Page 13 of Coming Up Roses

Swallowing, I laugh. “Only to you, darlin’.” I blow her a kiss and she pretends to gag.

I finish my sandwich and the coffee Violet set down in front of me, then spot two cooling racks of muffins resting on the bench top.

“Can I?” I ask Violet, indicating the muffins.

“Since when do you ask?” Olivia says behind me.I poke my tongue out at her and she returns the gesture. Because we’re mature like that.

“Take a few,” Violet says, handing me an old ice cream container.

I grab several and drop them into the container, an idea forming in my mind as I snap the lid closed.

“Leave some for the rest of us,” Olivia snipes and I roll my eyes at her, ruffling her hair as I head back out the door.

“Thanks for lunch, Vi,” I call, already halfway down the hall.

I rest the container on the fuel tank of my bike as I head through the farm. It’s faster to go around the road, because I don’t have to deal with gates, but riding along the dry gravel road isn’t half as nice as riding through the lush green paddocks. I take my time, balancing the container of muffins and absorbing the scenery, reminding myself why I love it here so much.

I’ve never wanted to be anywhere else. Nearly all of my childhood memories were on this farm, even though we didn’t live here. Dad worked side by side with Olivia’s dad, Henry, until he encouraged my dad to start a contracting business. Then, my dad went from farm to farm carrying out whatever tractor work they required. In his quiet times, he always came back to Wildflower Ridge to work with Henry again.

I never went to any of those other farms with Dad. Only Wildflower Ridge. On the days I couldn’t be with dad and I wasn’t forced into a classroom, I’d spend the days with Mum and Violet and Olivia. My brother Hunter and Olivia’s sister Willow would disappear off together, leaving us younger siblings behind, but that was fine by us because we got tolick all the bowls when our mums were baking, which they did a lot. Apparently it’s a miracle Violet can bake these days, because she couldn’t at all when she first moved to Kauri Creek.

It made perfect sense to me that when I left school, I’d work at Wildflower Ridge. I didn’t even have to ask Henry for a job, just confirm I wanted one.

I’d already been working here most of my life, even if it wasn’t in any formal capacity. As I got older, the jobs came with more responsibility and Henry started transferring money into my bank account regularly. It wasn’t much, but it was still nice. I wonder if he did the same for Katie when she moved here and started working alongside me and Olivia. Almost certainly.

As the end of school approached, Henry pulled me aside one afternoon and told me a job was here for me whenever I wanted it. He knew I had zero intentions of going to university, but he also encouraged me to do what I really wanted to do, not just fall into the job here.

Lucky for both of us what I really wanted was a job here at Wildflower Ridge.

I crest the final hill and the function centre comes into view. It’s an old barn that once upon a time Violet and Henry got married in.

It’s been Olivia’s dream since we were kids to refurbish it and run it as an events centre. She worked her butt off to get it exactly how she wanted it, and now it’s a stunning, and sought after, venue.

Unfortunately it had barely been finished when Henry passed and Olivia had to redirect her focus to managing the property overall.

That’s where Abigail comes in. It’s her job now to make Olivia’s dreams come true. And even though most people think I’m fickle and irresponsible, and while they’re mostly right, I’m going to do everything I can to help the family that was there for me when I lost my own.

7

ABI

I take a deep breath,readjust my hands under the box and brace my core as I lift it off the ground.

God damn, this box is heavy. Who knew wooden platters could weigh so much?

I shuffle a few steps and pause to readjust my grip. It’s such an awkward size to lift and I’m not wearing the most practical shoes for the task. They’re gorgeous, but not very sensible right now. I’m going to need to keep a pair of flats in the office for days like today.

“Here, let me,” a voice says and I feel hands brush against mine as the weight is lifted out of my arms.

I look up, across the top of the box, meeting Flynn’s hazel eyes. They’re a shimmering blend of golden brown, bronze and mossy green. “I’ve got it,” I say, my voice coming out snappier than I intended. I try to take the box back, but he whisks it away out of my reach.

“Where do you want it?” he asks, striding across the brick-paved floor of the main reception room.

I sigh, brushing the dust off my black wide-leg pants and pink top—another poor choice for this task—and follow him out of the storeroom. I thought I’d just have a quick look through the space to familiarise myself with what we have on hand, and where it’s located. But while Olivia had mentioned it needed a tidy up, it’s a far bigger mess than I anticipated. The space obviously had an organising system once upon a time, but it looks like nothing has been stored properly after the last few events and the labels are not matching up with the items.

I’m glad I realised now and not right before an event.

“Over there.” I wave to a table I have set up where I’m sorting and cleaning everything I’m pulling out of the storeroom. Then I head back inside and grab the next box, bracing myself for the lift.