Change of Heart

by Judith Keim

  “You know, Kat, I think I’d better go. I made a mistake agreeing to meet you here, and it’s best if I leave now.”

  Kat scowled at her. “What are you talking about? Are you still pissed about me and Jared?”

  “No,” Em said calmly. “I’ve just learned to see things more clearly. Thanks for asking me to lunch, but like I said, it’s time for me to go.”

  As she walked back to Grand Central Station, Em thought about the changes she was making in her life. She’d always been too quick to see any situation, any person in the best light, even when common sense warned her against it. She realized it was better to see people as they really were, even if it sometimes hurt.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  When Em arrived back at the flower shop, a message was attached to her desk phone. “Please call Allison Belle about the job you advertised.” The number listed was a local one.

  Excited about the prospect of finally finding someone to help, Em sat right down and punched in the number. Since her fall, Gran hadn’t felt able to come into the store every day, and Em was tired of spending most of her time in the store either alone or with Marilyn. As it got closer to summer wedding time, Marilyn would expand her hours. And unless Gran came back to work, they might even have to add another employee.

  A lilting voice answered, “Hi. This is Tinker.”

  “I’m calling Allison Belle. This is Emerson Jordan from Rainbow’s End.”

  A soft giggle floated in Em’s ear. “Oh, yes. That’s me, Allison Belle, but everyone calls me Tinker. I’m interested in the floral arranger job you advertised.”

  “Good,” said Em. “The flower shop is in Ellenton. Do you live close by?”

  “Next town over, in Hornwell,” she said. “I love flowers and love to arrange them. It’s something I’ve always done. In high school I worked at the Town Florist after school and on weekends.”

  “Where are you working now?” Em asked.

  “That’s just it. I quit college, or I should say the college quit me. My scholarship money ran out. It’s a long story.”

  “Email me your resumé, and then I’ll call you for an appointment.”

  “I’ll send the resume right now, and I can come this afternoon if you would like,” Tinker said with hope in her voice.

  “All right. We’ll see how well you fit the job.” She gave Tinker the directions to the store and her email address. “Call if you’re not going to make it.”

  “Oh, I’ll make it all right. I need the job,” said Tinker. “See you soon.”

  Em clicked off the call with a smile. There was something so ethereal about the voice she’d heard that she actually thought of Peter Pan’s Tinkerbell.

  That afternoon, she looked up from behind the counter to see a small, young woman enter the shop on light, dancer’s feet. She knew immediately it was Tinker. With her short, curly, auburn hair and bright green eyes, she looked every bit a creature of fantasy.

  “Hi, you must be Tinker,” she said rising and holding out her hand. “I’m Emerson Jordan, Em, the store manager for my grandmother.”

  “Hello, Em,” said Tinker shaking her hand. She twirled around, gazing at her surroundings with curved lips. “This store is wonderful! It seems almost as if I’m in a magical garden.”

  Pleased, Em said, “I like to think of it that way myself. I received your resume and am ready to talk.”

  “Great.” Tinker pulled a small notebook and a pen out of the large purse she carried.

  “Why don’t you look around the shop while I take care of one more thing,” Em suggested, already knowing she was going to hire her unless something unexpected stopped her. She knew from the skinny pants and stylish sweater Tinker wore and the artful way she’d tied a floral scarf around her neck how naturally creative she was.

  In reviewing Tinker’s resumé earlier, Em discovered that the young woman had always worked through high school and the almost two years of college. That meant a lot to her, as did the letters of reference from both previous employers and two of her teachers.

  “Okay,” said Em, laying down the paperwork she’d been filling out, “let’s talk. First of all, is there anything you’d change in the store? Placement of items, perhaps? A different take on the arrangements in the refrigerator?”

  Tinker studied her. “Is this a test?”

  “Of sorts,” Em replied. She had to hire someone she could trust to be honest with her, someone who could handle and improve on what was being done while she was busy building her own business.

