“C’mon, Poppy, let’s drop the act. My mom bribed you to be here.”
“Bribed? No.”
“You have Lottie and Brooks’s wedding reception.”
“I do, but the wrong flowers came in for the reception, and I’m panicking.”
I laugh. “I’m sure your cousin Bennett, the landscape architect, would be helpful with that.”
“Bennett’s good with greenery, but you’re the flower whisperer.” She winks.
Do I want to see Bennett? Hell yeah, from a distance maybe. But to ambush him at his sister’s reception? It’s not how I thought he’d find out about me being back in town.
“Do you want me to beg?” She brings her hands in front of her in prayer pose.
“I’m not crashing a wedding.”
“Just help with the flowers then.” She grins, tugging me to my feet.
I sigh. I wouldn’t mind having my fingers in the dirt again. The only garden I’ve mastered lately was my own, and that’s probably either being auctioned off to the highest bidder or bulldozed back in California right now.
“Come on.”
“I’m not going to the reception.” I give her a stern expression.
“Okkkaaayyy.” She shrugs. Her smirk says she’s going to try to convince me, but on this, I’m going to be stubborn.
I thought returning to Willowbrook would be a quick three-month pit stop to earn some cash and regroup, figure out what the hell I’m going to do with my life now that it’s imploded. I’d get Leia and me out of here before anyone discovered my biggest secret that only two people in the whole world know. Visiting Plain Daisy Ranch risks making it many more. I should be slamming my heels into the ground and acting like Leia does when she doesn’t get her way, but I allow Poppy to lead me to her Jeep and drive us to The Perfect Petal, the flower shop Bennett started with Poppy.
I’m sure it will be fine. Maybe he won’t even remember me.
I’m as delusional as my mother.
Chapter Three
Bennett
I shouldn’t be surprised that Lottie put me to work for her wedding reception. After all, she drunk-married Brooks in Vegas, tried to get an annulment, and somehow ended up being the last one to figure out she was in love with him. That’s my big sister for you—chaotic, messy, but always lands on her feet.
“Calm down, it’s just plants and flowers,” she says, perched on a kitchen stool at my parents’ house while Kami, her hairdresser, curls her hair.
“There’s a method to planting that you don’t seem?—”
“I told you, B, I just want to look at the garden every day and know it was planted by people who love us and were wishing us the best of luck on our big day.”
“If we want to get technical, on your big day, you were smashed on tequila shots, and your memory is blurred at best.”
She glares at me through the mirror. “I’m okay if everything isn’t all perfectly uniform like you prefer it. Your garden can be flawless when you finally build your house on the property.” Her brows lift in challenge. She’s always calling me out on my shit.
I groan because ever since Lottie and Brooks decided to build their house on the family ranch, everyone’s been asking when I’m going to build on the lot next to theirs. My dad even suggested we should build mine along with Lottie’s and maybe we’d save money. The last thing I want to get into is that topic because that would mean having to address that I’m choosing to raise my daughter in a house with my cousin, Jensen, and his best friend, Nash.
“Anyway,” I continue, “the flowers I originally ordered didn’t come in, but I’ve been able to secure some different ones. Poppy is taking care of the pickup and will drop them off just before the guests are set to arrive. I’ll start with the plants until then.”
Her whole face lights up. “I know I’m being a pain in the ass, but I’m so excited for everyone to plant whatever they choose. It doesn’t matter how it turns out.”
I shake my head and sigh.
She catches my hand before I can leave. “Thanks, B. I promise I’ll pay you back.”
