able to make use of an honest and complicated answer.”
Lauren leaned back her head and sighed. “I’d happily take an easy one.”
Indeed. But as good gardeners knew, seeds just didn’t work that way. “Add water, love. And if you ask that wise heart of yours, it will know what shape the water needs to take.”
Her companions shrugged in bemused unison—but they had begun to think.
Moira sipped her cocoa. Entirely lovely, with hidden depths, just like the two in front of her. A proper garden always had more than one seed.
Chapter 10
It hurt, not being in sync with him.
Lizard watched Josh walk in the door of the diner. Sacred territory for the two of them—land of many of their best dates. Greasy eggs, crispy bacon, and comfort.
He walked over, wearing a smile and tentative eyes. “Morning. You already order?”
“Yeah.” She leaned in and kissed his cheek. “For you, too.” Some tiny part of her life, trying valiantly to be normal.
Two plates landed on the table, right on cue.
Josh guzzled his orange juice in one gulp, just like he always did. Said it woke up his stomach before the grease landed. She picked the crispiest strip of bacon and crunched, wrapping herself in the comfort of the small, familiar quirks. “What are you doing today?”
He poked at his eggs. Scrambled, like a heathen. “Dunno. Hadn’t figured out much past breakfast yet.”
That was usually her line. She could maybe make some time. For him, apologies were actions, not words. “I have a new listing to look at in the Arts District later. Want to come with me and check out all the dorky pumpkins on the street?” No one loved holiday kitsch more than Josh Hennessey.
A long exhale from the other side of the table said pumpkins weren’t closing this deal.
“I get that you’re trying to fix this,” he said quietly. “And I know that’s hard for you.”
But she was blowing it—that was written all over his face. “I’m screwing up.”
His eyes were still so damn sad. “You’re trying to apologize for the wrong thing. I don’t care that you got mad at me. You have all this passion inside you, and sometimes it leaks out armed—I get that. But you walked out without me really understanding why you were shooting at me.”
He stabbed a frustrated fork into his eggs. “And you’re hoping to make it all better this morning, but you still don’t want to tell me what the hell’s going on.”
She wasn’t ready. Too many questions, not enough answers—and she didn’t want to drag him down into the muck. “I can’t. Not yet.”
He set down his fork. “Then I’m sorry, but I can’t sit here and eat and pretend everything’s okay.”
She gaped. He never left. Never walked out. That was her gig. “You’re leaving?”
He stood, and then leaned down and rested his forehead on the top of hers for a moment. “I’d way rather stay. But I just can’t.”
She watched him walk out. And wondered where the hell her guy with the eternal patience had gone.
-o0o-
Lauren frowned as Lizard slid in the door of Berkeley Realty. One poet, weight of the world on her shoulders.
Not good. It was time for their regular weekly office meeting, though—maybe they could gently pry some of the heavy stuff away. She took a quick look over at their tiny conference table. Noodles, Lizard’s favorite root beer, and some really good chocolate mousse for dessert.
Heavy lifters, all.
Her young associate slung herself into a chair and raised an eyebrow at the food. “Got anything that doesn’t require using my arms?”
Lauren smiled and stuck a straw in the bottle of root beer. “Best I can do.”
“Classy.” Some signs of life slid back into Lizard’s cheeks as she leaned over and swigged.
“Long morning?” It hadn’t been a painting one—client showings took priority over taupe walls.
“Yeah.”
Pulling over
Lauren leaned back her head and sighed. “I’d happily take an easy one.”
Indeed. But as good gardeners knew, seeds just didn’t work that way. “Add water, love. And if you ask that wise heart of yours, it will know what shape the water needs to take.”
Her companions shrugged in bemused unison—but they had begun to think.
Moira sipped her cocoa. Entirely lovely, with hidden depths, just like the two in front of her. A proper garden always had more than one seed.
Chapter 10
It hurt, not being in sync with him.
Lizard watched Josh walk in the door of the diner. Sacred territory for the two of them—land of many of their best dates. Greasy eggs, crispy bacon, and comfort.
He walked over, wearing a smile and tentative eyes. “Morning. You already order?”
“Yeah.” She leaned in and kissed his cheek. “For you, too.” Some tiny part of her life, trying valiantly to be normal.
Two plates landed on the table, right on cue.
Josh guzzled his orange juice in one gulp, just like he always did. Said it woke up his stomach before the grease landed. She picked the crispiest strip of bacon and crunched, wrapping herself in the comfort of the small, familiar quirks. “What are you doing today?”
He poked at his eggs. Scrambled, like a heathen. “Dunno. Hadn’t figured out much past breakfast yet.”
That was usually her line. She could maybe make some time. For him, apologies were actions, not words. “I have a new listing to look at in the Arts District later. Want to come with me and check out all the dorky pumpkins on the street?” No one loved holiday kitsch more than Josh Hennessey.
A long exhale from the other side of the table said pumpkins weren’t closing this deal.
“I get that you’re trying to fix this,” he said quietly. “And I know that’s hard for you.”
But she was blowing it—that was written all over his face. “I’m screwing up.”
His eyes were still so damn sad. “You’re trying to apologize for the wrong thing. I don’t care that you got mad at me. You have all this passion inside you, and sometimes it leaks out armed—I get that. But you walked out without me really understanding why you were shooting at me.”
He stabbed a frustrated fork into his eggs. “And you’re hoping to make it all better this morning, but you still don’t want to tell me what the hell’s going on.”
She wasn’t ready. Too many questions, not enough answers—and she didn’t want to drag him down into the muck. “I can’t. Not yet.”
He set down his fork. “Then I’m sorry, but I can’t sit here and eat and pretend everything’s okay.”
She gaped. He never left. Never walked out. That was her gig. “You’re leaving?”
He stood, and then leaned down and rested his forehead on the top of hers for a moment. “I’d way rather stay. But I just can’t.”
She watched him walk out. And wondered where the hell her guy with the eternal patience had gone.
-o0o-
Lauren frowned as Lizard slid in the door of Berkeley Realty. One poet, weight of the world on her shoulders.
Not good. It was time for their regular weekly office meeting, though—maybe they could gently pry some of the heavy stuff away. She took a quick look over at their tiny conference table. Noodles, Lizard’s favorite root beer, and some really good chocolate mousse for dessert.
Heavy lifters, all.
Her young associate slung herself into a chair and raised an eyebrow at the food. “Got anything that doesn’t require using my arms?”
Lauren smiled and stuck a straw in the bottle of root beer. “Best I can do.”
“Classy.” Some signs of life slid back into Lizard’s cheeks as she leaned over and swigged.
“Long morning?” It hadn’t been a painting one—client showings took priority over taupe walls.
“Yeah.”
Pulling over
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