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“I think it’s great if you’re looking to get your degree.”
“Not a degree. I’m just considering some business classes. Thought it would help with running the nursery. But I barely have time to breathe, so I’m not sure how I’d make it all work.”
“You’re a go-getter. If you want it, I have no doubt you’ll make it happen.”
I had been a few credits shy of an associate’s degree when I dropped out. I’d always planned on eventually going back, but then I had Maple and was taking on more responsibility at the nursery, which made college seem like a waste of time. Everything I needed to know about the nursery I’d learned from my folks, but now that they were gone, it felt like I was due for a level-up. Maybe a couple of human resources and business classes couldn’t hurt.
“Can we keep the college thing between you and me? I don’t want people patting me on the back for something I haven’t yet committed to.”
“College, messing with Ozzie, and your date with Shelton are all safely locked in the vault.”
“I’m not gonna lie, I was surprised when you called me,” Shelton said.
“Really?”
“Yeah. When I asked you out a few months ago, your no seemed definitive.”
At the time, it was. Shelton wasn’t my type. Don’t get me wrong, he was attractive in a cute kind of way, but as everyone kept reminding me, I typically liked my men rugged. You know, the type with rough and calloused hands from a hard day’s work. The type of dude who could chop a block of wood in one swing. A man who didn’t need a gym because his muscular physique was created from hard labor.
Shelton was an accountant. His hands were baby smooth, his frame was lean, and he wasn’t splitting anything in half. But he was nice, and I’d known him practically all my life. He came from a great family, and he was the last guy to ask me on a date. I used to get asked out all the time, but years of turning down offers had left my pool of eligible bachelors almost dry.
“How’s things at the nursery?” He seemed genuinely interested.
“Work’s been busy with Edison and I taking over full time at Figs.”
“I heard about that. Your folks moved to Gainsborough, right?
“Yep. I thought when people retired they slowed down, but not my parents.”
“How’s that going?”
“They’re loving it. But it was an adjustment for Edison and me, for sure. The guardrails are off.”
“Big shoes to fill. I couldn’t imagine going into the family business. But my dad’s a butcher and I don’t eat meat.”
“So, it sounds like you picked the right profession. You were always good at math.”
My words seemed to spark a memory, and his eyes lit up. “I was, and you cheated off my test a time or two.”
“Me? Never.” My voice was meek and innocent.
“I was happy to tilt my shoulder to give you a better view of the answers.”
“And I always appreciated the kindness.”
“It was kinda a side hustle for me when I was in high school. I’d write papers, complete homework. Shit, Ozzie was one of my best customers.”
I flinched at the mention of Ozzie’s name.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bring him up. I know that’s a sore subject.”
“It’s not sore. It’s completely healed and barely left a scar.”
“I mean, you two were a thing for a long time.”
“What do you like most about accounting?” Ozzie wasn’t going to ruin this date.
Shelton’s face brightened. “Everyone thinks accounting is just about math, but for me it’s about solving a problem. Take for instance…”
