Page 127 of Chasing Forever
A trellis is set up right where our front door will be. It’s decorated with flowers and a sign that says, Welcome—The Watsons, much to my dad’s dismay. He might never stop fighting for Brooks to be an Owens. Let’s be honest, he kind of is anyway.
There are picnic tables draped with green runners spread around, and Jenson made a whole bar-b-que buffet for people to make a plate and find a seat. Alcohol and drinks are in barrels spread around the grounds while plants are the centerpieces with candles in giant fluted glass. Brooks and my cousins hung twinkle lights over everything.
But my favorite part is the flower garden.
It pays off that Bennett is a landscape architect because he’s already decided which flowers will be in our garden and where every tree will be planted. He may be a tad anal about it, but it will be beautiful once we’re all settled. For the party though, he’s set up a bunch of raised gardens set away from where the construction will be. Each guest can plant a flower and put a stake with their name in it and a note to wish us well.
“Six inches,” he says to Jude.
“I won’t plant it at all if you keep watching over me like I’m a child using a knife for the first time.” Jude glances at Ben, and they both roll their eyes.
“I know you think I just play with dirt all day, but there’s actually a reason I put things where I do.”
“Is here fine?” Jude asks, sticking his small shovel in the dirt.
“Yes, but… oh, I’ll just do it.” Bennett takes the shovel from him.
Wren comes alongside me in the dress we bought for her. “Hi, Aunt Lottie.” She’s our flower girl even though there was no walking down the aisle. “Do you need anything?”
I look around the space. The guests are going to arrive soon. “Do you see Uncle Brooks anywhere?”
“I’ll find him for you.” She runs toward Romy and Poppy, asking if they’ve seen Brooks.
He was just here, and now I have no idea where he’s gone.
The workers from The Perfect Petal come in with more flowers, and I follow them to one of the raised gardens.
“Oh, not there!” Bennett leaves my cousins to do what they want with one garden, rushing over to the new flowers being put out.
“Hey, it’s okay, I’m not picky,” I tell him, but he blows out a breath.
“If we don’t plant them right now, you’ll lose some. I told you to just have them pick it out, and I would plant each one. Or someone from The Perfect Petal could handle it.”
I laugh and touch his arm. “That’s no fun. I want it to be their way of planting something for our future. Every time I look at this garden, I’ll remember this day.”
I glance at Bennett when he doesn’t respond, and realize his gaze is fixed on a dark-haired woman moving the flowers to the tables for our guests to pick out.
“Delaney?” he says.
The woman looks up and draws back immediately when she spots my brother. Her eyes search the area but stop again on my brother. “Hi, Bennett.”
“Heard you were looking for me? I hope it’s because you want to go behind a tree,” Brooks comes to my side and whispers in my ear. When I don’t respond, I feel him look over my shoulder. “Am I missing something?”
I put up my hand, too transfixed on my brother’s face. Delaney Richards was Bennett’s high school sweetheart, and I haven’t seen her since she left town their senior year.
“What are you doing here?” Bennett snipes, sounding… annoyed… panicked?
“I work here. Poppy just hired me.” Her eyes are wide, and she seems uncomfortable.
“Seriously, who is that?” Brooks asks, and I shush him again.
So, she’s working at the ranch’s flower shop. Interesting.
“Danson, Ben put it three inches too far left. He’s not listening to your rules!” Emmett yells across the yard.
Bennett blinks and steps back. “Welcome back to Willowbrook.”
He turns and leaves, and Delaney’s gaze follows him until she sees me watching. She nods at Brooks and me. “Congratulations.”
