Maggie had inherited the house, and with Nick’s help and the bank loan, she had managed to renovate it into the star of the neighborhood. Joan and Phil had helped as much as they could. The transformation in the front yard gave Joan pride, as the flower beds were full and abundant. Maggie had recently mentioned that people often stopped by to comment on how beautiful her yard was. Some had known her parents and had said how pleased they were to see the home come to life again.
Joan understood exactly what Maggie’s neighbors had been saying. Like the flower beds at Maggie’s and her own yard, she, too, had a renewed life. And it was a good life. One filled with such happy expectation. Joan Sample had found herself. Her days had purpose, and she felt she was giving to others instead of hiding behind locked doors, fearing whatever was on the other side.
* * *
—
Joan fully expected Nick and Maggie to marry as soon as Maggie finished her studies. Nick had stopped by earlier in the week to ask Joan’s opinion on diamonds, which told her he was eager to get a ring on Maggie’s finger.
Satisfied that her gardening was finished for the day, Joan stood and removed the gloves from her hands and dusted off her knees. At the sound of Phil’s truck, Edison barked his welcome. Joan turned and watched as he parked in front of her home.
A smile came over her as soon as she saw him, and a light, happy sensation flowed through her. Phil was an instrumental figure in her new life. They each had suffered a significant loss and gathered the strength to find their way through the pain.
“Hey,” she said, meeting him halfway up the walkway.
“Hey, yourself,” he said, and placed a quick kiss on her lips. “I see you’ve been busy.”
“I’m excited to get everything planted.” The afternoon was perfect, and Joan didn’t want to waste the sunshine.
“I don’t know if I ever told you about the first time we met.”
“Told me what?” she said, as she slipped her arm around his waist.
Edison demanded attention, and Phil bent down and patted his head. Content now, her puppy chased after a butterfly.
“Your message on the phone when you asked me to come to give you an estimate.”
Even now, that call embarrassed her. She could already feel the heat coming into her cheeks. “What about it?”
“You said I must love flowers.”
“Don’t remind me,” she said and groaned. “I can only imagine what you thought. I was so unsure, so scatterbrained, I found it hard to make a simple phone call.”
“What you don’t know, Joan, my love, is that in that moment, my heart knew.”
“Knew what?”
“I know it sounds crazy. I had no idea if you were young or old, married or single, and yet I knew I was going to fall in love with you.”
“You’re making that up,” she teased, and playfully elbowed him in the ribs.
The twinkle in his eyes left and he grew serious. “It’s the truth, Joan Sample. Every word.”
“Really?”
“Truly,” he confirmed.
“That’s…” Joan couldn’t find the words.
Turning her in his arms, Phil kissed her again. “I knew then, and I know it now. I love you, Joan. I waited until I thought you were ready before I gave myself away. The fact is, you’ve had possession of my heart from the very first meeting.”
Leaning her head against his shoulder, Joan sighed. “And you have mine.”
“I know,” he returned.
Raising her head, she huffed. “You did not.”
He grinned, and instead of arguing, he kissed her again. Not a quick peck on the lips, but a full-blown kiss. One Joan felt all the way to the bottom of her soles. She tightened her arms around him and returned the fervor until, through the fog of desire, she heard the school bus in the distance.
“The kids,” she whispered.
He kissed the top of her head. “You make me lose my head and feel like a teenager again,” he admitted with a soft chuckle.
The thing was, Phil did that for her.
Taking hold of her hand, he asked, “You ready?”
She didn’t know what he had in mind, but whatever it was, she was eager to find out.