Page 100 of A Journey For Jasmine

“I do. He just seems to know me so well. He’s not pushy or anything.”

“Which you wouldn’t like,” Dahlia said. “But I don’t picture him as the type of person that likes to be told what to do either.”

“No,” she said. “He doesn’t. I think we’ve found a happy medium for us. He hasn’t made a secret about wanting kids at some point. I would too, but we aren’t there yet. Not the cozy cuddle-up make-a-family picture. I like where we are.”

“Good,” Dahlia said. “Then stick there. Don’t let anyone put you in a bucket you don’t want to be in.”

“Did that happen to you?” she asked. “You don’t talk about your personal life much.”

“Not much to say,” Dahlia said. “Just that it’s hard to fit in, as we all know. Sometimes I think I’m better on my own.”

She was going to ask what that meant, but Ivy walked in rubbing her eyes. “Sorry I overslept. I couldn’t fall asleep last night and was up watching TV. Hope I didn’t keep you up, Dahlia.”

“No. I had the TV on and then fell right to sleep myself. I’m a creature of habit in the morning though.”

“Not me,” Ivy said. “When I don’t need to get up, I like to sleep.”

“We know,” Jasmine said.

Ivy shrugged. “I’m going to take a shower. What time are we going to the greenhouses?”

“Mom is going to text me when she is ready. I’m sure she is up too, but they are probably having breakfast and Dad and Chase are going to figure out what they are doing. No way they will go to the greenhouses.”

“That’s not nice,” Ivy said. “They should see where you work.”

“It doesn’t bother me. They don’t care about it just like I don’t care about what they do either. Not everyone should let others’ actions upset them, Ivy. Remember that.”

“I’m trying to,” Ivy said.

“Good luck,” Dahlia said to her. She knew her older sister meant well, but she could have her hands full with Ivy in the coming months too.

An hour later they were pulling onto Lily’s property. Her mother in the front seat with her, her sisters in the back. Her father and Chase said they were going to check out some museums in the area and go to the Seaport.

“I can’t believe your boss lives here,” her mother said. “I’d never leave the property.”

“There were only three greenhouses at one point. There are much more now. Some of them only grow the flowers to use for the manufacturing plant.”

“Are you responsible for them all?” Ivy asked.

“Yes and no. I oversee it, but there are a few employees out here that do the basic watering and pruning. The picking of the flowers to bring back to the plant. Others dry them out and make the oils to use in the products. I spend the bulk of my time dealing with the flowers for the flower shop.”

“Doing what you love,” her mother said. “That is all I want for my family.”

She turned to look at Ivy and saw her shoulders drop. “I want to find what everyone has.”

“You will,” she said.

They moved around the greenhouses because she knew her mother was thrilled and excited over it. She gave her mother some flowers to take back with her. She’d seen Zane go out to the barn at one point and waved to him. Lily knew she was coming today with her family.

They were leaving the last greenhouse when she saw Lily walking toward her with the baby in her arms.

“Hi,” Lily said. “I wanted to catch you before you left so I could meet your mother and other sister.”

“Mom, this is one of my bosses. Or as I call her, the big boss lady, Lily Bloom-Wolfe. In her arms is baby Wolfe, Ryder.”

“He’s so tiny,” Ivy said.

She looked down and saw Ryder sleeping.

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