As Love Blooms (38 page)

Where was she?

Reese stood on the sidewalk near the area assigned to Nels for his garden and scanned the area for Tessa. Yesterday he’d asked her to meet him and his parents there at ten o’clock.

He glanced at his pocket watch and then at his parents.

His mother laid her hand on his arm. “You look nervous. I’m sure we’ll love her, Reese.”

But whether they liked Tessa was not the only thing making him on edge. Today Mr. Nussbaumer would make his decision about which garden he liked most. It would also be a day that his father would get to see what he and Tessa had done. Since she’d come back from White Bear Lake, she’d worked tirelessly beside him to make sure every element in the garden was perfect. Would it be enough to impress both Mr. Nussbaumer and his father?

“I thought you said she’d be here by ten.” His father frowned. “Is she normally this unpredictable?”

Reese smiled to himself.
You have no
idea, Dad.
“It’s five till ten, and there she is now.”

His heart swelled as she neared.
His
girl. If Mr. Nussbaumer offered him a new position in the conservatory, he’d then make enough to take a wife, and he planned to make her his forever.

Last night she’d teased him about wearing her overalls today to meet them, but her dress today was as feminine as could be. The cascade of roses down the front made it an especially appropriate choice. The dress’s flowing material blew in the breeze. Had she called it chiffon?

Beneath the large-brimmed hat, she smiled at him, infusing him with confidence.

This was his day.

“Miss Tessa Gregory, I’d like for you to meet my parents, Samuel and Viola King.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. King.” She dipped her head slightly. “You must be proud of all that Reese has accomplished here.”

“He’s a hard worker, our son.” His father clasped his shoulder.

“Thanks, Dad.”

“And he’s very talented too.” Tessa smiled at him.

“Reese tells us that you share his love of gardening.” His mother
offered a warm smile. “He said you have been working with the City Beautiful Movement. A vacant lot garden?”

Tessa quirked a questioning look in his direction. He’d explain later why he hadn’t told them about the Como garden they’d planted together.

“Uh, yes, but I’m merely helping. It’s great to see the empty areas put to good use.”

“Do you have other hobbies, Miss Gregory?” His father, however, seemed more interested in Nels’s garden than her answer.

Reese’s eyes widened as a grin spread on Tessa’s face. She wouldn’t dare tell them about the motorcycle, would she?

“I enjoy things that keep me moving.” She shared a look with him. “I enjoy the arts too. Especially drama.”

“Well.” Reese took Tessa’s elbow. “I see Mr. Nussbaumer. Shall we go take a look at Nels’s creation?”

Tessa kept her distance when they met Mr. Nussbaumer at the entrance to the area, but he clearly didn’t recognize her. Several other park workers had joined them to view the garden’s grand opening. After he exchanged greetings with Reese’s father, he motioned to Nels. “Shall we?”

Nels opened a wrought-iron gate, and the group moved down the paved brick walk. The formal-style garden featured simplistic, geometric designs. He’d used an existing boxwood hedge and trimmed it to line the pathway and make a pocket for the hydrangeas, astilbe, and hostas.

The linear designs matched Nels’s character, much like Tessa’s garden design matched hers. Nels’s garden had a sense of order and tidiness. Only white flowers bloomed in his containers, and nothing seemed out of place. Symmetry reigned in every corner.

Reese risked a glance at Tessa, who wrinkled her nose. He chuckled. There were not enough bells and whistles to pique her interest.

Mr. Nussbaumer turned to Reese’s father. “Would you care to offer your professional opinion?”

“It is well balanced and classic.” He squatted next to a hedge and eyed it critically. “These are perfectly pruned. The work is skillfully done.”

“I agree.” Mr. Nussbaumer shook Nels’s hand. “Very
gut
work, Nels. There is nothing wrong with your garden.” He turned to Reese. “Now, shall we see what you have created?”

Mr. Nussbaumer fell in step beside him with his parents behind, leaving Tessa to walk beside Nels. Some of the other park employees trailed behind the group.

The closer they came to the garden, the more Reese’s stomach twisted like an overgrown grapevine. Having his father there intensified the stress tenfold. What if his father didn’t approve of their work?

They reached the entrance to the garden, an ornamental gate between two pillars, and stopped. Tessa called it the entrance to the enchanted garden. He motioned the others inside and hung back to gauge their reaction.