  Tinker drew a deep breath and then said, “Okay, if that’s what you want, I’d rearrange things in the sale corner of the gift area so it’s easier to see each one, maybe arrange them in groups. Where you have the Easter display, I’d offer an arrangement of silk flowers, maybe a spring wreath.” She gave Em a worried look.

  “Go on,” Em said. “What about the live floral arrangements in the refrigerated case? Any in there that could use a little different touch?”

  Tinker sucked on her lip. “That one, the one with the lilies needs more texture, either with greenery or something like baby’s breath or lily grass.”

  “I agree,” said Em. Marilyn had done that arrangement on her own. She was a sweet lady but she wasn’t a floral designer, more like a very good helper. “Let’s go into my office and talk some more.”

  Tinker followed Em into her office and took a seat in the chair offered to her. Em sat behind her desk and studied the young woman.

  “Tell me about yourself. You were studying at the community college so you could get a degree in art.”

  “Yes, I wanted to get both a business degree and as many art courses as I could take. But I goofed up, got involved with the wrong group, and when my grades fell, my scholarship went away.” Tinker’s cheeks flushed a pretty pink. “It was stupid, but here I am.”

  “You gave your address as being in Hornwell. How long have you lived there?”

  “For almost a year. I live with my boyfriend. My mom is single, and I don’t want to live with her in New Jersey.”

  “So, you don’t expect to move away?” Em asked.

  Tinker shook her head. “No. Rob and I are planning on getting married next December. He’s already bought the house we’re living in.”

  Satisfied, Em nodded. “Okay, let’s go over hours, salary, and benefits, and if you’re satisfied, you can begin tomorrow.”

  A half-hour later, Em studied the smile on Tinker’s face and matched it. She stood. “Let me show you around the store, and tomorrow I’ll introduce you to my grandmother, who owns the business. She’s cutting down her hours while she recuperates from a fall, but she tries to get in as often as she can. Marilyn Fields is our part-time employee, but is someone who needs direction, if you know what I mean.”

  “She did the lily arrangement?”

  “Yes, but we’ll be careful how we manage her.”

  “Not a problem,” said Tinker.

  “Ah, no wonder you had such glowing letters of recommendation,” Em said, liking Tinker more and more.

  ###

  As soon as Tinker left the store, Em called Gran. “I’ve found someone who’s going to be a great designer for us. She’s starting tomorrow.”

  “Oh, my! The woman must be good if you hired her on the spot. You checked her background and all?”

  “She came with several recommendations.” She filled Gran in with all the details. “I’ll talk to some of the people but I think she’s for real. She even made some suggestions for the store.”

  “She’s not going to be one of these people who wants to change everything, is she?” asked Gran with a note of worry in her voice. “I’ve done very well for myself over the years.”

  “No, Gran, no. I think you’re going to be very pleased with her. I told her I’d introduce her to you tomorrow.”

  “Okay. I’ll be there. I’m sure the cold I’ve been fighting will be better tomorrow.”

  “Me, too, Gran. Wait and see. Tinker
is like a breath of spring air.”

  “That sounds good. Can’t wait to get through the final days of March and into April.”

  “Me, too. Talk to you later.” After hanging up, she realized it had been over a month since her visit to Seashell Cottage. She decided to call Devin. They’d talked a few days ago, but she loved her conversations with him and sharing news of her days.

  She described Tinker to him. “I swear if she had worn booties and carried a bag of magical dust, I would believe it was actually the Tinkerbell in the storybook.”

  “Sounds as if she’s a real talent if she’s able to give you suggestions comfortably. Good for you. I know how bound to the shop you’ve felt. Now you’ll have a chance to devote time to your business plan.”

  “Yes. It’s going to be a big help. How about you? When are you taking off for Costa Rica?”

  “Su Lynn and I are going together. We leave tomorrow. I want to introduce her to the staff and volunteers.”

  Em hesitated and then said, “Well, have a successful trip.” Inside, she wondered just how close he was to Su Lynn.

