Page 13 of Evergreen Desires
"Really? What makes it so special?" I asked, genuinely intrigued.
Will gave a half-smile, like he was trying to downplay it but couldn’t quite hide the pride in his voice.
“Well, for starters—we’ve taken home a few of the top awards in the state.” He glanced toward the greenhouses again. “Not bad for a couple guys growing weed in the shadow of the Olympics, huh?”
He reached for a wrench, tightening something without looking. “Honestly, most people think Eastern Washington’s where all the good growing happens. Out here? Between the rain and the soil, it’s tricky. But Beau figured it out.”
I raised a brow. “Figured it out how?”
Will grinned. “Let’s just say we’ve got a few tricks up our sleeves. Custom strains. A little… family magic.”
“Magic?”
He shrugged, not giving anything else away. “Trade secret.”
I laughed. “Right. Of course.”
“But yeah,” he added, straightening up and stretching his back. “We get more per plant than just about anyone else. Never short on supply. Word kind of got around.”
"I know it's legal, but how legal is it really?" I couldn’t help but ask.
Will paused for a moment, his gaze meeting mine directly. "Beau is a man of high ethics in a business that can sometimes lack ethics." I let his words sink in. Beau was highly ethical. Got it. "Yes, we're 100% legal," Will continued, moving back under the hood of my car. "It's highly regulated, with lots of rules. But there are always external forces trying to make a quick buck or run some scheme. And, of course, local politics sometimes get involved."
"I saw someone at the diner. He seemed self-important and sounded a bit sketchy on a call I overheard. I told myself not to trust him. But then the police chief, Mat, mentioned it yesterday, and he didn't seem bothered by the cannabis operation, so it must not be a big deal here," I shared, trying to shift the conversation away from that topic.
"Oh, you met Mat! Mateo. What did you think?" Will's head popped up from under the hood, his curiosity piqued by the mention of the police chief.
"He was really nice. He helped me out yesterdaywhen I discovered my ex had drained my bank account. Mat paid for my breakfast while I was frozen, trying to figure out what to do. I also ran into him at the store later. He wanted to make sure I was okay with Beau. He must have thought he was my ex and was just looking out for me. Oh, and he mentioned that he remembered you," I said, sharing myimpressions of Mateo. Will seemed to really be intrigued by him.
"Ah, so I made an impression on him, huh? I felt like there might be some interest there. Gosh, I hope so. He looks like a Latino god, a mix of police officer and rough trade. I can't wait to find a reason to be handcuffed by him," Will replied, clearly indulging in a fantasy in his own mind. I figured it was a good time to gather more information about Beau’s relationship status.
"So, neither you nor Beau is currently in a relationship?" I asked, attempting to sound nonchalant.
"Nah, Beau has been a bit of a chronic celibate. I honestly can't remember the last time he was involved with someone. He just doesn't find that kind of thing appealing. As for me, I tend to take long weekends and head into Seattle or Vancouver for a bit of club hopping and intimacy. There just aren't many prospects here in Armsville. Well, except for Officer Mat, hopefully," Will admitted, his voice carrying a hint of wistfulness.
"Where's Beau?" I asked, scanning the area.
"He's out checking on the young trees in the south grove and surveying the perimeter fence." Will explained, his attention already shifting back to the car. I guessed he’d gotten bored since we stopped talking about Mateo.
"Okay, I'm going to head back inside and watch some TV before we go into town," I said, trying to wrap up the conversation.
"Sure thing. I'll let you know what I figure out with the car when I actually figure it out," Will responded, his voice muffled as he returned to his work.
"Hey, Will," I paused, waiting for him to look up. "Thanks for this little talk and the advice."
"Anytime!" Will called out, giving me a wink before getting back under the hood..
CHAPTER 12
BEAU
Damn. First the hose was getting me aroused, now having an ATV engine rumbling between my legs riding on the bumpy path was not helping the situation. I couldn’t remember the last time I felt this horned up, if ever. Jake had clearly lit a fire within me.
Good thing this job was more routine than anything. I rode along the fence line to make sure it was still intact. Just needed to make sure nothing had knocked a part of it down, like a large tree falling across it. In the past it was meant to deter larger animals from walking into the property. No one would want to be walking the groves and walk up on a bear or something of the sort. It always amused me that we spent time on fences since most predators would stay clear of a Sasquatch. But I wanted to also make sure our seasonal crews felt safe as well. Of course, with the cannabis operation added, there were regulations that required the fencing and keeping it out of the public view. So now it was a matter of necessity.
The south and west portions of the property were all fine. Circling up the north tip of the property, I passed Will’scabin with his pickup truck sitting outside. He had his own driveway into the property that was originally a service road. It allowed the hauler trucks the ability to enter on one side of the property and exit on the other side when we got to tree cutting season.
I was pleasantly surprised to see that he was continuing his expansion project of the cabin. I could see where he had started an addition off the backside and what looked like a deck area for a jacuzzi. Good for him.