His father and mother paused to look at each of the garden rooms and whispered among themselves. Though not completely filled in yet, the flowers emphasized a display of color worthy of the Fourth of July. Mr. Nussbaumer stood in the middle by the two-tiered fountain so long that Reese feared he wouldn’t explore the rest. Finally, he moved on, seemingly taking note of the basket weave design of the brick sidewalk.

Reese shot a glance in Tessa’s direction. She too was watching the master gardener’s every move. When Mr. Nussbaumer reached the
clair-voie
, an open gate that marked the next room, Reese smiled at her. This area held a sundial, and she’d chosen the piece because, according to her, gardens like this were timeless.

After nearly forty-five minutes, Mr. Nussbaumer approached Reese’s father. “He is a
gut
gardener,
ja
?”

His father nodded. “I had no idea you’d embraced the Arts and Crafts movement with such enthusiasm and vision. You have a bright future before you, son.”

Reese’s heart soared. Finally. His father believed in him.

“I too am impressed, Reese.” Mr. Nussbaumer held out his hand. “Congratulations. It is my pleasure to offer you the head gardener’s position at the new conservatory. Not only are your plants in splendid condition, but your design is truly brilliant.”

His design? No, this wasn’t his design. Tessa was in every detail—the gate, the fountain, the sundial, the shrubs, and the flowers—but how could he speak up and say that now in front of this crowd? In front of Mr. Nussbaumer? In front of his father?

He looked at Tessa, excitement filling her eyes. She was smiling, waiting for him to tell them all the truth.

He tore his gaze away.

If he said something now, it would ruin any chance they could have for a future together. She would have to understand.

“Thank you, sir. I’m pleased you like my garden.”

Tessa’s heart shattered.

His
garden?

She stared at him. Surely any second he’d turn in her direction and call a halt to this whole façade.

The plans were hers. The vision was hers.
Hers.

Please, Reese, please, say
something.

Nothing.

Tears seared her cheeks, and still she stood there. He didn’t say a word or look in her direction. How could he do this to her? Had this been his plan all along? He’d said he loved her. Was that a lie too?

Like a weed in the garden, he’d yanked her heart out by the roots and tossed it aside to dry in the sun.

In her effort to prove how mature she was, she’d let a man use her and fill her head with romantic notions. What a fool she’d been!

Gathering the sides of her dress, she dashed down the sidewalk. She had to escape. She had to get away from Reese King forever.

 32 

Side aching, Tessa dropped to a bench and tried to catch her breath between sobs.

“Miss? Are you all right?”

She looked up to see the park officer, the same man who’d almost arrested her that first day, holding a handkerchief out for her.

No, I’m not all right! Even you should
be able to see that.

She pushed his hand away and scurried toward the only building in the area. She needed a place to cry or scream or both, and right now, with everyone in the park fawning over Reese, the office would be empty.

As soon as she was inside, she slammed the door shut. More hot, angry tears spilled forth. Her chest felt as if it would explode. “This cannot be happening. It’s not fair!”

Fair? What had been fair in her whole life? Was it fair for her parents to die? Was it fair to fall in love with a man who would betray her? Was it fair to be wrongly accused at the university? Was it fair for Charlotte to be unable to have a baby, while Hannah had no trouble conceiving?

Hannah. She had to get control of herself. Hannah needed her.

She sniffed and dried her eyes with her palms. Turning to Reese for help was no longer an option, and Edward was going to tell
Hannah about Tessa’s school situation tomorrow if she didn’t have that stupid information for him. She had no other choice.

Like the gates she and Reese had worked on, Mr. Nussbaumer’s door remained ajar. She glanced around before hurrying inside. She didn’t bother to shut the office door. Finding what she needed would only take a few minutes.

She picked up the first stack of papers and leafed through it. A second and third stack revealed nothing as well. Then a folder on the upper left-hand corner of the desk caught her eye. She opened it and read the top letter. It was a construction bid from the Ingersol Construction Company.

This was it! Now all she had to do was find out who had submitted the lowest bid.

Guilt swept over her and stilled her trembling fingers.

“I thought I recognized you.” The park officer stood at Mr. Nussbaumer’s door. “Care to tell me what you’re looking at, miss?”

“Nothing.”

“Then set that folder of nothing down and come out here.”

Tessa heaved a sigh and did as she was told. The park officer grabbed her wrist and yanked out a pair of handcuffs.

“What are you doing?” She tried to pull away, but he managed to snap one side on.

“I’m making sure you stay right here while I go find Mr. Nussbaumer.” He clipped the other end to a pipe on the wall.

“You’re just going to leave me here like this?”