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CHAPTER FOUR

OLIVIA

I clutched my phone to my ear, waiting for a loud car to drive past before I continued speaking. “I’d happily share my knowledge on setting up a geothermal greenhouse and natural pest control methods with you if that would help?” God, I sound desperate.

“We have plenty of florists who are happy to buy flowers from us already, despite our use of pesticides,” the farmer replied. “I’m sorry, but I can’t help you.”

“Thanks for your time.”

He hung up. Shit . I kicked a small rock. It bounced down the pavement, hit one of the cast-iron lamps that lined Main Street, and fell into the gutter.

I was screwed.

I filled my lungs with air and took the final few steps to Builders Arms. While all I wanted to do was crawl onto my couch in a tiny ball, I’d committed to attending trivia night. Hopeful it would provide a welcome distraction, I pushed open the door to the pub and walked in, scanning the packed room for my friends.

“Olivia!” Jenny waved from a high wooden table near the back of the pub, where Hannah and George were already sitting.

I waved back, making a detour to order a lemon-lime soda at the bar. Drink in hand, I weaved through the tables of trivia hopefuls and took a seat next to Hannah, managing a weak smile. “Hey.”

“We’ve already chosen our trivia name: The Whisk Takers. No prizes for guessing who chose it.” Hannah patted George’s hand fondly.

God, they were cute together. All my plans to focus on dating had flown out the window with Jim’s news about the farm.

George grasped her beer. “Well, no one else had any bright ideas. I also suggested Flour Power—spelled with an “ou”—which I thought you might like, but The Whisk Takers was most popular.”

“How are you holding up?” Hannah asked, turning to me with a sympathetic expression. I’d blown up the group chat last night, telling them about Jim’s news and my concerns.

I groaned as I pushed an empty coaster around on the table. “I reached out to all the flower farms within a reasonable distance of Sapphire Springs today. A few grow flowers sustainably in spring and summer, but nothing during winter.”

Hannah frowned. “So what do other flower shops do?”

“They import flowers, mainly from the Netherlands and South America, or buy from American farms who use energy-guzzling greenhouses.” I sighed. “But I just can’t stomach doing that. The carbon footprint is horrific. Not only is it completely against my principles, but I’ve built my whole brand around being sustainable and locally grown.”

“That sucks,” George said. “I’m sorry, Liv. What will you do?”

I swallowed, trying to dislodge the lump in my throat. I focused my gaze on the old grandfather clock in the corner of the pub. “I won’t be able to keep Sapphire Blooms going without fresh flowers year round. I can’t sell enough dried flowers and candles in winter to cover rent, and I can’t think of anything else I could sell to bring in revenue.” Tears welled in my eyes. “I’ll have to close the shop and move back home with my parents until I can find another job.” And this time, there’d be no job waiting for me at Red Tractor Farm to fall back on. I couldn’t imagine finding another career I loved as much as working at Sapphire Blooms. And then there was that ticking clock. No one would want to date me if I was unemployed and living with my parents. I cradled my face in my hands. “God, I feel terrible about Maddie. I just hired her, and now I’ll have to let her go.”

I dug my fingernails into my hand in an attempt to ward off the tears and turned to Jenny. “I’ll do whatever I can to honor all the weddings we’ve booked, but I won’t be able to take on any new bookings until we know for sure what’s happening with the farm. I’m sorry.”

“Hey, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. They might find another buyer for the farm—one who’ll keep it going. And if not, you still have some time to investigate other options.” Jenny leaned across the wooden table and patted my hand.

“I hope they find someone, because I’m all out of ideas,” I said, my shoulders dropping. I’d even considered whether I could buy a block of land and establish a sustainable flower farm myself before quickly dismissing the idea. I knew a lot about flower farming, but I didn’t have the money or the time to take on such a venture.

Dan, the pub’s owner and trivia master, cleared his throat from the makeshift wooden podium he’d set up in the corner. “Okay, everybody, we’ll be starting in fifteen minutes, so get your drinks and take your seats.”

Jenny glanced at her phone. “Blake better be here soon, or we’ll have no chance of beating The Gran Masters.”

We all turned to face the table of older women near the podium. Helen, George’s mom, and Barb, Hannah’s beloved former nanny, smiled and waved when they saw us looking.

“They may look sweet, but looks are deceiving,” Jenny muttered and then glared at Hannah. “I still can’t believe you even considered joining their team.”

