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Chapter Twenty-Five
Maddie
The Monday before my birthday, I was cooking in the sun, dragging a sack of fertilizer across the school grounds, when my phone buzzed. I took refuge under the shade of a large California oak tree before answering.
“Maddie Jennings speaking,” I said into my phone.
“Hi, Ms. Jennings. This is David Hooper, from Hooper Properties.”
I recognized the name. It was the housing developer who was looking for landscape developers for his green residential project. I’d applied a few weeks back, but I wasn’t expecting a call so soon.
“I love your portfolio, but I hit a roadblock in your application, and I’m hoping it’s a typo. In the comment section, you mentioned it would take you two months longer than I asked for to complete the project.”
“Yes, that’s correct. Unfortunately, that’s the capacity I have.”
“I see. Well, if your situation changes, give me a call. I’d love to work with you.”
“Sure. Thank you for the call, Mr. Hooper.”
I couldn’t help the pang of disappointment after the call disconnected. Sure, I’d known my personnel capacity would prevent me from winning this project, but hearing it out loud still stung. I thought about working with Elise again. Landon was right. I shouldn’t allow the failed partnership with Owen to keep me back from following my dreams. Easier said than done, but I resolved to give this more thought after my birthday.
Right now, I saw Leta Hendricks, the school’s principal, crossing the yard. I’d asked her here today to show her our progress, ask if she wanted any changes. The boys I’d hired for this project and I had worked a few weeks on it already. We still had ten days left, but I wanted her opinion before we completed it.
“This is amazing, Maddie. The parents will be very happy,” she announced. “I love what you did with that cluster of palm trees and with the arch with bougainvillea. It’s even better than what I imagined when you described it. And they blend nicely with the sycamore trees.”
“Of course. That’s what I wanted. I fell in love with this space as soon I saw them.”
The California sycamore trees were on the property before there was a school here. They gave the entire space a traditional air, even if the school was relatively new.
Since she was impressed, now was the best time to ask the principal for a favor. I took in her coiffed salt-and-pepper hair, the old-school cut of her jacket and skirt. Leta looked exactly like I’d imagined the principal of a private school would look. But despite her strict appearance, she was friendly.
“I’d love to stop by on the first day of school, if that’s okay with you, and show the parents and kids around.”
“Sure. We’d love to have you here.”
I didn’t doubt Leta would refer the parents to me if they asked, but I wanted to be more proactive. Nothing beat being there in person. I normally wasn’t a fan of pitching myself to people, but this opportunity was golden. I couldn’t pass it up.
“Thank you.”
“Well, I’ll leave you to get back to work.”
After she left, my stomach started grumbling, reminding me it was lunchtime. The boys had packed lunch with them, but I went to the burrito place across the street. I missed my lunches with Landon.
While I ate, I mentally reviewed my work calendar for the year. I was booked almost solid until the end of October. Even though LA had nice weather most of the time, people didn’t give redoing their yard much thought in winter, and I had to go the extra mile to secure projects. I wondered if project rotation was the same in San Jose, then shook my head. Why was I even entertaining those thoughts? I knew the score.
But I was missing Landon already.
***
The next morning, I woke up buzzing with anticipation. I patted the bed next to me, even though I knew it would be empty, but I’d harbored the hope that Landon had snuck in during the night. A girl could dream.
The buzz of anticipation intensified. Grace had been teasing me relentlessly about the plans she’d concocted with Landon and Lori, but neither was sharing any details. Bastards. I’d get my revenge on them first chance I got. Well, on Grace anyway. I wasn’t sure how that would work out with Lori or Landon. He was leaving in one week. Val had declared that she’d be fit to return to work by then. My eyes began to sting, and I blinked a few times. I couldn’t tear up on my birthday.
I reached for my phone. It was almost eight o’clock in the morning. I hadn’t slept so long on a weekday in years, but Landon had persuaded me to take the day off.
My phone rang the second the clock turned eight. I grinned as Landon’s name appeared on screen.
“Most people wait until later with the birthday calls. Common decency and all that.”