  Devin cleared his throat. “I believe I’ve found a little girl you’d be interested in adopting, but there are a ton of details to be worked out.”

  “Really? Someone there? Someone like Nina? How wonderful! I know adoption is never an easy thing to arrange, but I think about it frequently.”

  Devin’s voice softened. “Has anyone ever told you what a nice person you are?”

  Warmth traveled through her at the sound of appreciation in his voice. She forced her imagination to remain grounded, though, for a moment, she imagined how it would feel if he were looking into her eyes soulfully while telling her this. How he’d tell her how much she meant to him before sweeping her up in his arms.

  “Well, I’ve gotta go. Talk to you later, Em,” he said, breaking into her thoughts, jarring her back to reality.

  “Safe travels,” Em said, clicking off the call and sighing. Too bad fate had planned nothing more than friendship between them. But as she saw it, they each had their own responsibilities. Besides, she was about to get her first big job, and she couldn’t allow herself to get distracted by thinking about him. Not when the idea of being able to support a child might become a real possibility.

  ###

  The next morning, Em headed to Rainbow’s End filled with excitement. She’d scheduled the time to meet Tinker at the flower shop an hour before the store opened to show her how the cash register operated and what usual morning routines were involved in opening.

  When she arrived, at the storefront, she was surprised to see the lights on, the sidewalk sign out, and a buzz of activity inside. She parked her car, put her car keys in her purse, and drew out the self-protection devices her parents had given her.

  As she approached the door, she let out a chuckle. Gran was sitting behind the counter watching Tinker vacuum.

  Em opened the door and walked inside. “I see you’ve met Tinker, Gran.”

  Tinker turned off the vacuum. “I came early. Mrs. Jordan showed me around.”

  “I’ve told Tinker about the importance of keeping the shop clean. She’s got what it takes. Everything is sparkling.”

  “Yeah, well I’ve worked for a cleaning company and know how to take care of things.”

  Em grinned. “You’re going to be a terrific addition. Are you ready to learn about the cash register with me?”

  “Yes. Just let me put this away, and I’ll be right with you.” As she left, Tinker lugged the vacuum cleaner behind her.

  Gran watched her go and then turned to Em with a smile. “Emerson Jordan, I think you’ve found a treasure. Tinker’s such a sweet young thing and so very eager to do a good job. It eases my mind to know she’ll be here to help you.”

  “Thanks. Let’s hope Marilyn feels the same way. She doesn’t like it much if I adjust any arrangement she’s done, and Tinker already wants to change one of them.”

  Gran nodded sympathetically. “I know Marilyn hasn’t been the best at the job, but she needed something to do while dealing with the grief over her sister’s death.”

  “Let’s see how it goes,” Em said, looking up when Tinker returned to the room at the same time Marilyn entered the store.

  Em introduced Marilyn to Tinker. They smiled at each politely, but when Em explained that Tinker’s job was to design and oversee floral bouquets, Marilyn’s smile wavered.

  “I’ve learned so much from you, Em, I don’t believe I’ll need much guidance.”

  “Why don’t we give Tinker a fair chance at the job and take it from there,” Em said brightly. “Though Tinker is young, she has a lot of experience.”

  Marilyn studied Tinker. “Okay, I’ll give it a try. But both you and Julia need to know I’m thinking of moving to Phoenix. My sister’s family wants me there.”

  “How nice for you, Marilyn, but I would hate to see you go,” said Gran.

  “I haven’t decided yet,” Marilyn said. “The only reason I’d stay is because of this job. I love it.”

  “And we love having you here,” said Gran, giving Marilyn a hug.

  “Well, I’ve got to go. I’m meeting with Mrs. Jansen on Maple Avenue to do a consulting job for Living Designs,” Em said proudly. “Wish me luck.”

