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“Then why did you?” he asked finally.
How can I explain this?
“Alfie Tell and I had some things to talk about. He asked me out a few weeks ago, I turned him down at first but he’s been a little persistent.”
“He’s harassing you?” His voice shot up an octave.
How have I managed to make this worse?
“No! He’s not harassing me.”Isn’t he?I thought, then quickly brushed it away. “He just wants to spend time with me I guess. I really am sorry about leaving you.”
He looked me over, but not with the cold clinical gaze I was used to with Alfie. He gave a short nod.
“Alright. And before you ask, no. I won’t say anything to Rosie about it, but just watch out for yourself, alright? I’m sure you’re a good judge of character, but the way he looked at you at the opening…” He ran a hand through his hair. “I wasn’t sure ifhe was going to hit you or fuck you, and that’s a dangerous thing to not be sure of. You understand what I’m saying?”
“Yeah, I get you.” I wished I could say I didn’t, but I knew the look he mentioned all too well. “By the way, I’m heading over to Ryan’s school tomorrow after work to get everything set up, you’re welcome to come if you still want to help out? You really don’t have to, especially after how I ditched you?—”
“Lola, chill. All is forgiven. My muscles and I will be there.”
We talked a little while longer, and eventually I left Bradley to his stubborn seedlings and headed for the office, ready to deal with the next person on my list.
“Hello trouble maker!” Riley answered on the fourth ring.
“Troublemaker?”
“Sure. I don’t know what you’ve been doing to the poor man but Alfie was hellish last week. So, what can I do for you?” I tried to shake away what that could mean and focus on the reason I had called.
“I just wanted to run through some of the order details now that I’ve had a chance to discuss it all with Rosie and Mark. I have your soil ready, it should be delivered to Harrington in the next week so you can get started. Your other materials we can supply as the work progresses and when you have the infrastructure finished, we can get your plants delivered. Although, depending on how long it takes you to get to that point, it might be better to wait until next year for some of the planting. I know you were hoping for a summer opening, if you’re quick enough you can make it happen but it might be tight.”
“I figured it would be,” he said with a sigh. “I’ll talk to Alfie about pushing back the opening. I thought I could make it this year but the work on the building is taking longer than it was supposed to, which is delaying everything. I want a full season for all the plants to bed in before we open to the public. Alfiewon’t like it but he’ll agree to it if I ask him nicely. Oryoucould ask him.”
“Why me?” I asked, not missing the tease in his voice.
“I heard he’s given you a plot to work on. I almost spat out my tea when he asked me to allocate a space for you. He doesn’t do favours for just anybody.”
“Um...about the plot, are you sure you didn’t mind giving it to me?” I didn’t want to be stepping on his toes.
“Not at all. Have something ready in the next few weeks, then you can present them to me at Harrington. Sound good?
“Sounds great. And really, thank you. I appreciate you doing this for me. I know you have more important things to do than hold my hand.”
“It’s fine. Someone put themselves out for me once, it does me good to pass it along. But if you want to do me a favour to even things up a little, go easy with the big man alright?”
“Riley, you’re way off if you think I’m the one that needs to go easy.” He laughed and I couldn’t resist asking him, “How do you know Mr Tell, by the way? I get the impression that you don’t just know each other through work.”
“We went to school together.” I was shocked. Riley didn’t seem like the private school type. “We went to boarding school in Switzerland but my Da went bankrupt and I had to leave.”
“So, how did you reconnect?”
“That’s a long story, Lola.” I felt the familiar sensation of a door slamming in my face.
“A long story that you can’t tell me?”
“Right.” His tone was a little shorter now, warning me to back off. Of course, I didn’t.
“Does it have anything to do with the Never Tell Club?”
I heard him sigh through the phone. “Lola, you’re a sweet girl, but if you want my advice that’s a subject you’ll leave alone. Especially with Alfie.”