ken’s daughter?”
“Lied to her,” Jared said. “I told her I was a building contractor, but it turns out she knew what I do for a living. She’s an architecture student and she’s good.”
“Since she’s Ken’s daughter, that’s no surprise. But wouldn’t she have found out about you anyway?”
“Yes, but I meant to be gone by the time she arrived. She came early and walked into the kitchen and caught me off guard. I thought we had a nice time. We ate dinner together. If I’d admitted my profession, it would have turned into work. Or at least that’s my excuse.”
“It’s not a bad one. I’ve heard worse.” They were at the back greenhouse door and Jared held it open while she entered first. She turned on some soft lights that were hidden at the top of the glass wall. Before them was a long expanse of flowers and greenery, and flats full of seedlings, all of it in perfect condition.
“Looks good,” Jared said.
“Yes, it does, but then we had a superlative architect design it for us.”
“I don’t think that’s the word Alix would use about me right now. Her dad said I’d made her want to leave the island.”
“Was he very angry at you?” Toby picked up a trug and removed cutters from a jar of alcohol and started down the aisle.
“Furious. If I’d been there he would have shot me. After he ran a truck over me. I think I made her cry.”
“Oh, Jared, I’m so sorry. For both of you. You must take her some roses and of course we’ll cut some daffodils.” She opened a big wooden door against the back wall and revealed a refrigerator full of cut flowers.
“When did you get the fridge?”
“For my birthday. My father asked what I wanted and this was it.”
“Is your mother still angry at you for staying on the island?”
Toby gave a little smile. “Oh, yes. She barely speaks to me.”
At that, she and Jared exchanged looks. Toby’s mother was a harridan and her not talking was no punishment.
“Any advice on getting Alix to forgive me?”
“Spend some time together and let her get to know you,” Toby said.
“I’m going to see Dilys tomorrow.”
“Perfect. Take Alix with you.”
“And I want her to meet you and Lexie.”
“I’d be honored,” Toby said and looked up at him, her hands full of little pink roses. “You like her, don’t you?”
He followed her outside and watched as she used the light from the greenhouse to cut daffodil blooms. “She’s just a kid. I was drinking and driving when she was just four years old.”
“We girls have a habit of growing up.”