smiled. “And you want to worm the information out of me? No, I don’t have a child. But I’ve known friends who changed their lives to accommodate their children. No one knows what an experience like that can do to someone. She should have told him.”
In most ways, Peggy agreed. But she didn’t know what she’d have done if John was determined to leave her and she was carrying that kind of secret. In some ways she could understand Rosie’s choice.
They were silent again for a while as the SUV tires whirred softly on the road. The mountains were distant shapes against the sky behind them as they left Asheville and sped down the interstate toward Charlotte.
Steve finally broke the brooding silence that hung between them. “So what’s up for tomorrow?”
“I have to be at the Potting Shed in the morning for a delivery. My family should be here by lunch.”
“What are they planning to do while they’re here?”
“I don’t know yet. Paul has a few days off. They’ll probably come to the Potting Shed with me a few times. You don’t have to do anything. They’re capable of amusing themselves.”
He glanced at her. “Ouch! What was that for?”
She didn’t realize how sharp she’d been with him. “Sorry. I’m just feeling overwhelmed with all of this. It isn’t a good time for them to visit.”
“I have some free time tomorrow afternoon. I could help you take them somewhere.”
“I don’t expect you to entertain them. I appreciate you offering though.”
“I’d like to get to know them, Peggy. I may not be a teenage boyfriend, but I’d still like them to approve of me. They have to get to know me to do that.”
She laughed. “I understand. And if you want to do something with us, that’s fine. I just don’t want you to feel obligated to do it.”
“I don’t feel obligated.” He reached to put one arm around her and draw her to him, then kissed the top of her head. “I want to help my favorite person not feel so stressed. I’m sure she’d help me out if I needed it.”
She smiled and leaned her head against his shoulder. “You’re better than I deserve.”
“How can you say that? How many people would have done what you did today for a woman they hadn’t seen in twenty-five years? Not many.”
“How many women come all the way to Asheville without calling first?”
“Exactly. Crazy and self-sacrificing. That’s what I love about you.”
“Always there and very dear. That’s what I love about you .”
“Thanks. I’m like an old bathrobe.”
“A very nice, sexy, good-looking, irresistible bathrobe.”
“That makes me feel so much better.”
Peggy laughed. “What can you expect from a woman who’s crazy?”
“I suppose that’s true.” He sighed. “I never know what to expect from you next.”
“I like the way that sounds.”
“You wouldn’t if it was me. I worry about you all the time.”
“You worry too much.”
“I doubt it. Don’t forget, I’ve seen you do some really crazy things that make this look like a visit to the petting zoo.”
THE AFTERNOON WAS BUSY at the Potting Shed. Deliveries of new plants, potting soil, and other garden necessities came and went. The after-work crowd was bigger than usual. Everyone was getting out in their gardens or thinking about having a garden. Once the warm spring breezes started calling, few could resist.
Of course, later, many would neglect what they diligently planted in the spring. Peggy always tried to tell those gardeners from the more committed. If she sold the sometimes gardener the right plants, they would practically take care of themselves. That way, sometimes the gardener wouldn’t be disappointed.
They sold three Charleston benches and a large light kit for a walkway in an hour. “You wouldn’t be interested in designing and creating walkways, would you?” Peggy asked Sam when he came in to get supplies for the next day.
She secretly wished he’d change his mind about becoming a
In most ways, Peggy agreed. But she didn’t know what she’d have done if John was determined to leave her and she was carrying that kind of secret. In some ways she could understand Rosie’s choice.
They were silent again for a while as the SUV tires whirred softly on the road. The mountains were distant shapes against the sky behind them as they left Asheville and sped down the interstate toward Charlotte.
Steve finally broke the brooding silence that hung between them. “So what’s up for tomorrow?”
“I have to be at the Potting Shed in the morning for a delivery. My family should be here by lunch.”
“What are they planning to do while they’re here?”
“I don’t know yet. Paul has a few days off. They’ll probably come to the Potting Shed with me a few times. You don’t have to do anything. They’re capable of amusing themselves.”
He glanced at her. “Ouch! What was that for?”
She didn’t realize how sharp she’d been with him. “Sorry. I’m just feeling overwhelmed with all of this. It isn’t a good time for them to visit.”
“I have some free time tomorrow afternoon. I could help you take them somewhere.”
“I don’t expect you to entertain them. I appreciate you offering though.”
“I’d like to get to know them, Peggy. I may not be a teenage boyfriend, but I’d still like them to approve of me. They have to get to know me to do that.”
She laughed. “I understand. And if you want to do something with us, that’s fine. I just don’t want you to feel obligated to do it.”
“I don’t feel obligated.” He reached to put one arm around her and draw her to him, then kissed the top of her head. “I want to help my favorite person not feel so stressed. I’m sure she’d help me out if I needed it.”
She smiled and leaned her head against his shoulder. “You’re better than I deserve.”
“How can you say that? How many people would have done what you did today for a woman they hadn’t seen in twenty-five years? Not many.”
“How many women come all the way to Asheville without calling first?”
“Exactly. Crazy and self-sacrificing. That’s what I love about you.”
“Always there and very dear. That’s what I love about you .”
“Thanks. I’m like an old bathrobe.”
“A very nice, sexy, good-looking, irresistible bathrobe.”
“That makes me feel so much better.”
Peggy laughed. “What can you expect from a woman who’s crazy?”
“I suppose that’s true.” He sighed. “I never know what to expect from you next.”
“I like the way that sounds.”
“You wouldn’t if it was me. I worry about you all the time.”
“You worry too much.”
“I doubt it. Don’t forget, I’ve seen you do some really crazy things that make this look like a visit to the petting zoo.”
THE AFTERNOON WAS BUSY at the Potting Shed. Deliveries of new plants, potting soil, and other garden necessities came and went. The after-work crowd was bigger than usual. Everyone was getting out in their gardens or thinking about having a garden. Once the warm spring breezes started calling, few could resist.
Of course, later, many would neglect what they diligently planted in the spring. Peggy always tried to tell those gardeners from the more committed. If she sold the sometimes gardener the right plants, they would practically take care of themselves. That way, sometimes the gardener wouldn’t be disappointed.
They sold three Charleston benches and a large light kit for a walkway in an hour. “You wouldn’t be interested in designing and creating walkways, would you?” Peggy asked Sam when he came in to get supplies for the next day.
She secretly wished he’d change his mind about becoming a
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