Nell frowns. “General supplies.”
“For the garden.”
“What kind of garden?”
I shrug. “A general one.”
Nell stares at me for a long moment. I can’t tell if she’s confused or thinks I’m crazy, but kudos to her, because she keeps smiling at me professionally.
“You know what? I think Birdy can help you with that. She knows our stock better than anyone.” She takes the wrapped flowers from Birdy’s hands. “I’ll just put these back inside. Since you won’t be needing them after all.”
“Right, because these were for, um, well, for…” Birdy starts.
“For a customer,” Nell says. “Obviously.”
She disappears back into the greenhouse, and the door slides shut behind her.
I kick at some dirt with the tip of my boot, just to have something to do that’s not staring into Birdy’s eyes.
“So, do you actually need plant supplies? For your general garden?” she asks with a laugh.
“No, I’m sorry, but I don’t.”
From somewhere inside the greenhouse, I hear Nell make a faint sound that resembles a suppressed squeal.
Birdy closes her eyes briefly. “I am so sorry about her.”
“Don’t be,” I say. “She sounds like she loves you a lot. Who can blame her?”
I can feel my cheeks redden the moment I utter the words, which is so alien to me. I don’t think I’ve ever blushed in my life. Maybe as a toddler, who knows, but definitely not as a grown man.
Birdy’s eyes widen.
“I came here to check on you after yesterday,” I say.
“I’m okay. The cut’s fine. I barely feel it. But I’m still a bit shaken about meeting a bear. I’m honestly not sure if I’ll be going hiking again soon. But I do want to thank you for rescuing me.”
“You don’t have to thank me. And if you ever go back out there, you’re not going alone. I’m coming with you, Birdy,” I say, and I mean it.
“Can I at least buy you a cup of coffee?” she asks.
“Sure, I’ve got time now.”
For you, I have all the time in the world.
“Now?” She glances back at the greenhouse. “I’d love to, but I’m supposed to be working.”
The greenhouse door slides open approximately one second later.
“Take an hour,” Nell says, not even pretending she wasn’t eavesdropping.
“Okay, thank you,” Birdy says, then turns back to me. “Do you want to have coffee here? An hour isn’t enough to get to town and back and order coffee.”
“Sure.”
Her face lights up. “Great, come on.”
She leads me to a converted barn that sits behind the greenhouse. I hold the barn door open for Birdy, and she ducks under my arm to get through. Man, she would fit perfectly in my arms.