He grinned, revealing his dimples. “Your parents likedGone With the Wind?”
“Everybody asks that. But no, it’s a family name.”
He looked around. “What do you do here, Scarlet? It doesn’t seem like a working farm. Or a ranch.”
“Because it isn’t. I love space and I love these buildings. My grandfather knew that and left the property to me. How about you?”
“I’m a farmer. I raise tomatoes, peppers and leafy green lettuce. I squeaked out enough money to buy my place. We closed on it last month. So now we’re neighbors.”
Uh-oh. “I’m a pretty private person, Mr. Larson.” The second time she’d said that today.
“I get it. We won’t bother you.”
“We?”
Just then the car door opened and a little person got out. As he raced closer, she saw it was a child of about nine. He tipped his own miniature hat. “Seth Larson, ma’am. Happy to meet you.”
“You too, Seth.”
“Come on, boy.” He smiled at her. “We won’t take up any more of your time.”
They both turned and started off.
For a brief minute, she regretted shutting them down. Then she sighed. It was for the best. She was better off alone.
* * *
Daisy wasn’t sure what she was going to do. She couldn’t take two weeks off without touching her savings. Besides, she wanted to work. Needed to. She loved to help women be healthier and happier. Her nursing degree didn’t give her the satisfaction as much as her Harmony Healing practice.
Her son Liam was out with a friend and it was time to figure out her immediate future. The front bell rang. She crossed to the door and peeked out the window. Huh!
She whipped it open. “Scarlet, hi.”
“Hi. I hope I’m not intruding.”
“You’re not at all. Come in.”
Scarlet stepped inside and Daisy led her to the living space. “This condo is lovely. I adore Palladian windows and high ceilings.”
“Me, too. When I divorced, I got a big settlement and bought this place. Too bad it wasn’t a bit bigger.”
“It seems pretty spacious.”
“Not enough to hold my women’s health group. Sit down.”
Scarlet sat on one of the two herring boned couches. “That’s why I came. I just left Juliet at my place. I live on my grandfather’s farm. It has this big barn with two rooms. She’s using one for the two weeks the collective’s closed. You can use the other.”
“Seriously?”
“I understand your reaction. Juliet told me I’ve been aloof since we opened the collective, but I’m a private person.”
“There’s nothing wrong with private.”
“Yeah,” Scarlet added, “but you’re all friends, except for Heath, maybe.”
“In any case, I appreciate your offer. I’m going to take you up on it.”
“So, Finn can practice at his house. And he offered Oliver his reiki room. They’re going to work around schedules. The four of us are square for this space.”
