Page 14 of A Touch of Spring Magic

She could see the questions forming in Sarah and Meghan’s eyes while Chloe looked at her like she was the answer to everything, just like she had as a kid.

Don’t ruin this,she thought hard at her sisters.Don’t ruin Chloe’s moment like I almost did with my doubts and questions.

“It’s a lot of work, Jess,” Chloe said. “But I can help on the weekends, and some evenings when the days get light or maybe—” She snapped her fingers. “Storm can install party lights. That will be great for when you do have events. He can also trick out the barn. He’s a landscape architect by training.” Chloe’s eyes sparkled as she made the connection. “He’s been doing construction forever to pay for school and his bills, but we can hire him.”

“We!” Jessica, about to take a bit of tajine, spilled it on the table. Her spoon clattered down noisily, spreading the mess.

“Yes we,” Sarah said. “We are your sisters, Chloe, so we’ll help with your party, and same, Jessica. If this is your dream we will support you.”

It was spoken in her big-sister boss voice.

“You’re going to need help,” Sarah said thoughtfully. “Professional help.”

“You think I’m crazy and need a shrink?” Jessica tried to joke.

Sarah smiled. “No. But you will need a crew to help with the garden to get it prepared for a party.”

“I’ve got time and skills. I want the nursery to reflect me and what I want. No one else. It’s my passion project. My Jessica 2.0.”

“I liked Jessica 1.0,” Chloe said loyally. “But if a nursery is your dream, I’m all in. Hey, maybe I can be your second employee after Storm. I can work on the weekends.”

“Storm…Brent Stevens is not going to be my employee,” Jessica said firmly. Especially if he had expertise in landscape design. “I already went into a major and career I didn’t want because Daddy pushed and pushed. I want my nursery to be my vision. Me, all me.”

They stared at her, quiet, clearly trying to couch their thoughts in words that wouldn’t hurt her feelings, and Jessica realized how childish she sounded. Defensive.

“I will welcome your help,” she said softly. “But I don’t want to hire a landscape architect. I want this to feel like mine.”

“It will be yours, sweetie.” Sarah covered her hand while Meghan wiped up the mess of the tajine since Jessica hadn’t yet done it. “But there’s a lot of work, heavy lifting, hardscape that one person can’t do on their own. But it will be your vision. You will tell Brent and his crew what to do.”

Now it was Brent and a crew. That sounded invasive and expensive.

“I need to have time and space to have my vision,” she defended herself. “I want a clean slate before I start my design.”

“I was just out there, and even in the dark it’s a disaster,” Meghan said, voice ringing with authority. “You definitely need Brent, especially if he has skills and a crew. He’s local. Likely hungry since he just recently returned to town to help his grandparents. I met with them pro bono as a favor to Grandma Millie and…” Meghan’s mouth snapped shut, and Jessica could hear the unspoken ‘attorney client privilege.’

“Brent’s a great idea. Even with a crew and us, it’s a heavy lift,” Meghan finished.

“We can do it,” Chloe said, leafing through the book. “Hey, we should cook the party food. Each choose a couple of recipes since it’s going to be a casual party, and I want Rustin and his crew to enjoy themselves, not work.”

“I can hire a caterer,” Jessica said firmly, trying not to think about that expense. “But not Storm. I mean Brent.”

“Storm suits him better,” Chloe said. “You should see him work. He just comes in, takes over and powers through. It’s awesome to see him and Rustin and Lucas in full sweaty, swinging-heavy-tools mode. A whole store of eye candy. I could sell tickets.”

That was what Jessica didn’t want—Storm taking over. She’d had enough of that in high school in every committee and student council government position she’d ever held.

My garden. My rules.

“I don’t need Storm…I mean Brent and his big ideas. This is my business, and I won’t be pushed into someone else’s vision for my life and my work. And I’m not risking cooking withthatbook.”

“You must have been looking for recipes over your morning or afternoon tea break,” Chloe said.

“I wasn’t. It just appeared out there.”

“Yeah, with all its feet.” Chloe laughed. “The book has chosen you. Maybe you’re supposed to cook something for Storm.”

“Absolutely not,” Jessica yipped. “Unless it has hemlock.”

“Be nice,” Chloe admonished, then she paused. “You don’t really believe the teasing, do you?” Chloe asked. “You’ve never seemed superstitious before—except about black cats and salt over your shoulders and you knock on wood, cross yourself and your fingers when you fib.”

---