“Thank you. That’s very generous,” Roz said, gazing at the row of glasses in front of her.
“And very generous pours too,” I said, picking up a glass of sparkling and sniffing it. I wasn’t a wine connoisseur, but it smelled amazing—kind of yeasty, but in a good way.
“I told the bartender not to be too stingy. You look like you’ve really settled in over here, so I wanted to make sure you were well hydrated.” Prue dropped the tray to her side.
I was confident wine was not good for hydration, but I appreciated Prue’s intentions. Perhaps the wine would alleviate the dullness of Roz’s questions.
As Prue left, I took a sip of the sparkling. It tasted even better than it smelled.
“Now, where were we?” I stared at the notebook. Did I need to know where Roz was born? Probably not. “Why do you hate flowers and sustainability so much?”
“That’s not on the list.” Roz stabbed some arugula with her fork. “Next question.”
I leaned in. “No, but seriously, I’d like to know.”
Roz watched Prue’s Labrador walk across the lawn and slump down under a tree, and then she sighed. “I don’t hate sustainability. In fact, in my last job I was going to implement a number of changes focused on building up our environmental, social, and governance practices and ensuring our company followed our own advice…” Her hand gripped her fork tightly. “Anyway, I’m not against making sustainability improvements at the farm, but my priority is getting the farm into the black. Which reminds me, did you receive my email last night with the business plan sections I need you to complete?” She shoved the arugula into her mouth.
“Yep,” I replied, still processing Roz’s admission that she’d been a sustainability champion in her past role. She hadn’t explained her hatred for flowers, though. “I’ll work on it tonight.”
“Thank you. Next question.” Roz’s lips closed around the rim of her wine glass. They were soft and full, a red that reminded me of the dogwood blossoms that were just beginning to bloom.Don’t ogle her lips.My eyes dropped to her long, slender fingers, elegantly cradling the glass.Or her fingers.
I dragged my gaze back to the list in front of me. “Family.” Now that could hold some more secrets to Roz’s intriguing personality. “I’ve obviously met yours, but tell me about them. Your mom was a lawyer?”
Roz nodded. “Mom and Dad were partners at a big law firm in Manhattan. They retired a few years ago and moved out here.”
“And Matt?” I asked.
“He’s in construction.”
I sighed. Roz was not exactly forthcoming with information. “Are you guys close?”
“Yes.” Roz picked up a slice of margherita pizza and took a bite.
Good lord. This was like pulling teeth. “If you don’t mind me asking, is Lottie’s mom in the picture?”
Roz nodded. “Yes. Mel is in the army. She’s a helicopter pilot. She’s been deployed for twelve months in the Middle East. When she’s not deployed, she works at West Point.”
“Oh, wow, that must be tough for Lottie and Matt,” I said.
“Yes.” Roz paused, her face softening slightly. “It was a factor in me deciding to move here—so I can support them both while Mel is away. Lottie also adores Red Tractor Farm, so she was thrilled when I bought it.”
Well, that was kind of sweet.
“That’s enough about my family.” Roz lifted her wine glass. “Tell me about yours.”
“Well, you’re riding Blake’s bike. She’s the local doctor and married Jenny last year. My brother Dave lives in New Jersey. He’s an accountant and has six-year-old twins who are also big fans of Red Tractor Farm.” I nibbled on a pizza crust.
Roz’s face broke into a broad smile. For once, it wasn’t tinged with sarcasm. “I’m glad to hear it. And what about your parents?”
“We’re pretty close—I usually see them at least once or twice a week.” I leaned over and piled more salad on my plate. “Mom is a retired schoolteacher. Dad used to work at the local bank and now works at Blake’s medical practice as her receptionist.”
Roz’s eyebrows shot up. “I can’t imagine working with my parents. They’d drive me up the wall. How does she find that?”
I chuckled. Was Roz warming up a little? “Well, he certainly drives Blake up the wall on occasion, but on the whole they love it. Having said that, I’m glad he didn’t try to get a job at Sapphire Blooms.”
“What’s next?” Roz asked, peering over the table at the notebook and attempting to read upside down.
We raced through schooling, before moving onto hobbies and interests. I filled Roz in on my pastimes, from hiking and kayaking to boardgames and candle making. “What about you?”