  Em got into her car, drove the few minutes to Maple Avenue, and stopped in front of an old Victorian house. Well-maintained, the house stood proudly on a sizeable lawn beside one of the oldest, widest streets in town. She drew a deep breath. I can do this!

  She gathered her materials and left the car determined to make this work. Cynthia Jansen was a middle-aged woman who’d been an active member of the Ellenton Garden Club for as long as Em could remember. If Em pleased her, her business would take off nicely.

  She rang the doorbell and waited impatiently for an answer.

  The door opened. “There you are!” said Cynthia, smiling. “Come on in! I’m eager to see what designs you’ve come up with for my garden. I told Charlie I want something new and different.”

  “I think you’ll like some of the ideas I have,” said Em with more confidence than she felt. Some people wouldn’t be as excited about change, and Em had taken Cynthia’s request to heart.

  Cynthia led her to the dining room off the hallway. “I thought you could spread your material out here on this long table. By the look of things, you’ve got a lot to show me.”

  “This will be fine.” She may have overdone it for this first consultation but she wanted to draw up as many options as possible.

  “From my kitchen window, I saw you marking off distances, and I’m very curious,” said Cynthia, eagerly taking a seat next to Em.

  Em turned to her. “You have plenty of yard space, which is a big plus. I think we should stick to the Victorian theme of the house but play it up a bit. You have room for a gazebo for one thing.”

  “Oh, I love that idea!” gushed Cynthia.

  Em smiled at her enthusiasm. “Instead of having the gazebo nestled to the ground, I’m suggesting you might want a semi-formal garden with brick or stone walkways with steps leading up to it. We’d make use of the small incline and set it on top of the higher elevation so those inside could look out. As for the rest of the yard, I think keeping it simple with a border of your choosing would dress it up a bit. There are many choices of plants and flowers to use for adding depth and color to the scene—roses, hollyhocks, hydrangeas and a list of other things we can discuss.”

  “It all sounds wonderful!” Cynthia said, beaming at her.

  “Well, we don’t want to make it difficult to keep up. I understand you use AAA Landscape on a weekly basis to maintain your yard, but we want to keep the cost of upkeep in mind.”

  Cynthia sat back and studied her. “My word! When your grandmother told me about your services, I had no idea what a treasure you are. Let me show your ideas to Charlie and I’ll get back to you.”

  “By all means, take your time. Part of my fee is to oversee the act
ual implementation of my design. I want both of you to be happy with it and me, because I hope to do a lot of work in the area.”

  “Oh, I believe you will,” said Cynthia. “I love the way you’ve drawn the designs in color so we get a good idea of how things might look.”

  They discussed various flowers and plants, and then Em rose. “I believe I’ve given you enough to think about. My card with all my information is attached to the packet. Call me as questions come up. At the moment, I have you scheduled for a follow-up appointment next week. I’ll call you to reconfirm.” She knew the importance of giving a client time to think about things, but the need also to nail down a time to set things in motion.

  Cynthia was still bubbling with excitement as she led Em to the front door. She waited until she got outside before enjoying a mental dance down the sidewalk to her car. I really can do this!

  ###

  Life became even busier as Em spent time with the Jansens coordinating changes with AAA Landscaping. At one point, Marty called her into his office.

  Wondering if she’d allowed her clients to make too many changes from their original choices, she entered his office warily.

  “Sit down, we need to talk,” Marty said crisply from behind his desk as he hung up the phone.

  Concerned by his tone of voice, Em took a seat in a chair opposite him ready to fight.

  He studied her a moment and then said, “You and I discussed financial arrangements for your participation in having us do work for your clients. We agreed on twenty percent of any work you brought to me. I realize now that it’s wrong.”

  “But ...” Em began to protest. Through the Jansens’ work, she was providing him with the opportunity not only to replant the yard but to continue maintenance at a higher rate.

  He held up a hand to stop her. “I’m talking about making it twenty-five percent.”

  “Oh,” she said blinking with surprise. “Good, because I have another contract that I think you’re going to like.”