Page 51 of A Touch of Spring Magic

“I’m scared now,” he teased. “But why not tell your folks? Your dad’s one of the top property developers around.”

“Exactly. He developed Cramer Mountain—buying parcels of it from his aunt and uncles. Grandma Millie held on to this last piece, and he’s expecting either to buy or inherit it. But also, he wants me to join his company, not grub around in the dirt.”

“Your dad’s intense,” Storm said, washing his hands and spreading the tea towel on the drying rack. “One of the most successful businessmen in the county. I guess I never thought about the pressure.” He blew out a breath. “Kinda makes sense now why you were always a gunner. My grandparents were always just thrilled that I was alive,” he said. “They never complained or criticized, which gave me a freedom I took for granted.”

He joined her at the door, putting his boots on. She put a hand on his shoulder to steady herself as she slid her feet into her gardening Romeos. Storm and his crew would be working mostly by the greenhouses today, and she planned to be there too, so the sturdy footwear was essential.

“But your father loves you. He’s proud of you. You could see it when you were a kid, and I’m sure once he sees what you’ve done, his pride will be obvious.”

But she wouldn’t have done all this. She had help. But maybe that too was the point. Branch out. Learn to lead and delegate and manage. When to hold on and when to let go. It was an epiphany and she wanted to hold on to that.

“It’s your life. Your dream. Your dad followed his. Now it’s your turn.”

“You’re right.” She smiled and touched his hand. “Thank you. Let’s get to work.”

She grabbed her gloves and slipped on her flannel shirt. Storm held it out for her, and she tried not to feel a little thrill at his nearness.

“Oh, hey.” Storm noticed the fairy on the window ledge above the sink. “This is what Sarah was talking about. Is this what you found last night?”

“Yeah, I cleaned it off, but it still is pretty weathered—I’m loving the rustic vibe though.”

“I wonder if you’ll find anything else as you beat back time and shape the garden to your vision.”

She smiled at him over her shoulder. “It’s a little like being a time traveler. Finding things from the past as I try to envision the future, but I do want to find a lovely new home in the garden for the fairy. She’s been hidden for who knows how long, and I want her to be part of the new. I think little ones especially will love to discover unexpected finds like dragonfly sculptures, or glass hummingbirds tucked in hydrangeas or…”

“A collection of gnomes.”

She stopped on the last step so he nearly ran into her, and his arm circled her waist.

“No gnomes.”

“Not even one?”

“No gnomes. They creep me out.”

He laughed. “Now there’s an irresistible challenge.”

She turned into his body, aware of his heat and his strength and savoring it. She pretended to scowl.

“Try it. Quiver in fear of my revenge if you hide one gnome up here,” she dared.

*

On the morningof the weekend work party, all of her sisters had arrived early, though Meghan had spent the night, and they’d binge-watched the murder mysteries on BritBox far too late. Still sleepy, Jessica curled up on the banquette bench in the breakfast nook, sipping mint tea and savoring the hubbub of her sisters cooking breakfast—strawberry and blueberry pancakes courtesy of Chloe, while Sarah made cheesy and veggie scrambled eggs. Meghan dug through the fridge pulling out butter, syrup, yogurt, and a can of whipped cream.

“Yes.” Meghan shook the can. “The good stuff.”

“Rustin would be horrified.” Chloe ran over and crouched down next to Meghan, mouth open.

Laughing, Meghan shook the can and shot some into Chloe’s mouth. Jessica scrunched her eyes shut, clapped her hands over her ears and sang, “Lalalalala.”

“You still do that, Chloe?” Sarah smiled indulgently.

“No, Rustin would never use canned whipped cream.” She returned and flipped four pancakes on the griddle, looking almost like a professional chef herself. Before Rustin had returned to Belmont to open his restaurant, Chloe would have flipped the pancakes wildly so they could have easily landed anywhere—in a potted plant, on the floor or in Chloe’s curly hair.

“I am pretty wicked with a spoon with the real stuff, which I am happy to make.” She shot Jessica a look.

Jessica waved her hands, settling farther into her comfortable slouch on the window seat of the banquette. She had her back to the window so that she wouldn’t see all the work that still needed to be done, though with Storm and his crew, the progress was easily measured. She was excited to show her sisters the planted tea plants, the bamboo gazebo that Storm hoped to finish this weekend, and the mosaic that was now fully exposed and cleaned off and in far better shape than she’d hoped. He’d also cut up the trees so there were rounds of logs that Jessica was hoping to do something creative with—make a path or use to create a wall or… She was going to consult her sisters to see what they thought.

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