away. “I’ll butcher the bush.”
Flagging self-confidence. Kristina recognized the feeling all too well. And refused to be put off by Jade’s thorny demeanor.
“Just try. No harm, no foul.”
The teenager glared. “That sounds like something Canyon would say.”
Kristina tilted her head. “Even if you mess up the first time, you’ll do better the next. The flowers will grow back.”
Jade made an elaborate shrug. “It’s your bush. Don’t blame me when I kill it.”
They worked in silence. Cutting flowers was not the time to dilly-dally. It was important to immerse the cut stems immediately.
“Pruning the shrub is actually good for the long-term health of the plant.”
Jade eyed Kristina. “How’s that?”
“Master gardeners know that periodic cutting promotes future flowering. Like deadheading.”
Jade snorted. “Sounds like a zombie heavy metal band.”
“What do you mean?”
“Deadheading. You know, zombies.” Jade tapped her forehead. “Dead. Heads.”
Kristina laughed. “Did you make a joke, Jade Collier? A gardening joke?”
“Don’t tell anyone.” Jade batted her long dark lashes. “I have a reputation to maintain.”
Kristina wanted to tell her she didn’t need so much mascara on those lovely eyes of hers, but instead she deposited her clippers in the basket. “I think we have enough for the arrangement.”
Jade took charge of the flower-laden bucket. “Are you a master gardener, Kristina?”
She held the door as Jade trudged inside. “No, I just like flowers. Put the bucket on the table, please.”
Kristina put away the basket and laid several sharp cutting knives on the farm table. “Can I hand you the vases?”
Stretching, she removed several vases from the top shelf of the cupboard. She passed them one at a time to Jade and then carried a third one to the table.
With her finger, Jade traced the ivy vine across the front of one of the crackled, black-footed vases. “These look old.”
“My mother’s.”
The girl sighed. “Canyon says this used to be his grandmother’s house before she died. He and Beech grew up here.”
Kristina frowned. “I didn’t realize it was a family home when I bought it.”
Which was crazy. Of course it had been some family’s home. She just hadn’t thought about it being Canyon’s family home.
It made her pulse race to think of him here. Which was ridiculous. But it was strange thinking of a younger Canyon living here.
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