Page 88 of The Shots You Take

“Sage,” Riley said. “And those ones are basil.”

“And you’ll plant these outside?”

“I keep those ones potted so I can move them easily, but most of the stuff in here will get planted.”

“What are those?” Adam asked. “Another herb?”

“Bell peppers.”

“Shit, really? Green, or red?”

“Well,” Riley said, “green peppers are usually just underripe red peppers.”

Adam’s eyes went wide like Riley had just proved god was real. “Are you serious? Is that why green peppers taste like garbage?”

“They have their uses.”

“If you say so. Hey, tell me what everything is. I want the full tour.”

So Riley gave him the tour, happily explaining which plants would yield fruit this year, and which would take at least another year or two. He explained which ones needed lots of sun, which needed shade, which ones might keep deer away, and which ones he was trying to grow for the first time.

“You have deer?” Adam asked, immediately turning his gaze to the yard outside, searching.

“Unfortunately,” Riley grumbled, then amended, “They’re nice, they just eat everything.”

“Still,” Adam said with a note of wonder, like deer were unicorns.

They left the greenhouse, joining Lucky in the yard. Riley showed Adam the rhubarb growing in one corner of the yard, and the small lavender patch, still dormant from the winter.

“You know how amazing this is, right?” Adam asked.

“It’s just a garden.”

“Yeah, but you made it. You did all this work, and it’ll turn into something beautiful and useful. That’s inspiring, Riley.”

Riley really, really wanted to kiss him. Instead he said, “It’s just a hobby.”

“Well, it’s a good one.” Adam gazed at the ocean. “Man, this place is beautiful.”

“I like it.”

Over by the trees that lined one side of the yard, Lucky started barking.

“What’s his problem?” Adam asked.

“Probably saw a rabbit.”

“You haverabbits?”

“Calm down. Those fuckers eat everything too.”

Adam laughed. “I love how you traded Kevin Kroeker for rabbits. Your new nemesis.”

“OhfuckKevin Kroeker,” Riley said, with feeling. “Is he still alive? No one killed him?”

“He’s alive.”

“Only because I retired early.”

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