I mean, logically, I had known what I was getting into here. The greenhouse was enormous from the outside, and I’d assumed it would be filled with flowers. But in reality? I had no freaking clue.
Because what looked big from the outside was humongously enormous inside. I literally could not see the back wall of the place. It was so full. Crammed with rows and rows of flowers and plants.
On shelves, on wire benches, on skids, in urns, in buckets, were plants of all sizes, including wide plastic flats containing rows and rows of tiny seedlings. Even the ceiling was full. Rows of hanging baskets were hooked onto rails moving around the room. I didn’t need to ask; Rowan could see me wondering what the heck that was about.
“They keep moving so they get even sunlight and pass under the watering hose once a day. It’s all automated.”
I shook my head in awe. “This is a lot of flowers. Are all commercial greenhouses like this?”
He nodded. “This is on the bigger size, but most nurseries have more than one greenhouse, while we have only the one. We also have a number of outdoor fields. And a lot of the revenue here comes from the labs. You know, propagation, breeding, that sort of thing. Want to have a look around before we take the pictures?”
I nodded. This place was enchanting. I was also very glad I’d taken one of Dr.Johnston’s heavy-duty antihistamines.
Rowan took me row by row through the greenhouse, pointing out flowers and introducing me to the workers we encountered. Everyone seemed friendly, especially the other teenagers we saw (they must have been Rowan’s team), but clearly a little surprised. I was pretty sure I was the first date Rowan had brought to the greenhouse.
Wait...date? Was this a date? No, I’d won a bet; that’s why we were here. But...even if I’d lost, we’d be eating ice cream together now. Still kind of date-y. And we’d held hands looking at the stars for over an hour last night. That was date-y, too.
I wouldn’t think too much about it right now. As we moved to the next row of plantings, someone called Rowan over and said something very technical sounding.
Rowan touched my arm. “I’ll be a sec. The seedling-plug maker is acting up. I know how to get her humming again.” He smiled apologetically.
I had no idea what those words meant, but wow, he certainly did. That confidence was appealing. “No prob. Go ahead. I’ll be here.”
I walked through the next aisle. As I leaned to get close enough to read some labels—chrysanthemums—someone called to me.
“Tahira? What are you doing here?”
Cameron. I’d forgotten he worked at Wynter’s. “Oh, hey, Cameron. Just doing a photo shoot with Rowan.”
We chatted a few minutes, and he asked me about Gia three times. I was delighted. He was as smitten as Gia was.
Eventually, Rowan found us.
“Hey, Rowan,” Cameron said. “Can’t stay away even on your day off, eh?”
“Hi, Cam.” Rowan smiled, then turned to me. “My dad just texted—he wants us to come say hello in the lab.”
“Well, you don’t want to keep one of the double doctors waiting,” Cameron said.
I didn’t understand, and I thought Rowan might explain or laugh, but he just said goodbye to Cameron, and we headed out.
The lab was smaller than I expected. It reminded me more of a high school biology classroom than the sterile white labs I’d seen in movies.
“There you are, kids!” Rowan’s dad wore a white lab coat and sat at a computer against the wall. His wide smile looked like Juniper’s, though his face was more like Rowan’s.
After Rowan introduced me, his dad asked me what I thought of Wynter’s.
“It’s impressive. I’ve never seen so much color,” I said. “The lab is cool, too—thanks for having me here, Mr.Johnston.”
“Ah, it’s actually Dr.Johnston, but of course Misty is also Dr.Johnston, so how about you call me Grant?”
“Oh.” I looked at Rowan. “Is that what Cameron meant by ‘double doctors’? Because both your parents are doctors?”
Rowan sighed, sitting on one of the high stools at one of the counters. He motioned me to sit on another one. “Yeah. Cam’s harmless. He’s parroting what other folks say; he doesn’t really get why it’s a problem. It’s an old nickname around here that Mom and Dad can’t seem to shake.”
Dr.Johnston gave Rowan a knowing look before turning to me. “Tahira, what do your parents do?”
“Dad’s a lawyer; Mom’s VP of HR at a hotel company.”
