Must Love Flowers(40)

“Thanks.” His relief was obvious. “I hope you’ll return.”

“I plan on it. I think if I was a no-show, Mary Lou would come get me.”

Phil chuckled at that. “Then we’re square?” she asked.

“We’re square,” he concurred, and gave her a dazzling smile.

Just then Todd came racing up to the front of the yard.

“Can I play with Edison?” he asked. “Mom said I could if it was all right with you.”

“I’m sorry, Todd, but Edison is on a walk with my son and Maggie.” Todd had already met Maggie when he and his sister had stopped off earlier in the week.

Todd hung his head in disappointment but recovered quickly. “Mom said if you offered me a cookie, I could have it.”

Joan had baked a couple days earlier, seeing how often Todd and Ellie came by to play with Edison. “Let me check the cookie jar.”

She entered the house, and when she returned, she saw Phil talking to the youngster. He was showing him a snapdragon plant that was in the bed of his truck, along with several flats of flowers. Todd’s eyes were huge as he hung on every word Phil said.

“Joan, Joan, did you know snapdragons can talk? Phil showed me. It’s really cool.”

Joan handed him a chocolate-chip cookie and Todd’s smile covered his whole face. “Thank you,” the boy said, ever-so-politely.

“You’re most welcome.” Todd had chocolate smeared on both sides of his mouth as he quickly downed the treat.

“Guess what? Dad’s getting the backyard fenced soon and then I can have a dog of my own,” he said with his mouth full, too excited to swallow before he shared the good news.

“That’s great,” Joan said, exchanging a smile with Phil as he loaded his equipment into the bed of his truck.

“Hey, what about me?” Phil called out. “Don’t I get a cookie, too?”

Joan chuckled and shook her head. “I’ll see what I can do.” Returning to the house, she brought out a couple more cookies for Phil.

“You’re a woman after my own heart,” Phil teased. He climbed into his truck and, with a jaunty wave, drove off.

Joan watched as he turned the corner and was out of sight. She was disappointed that Phil hadn’t mentioned what had brought him to the group. She wanted to ask, and would have if Todd hadn’t shown up when he did.

Todd left soon after he finished his cookie, as a friend of his passed by on his bicycle.

Nick and Maggie hadn’t come back from their walk yet, which boded well. She felt certain the two would hit it off once they got over their troubling start.

Feeling good, Joan decided she wanted to update her sister on the latest developments taking place in her life.

Reaching for her phone, she punched in Emmie’s name.

“Hey,” her sister greeted, her usual cheerful self.

“Emmie, you won’t believe what’s happened. I joined a grief therapy group.”

“Oh Joan.” Her sister breathed her name as if sighing in relief. “I have waited four long years for you to get the help you need. Tell me everything.”

Joan, who normally avoided long phone conversations, talked nonstop for a good while, updating her sister on each member of the group. Best of all, Joan told her she hadn’t broken into tears even once and how she’d found a friend in Mary Lou.

“Sounds like this group was made especially for you.”

“Funny thing, the landscaper I hired is also in the group.”

“Well, that’s a surprise.”

“It certainly was, and for him, too. He’s a good person.”

“I think he must be. I remember what you told me, about him helping Maggie collect her things from her father’s house. Not everyone would have been willing to step in like that.”

Joan agreed.

“So he’s a widower?”

“No, I think he’s married. He didn’t mention who he’d lost. I have to assume it was a close family member. A child, or possibly a sibling.”

“I’m just so happy that you’re finally dealing with your grief.”

Joan was pleased with the changes she’d made, too.

“Were there any eligible men attending the group?” Emmie asked.

Joan silently groaned. “Emmie, I’m nowhere near ready for any kind of a relationship.”

“But you will be in time, right?”

“In time,” Joan agreed, emphasizing the words.

They talked a few minutes longer, and then Nick and Maggie returned with Edison. Joan watched the two of them and smiled. If there was any romance brewing in this house, it was the one happening right before her eyes.

“Mom,” Nick said, coming into the kitchen. “You’ve got a visitor.”

“Oh.”

“She said her name is Ellie.”

Joan met Ellie at the front door.

Hands on her hips, Ellie asked, “Did you give Todd a cookie? Because Mom said he wasn’t supposed to ask for one.”

Joan tried hard to hide a smile. “I did. Would you like one, too?”

“I would,” she said with a hard nod, satisfied now that she hadn’t been cheated out of a treat.

“Do you want to come inside?” Joan asked.