Page 10 of Finding Basil
“My name, yeah, well, my grandfather was a picker, you know, he came to the US to pick fruits and vegetables. He married my grandma and got his citizenship when he was thirty, and worked three jobs, saving money for a farm of his own.
“The thing was, he tried to learn it from the farmers he picked for, but he had a terrible time of it. Finally, though, fifteen years and four kids later, he grew his first small crop. The crop was basil, so it’s a family thing.”
Basil’s dark lips moved so smoothly as he spoke. Herb was captivated.
“That’s a wonderful way to get a name. My name is a family name too, but there wasn’t a story to go with it. My great-grandfather’s name was Herbert Buffet, but my mother hated the name Herbert, so they shortened mine to Herb.”
Basil smiled so sweetly, and when he drank his coffee, the way his Adam’s apple slid under the smooth flesh of his neck…
“Well, we only have a couple of acres now to actually farm. My dad wanted to do an orchard, so he did. We have fifty apple trees now.”
“I love apple pie,” he said, laughing. “Now I know where to get the apples.”
“Ours are great for pies, apple butter, all that. What were you thinking of growing?”
Herb was almost embarrassed, but if Basil was going to help him, he had to tell the guy. “Herbs.”
Basil set his cup on the table and laughed. “No, really?”
“Corny, I know. Herb’s Herbs.”
“That’s really corny,” he said, laughing more. “I like it though. People are crazy about herbs now, not just to cook with.”
“I thought an apothecary would be nice to own once I get the herbs to do it. Find a wholesaler for the other ingredients, if this house doesn’t break me first.”
“Yeah, it’s old, all right. All the houses in this part of town are. They were here before there was a Foggy Basin. Just a bunch of farmers.”
Basil was so handsome, Herb was terribly distracted. He had to get down to business. “Well, Basil, when can you show me some of the things I’ll need to do?”
“You’ll have to buy seed, and you have a greenhouse, so you can start some plants in there. You probably have glass you’ll need to replace, I’m guessing.”
“I do, but I’ve never even stepped into a greenhouse, so I don’t know the first thing about it.”
Basil was finished with his coffee and took his cup to the sink before he said, “I’ve been in them all my life. My mom hasone that she keeps stocked with vegetable plants for the winter months, which are coming fast. It was pretty cold last night.”
Letting his crazy imagination go for a moment, he saw in his mind a roaring fire in his fireplace and he and Basil cuddling on a rug in front of it, drinking wonderful wine and kissing. Romance hadn’t been big in his life, as he’d been too busy to plan anything romantic. The few boyfriends he’d had were done with him once he’d had to cancel too many dates.
But now he was staring at a guy he’d have quit his job for, and he didn’t even know if the man was gay. His gaydar was pinging madly, but he feared it was wishful thinking.
“I’d appreciate any help you could give me, and of course, I’d pay you.”
“I’m looking for a job, so that works out. My family, well, they’ll need me at harvest time for the apples and the cabbage.”
“You grow cabbage?”
“We have a contract with the local supermarket for it. They make amazing coleslaw and prefer the cabbage and carrots to be locally grown. It’s a little hippy dippy, my dad says, but it works to put food on the table for us.”
His blush was out of the blue, as they weren’t talking about anything that should cause that pink to ascend over his cheeks and the bridge of his nose. That could only mean one thing. He was thinking things that could cause it…
Naughty things?
“Well, Basil, I’m going to enjoy working with you. I…I feel like we’ll complement each other.”
“The one that knows what he’s doing versus the guy that is clueless?” he asked, laughing. “Just kidding, really.”
“No, you’re right,” Herb said as he nodded and laughed with him. “I’m as clueless as they come. I was stuck in the city my whole life, destroying instead of growing things or making things.”
“I’d hate that.”