Hannah laughed, lifting her hands. “Oh my god, will you ever let that go? I just suggested it once. Everyone in my book club, except me, is on the team and they were short a couple of people because it coincided with a burlesque show at the retirement home.”

Jenny raised an eyebrow. “Uh-huh. It had nothing to do with them being the reigning champions and the free drinks they usually win?”

Hannah rolled her eyes.

“Can I just say that I hope the retirement home is still doing burlesque shows by the time I’m ready to move in,” Blake said as she appeared holding a beer. “Sorry I’m late. Work emergency. And I bumped into Dana on my way and convinced her to join us.” Blake stepped aside to make room for Dana, Jim’s second-in-command at Red Tractor Farm. “We need all the help we can get if we’re going to beat our arch-rivals.” Blake narrowed her eyes at The Gran Masters and then pulled over another stool for the tall brunette farmer. We shuffled around to make room for her at the table.

“The more the merrier,” Jenny said as Blake slid onto the seat next to her and kissed her cheek.

I looked at Dana. How was she holding up after Jim’s news? I’d been so caught up trying to work out how I could save Sapphire Blooms that I hadn’t thought to check in with her. While we weren’t close friends, since she’d started working at Red Tractor Farm last year, we’d bonded over our love of flowers, and I always enjoyed catching up with her when I visited the farm. Though her grooming and outfit choices were standard—she had brown hair pulled back in her trademark ponytail and sported brown work shoes, faded blue jeans and a purple-and-red flannel shirt—her make-up-free face looked slightly paler than usual, and there were dark rings under her eyes. I wasn’t surprised. Just like me, she was facing losing her job and being evicted from her home—a cottage tucked away near the back of Red Tractor Farm.

“Hopefully there are lots of horticulture and livestock questions, or I’ll be no use to you, I’m afraid,” Dana said as she took a seat, placing her drink in the middle of the table.

“Dan once asked how many compartments a cow’s stomach has,” George said.

“Four.” Dana grinned.

“There we go.” George chuckled. “If we’d had you here, we wouldn’t have lost to the grannies.”

A man walked into the bar, and his friends, sitting at a table near us, cheered loudly, waving him over. I waited for the noise to subside and then turned to Dana. “Jim told me the news about the farm. I’m so sorry. I don’t suppose you have any updates?”

“Actually, I do,” Dana smiled. “Jim might have found another buyer.”

I straightened and leaned forward. “Oh wow! Who?”

“Someone named Roslyn Kennedy. Apparently her parents live around here.”

I frowned, trying to remember the Kennedy family. Frank and Marie, who would have to be in their early seventies now, had bought flowers at Sapphire Blooms on a few occasions. If I recalled correctly, they’d lived in Manhattan and had both been high-powered lawyers or something similar, but they also had a large property partway between Sapphire Springs and Cloverdale which they’d kept as a vacation home. Had it been about five years since they moved here permanently? I thought their son lived in Cloverdale but didn’t remember anything about a daughter.

“Frank and Marie,” I said. “Does anyone know anything about Roslyn?” I looked around the table, letting my legs swing under my bar stool.

My friends shook their heads. Well, at least they didn’t have anything bad to share.

I turned back to Dana. “Do you know what her plans are?” Would she save the farm?

“Not bulldozing it, thank god.” Dana ran her hand over her smooth ponytail. “Jim said she wants to keep the farm going, but he hasn’t told me any specifics yet—I’m not sure he knows himself.”

I clasped my hand to my chest. “Oh, thank god! Do you know how serious she is?”

“She’s coming to do a farm tour and meet with Jim, but it sounds like she’s genuinely interested, and Jim is eager to sell to anyone who’s got the cash and won’t destroy it.”

“Well, that all sounds very promising.” I raised my glass, giddy with the good news. “To the Kennedys’ daughter. May you purchase Red Tractor Farm and keep it and Sapphire Blooms going for generations to come!”

Everyone laughed and raised their glasses. “To the Kennedys’ daughter.”

I took a swig of soda. While I knew it was premature, gratitude for the woman I’d never met welled in me. If she did buy the farm and saved the flower fields, I’d have to restrain myself from throwing my arms around her when we finally came face to face. I refused to consider what would happen if she didn’t. The Whisk Takers needed my undivided attention if we were going to beat The Gran Masters.