by Claire Adams
While he had his eyes on Tasha's practical layout and plan, I jumped on the opportunity. "We would like to give your department staff GroGreen apps free of charge. I'm certain you are all very busy, but we could take a few minutes to go over the planning and scheduling aspects. I think you'll find it is very easy to use."
"Some people already have it," Mr. Reynolds said. "By all means, show them more than the game."
Tasha stood up and joined the end of the conference table who had their phones out and ready. Within minutes, she had the community planning screen projected. All participants could put in their ideas and watch as the program and then their peers rated the ideas. It took ten minutes for a vegetable garden to be complete with task-lists and activity suggestions.
Mr. Reynolds finally looked up from the five-year plan and noticed the hum of excitement in the room. Tasha stepped aside and let his department show him what they had managed to accomplish in the short span of time. No one was sitting down. A few stood, pointing excitedly to the wall screen as they explained everything to their boss. The others took their phones and headed outside to the empty lot.
Tasha watched them stomping down the high weeds and scraping out the possible garden beds with a stick. "I thought this might not work," she said.
"Hope is my department. Paperwork is yours," I said. "Please tell me you know exactly what permits we need to make this happen."
Tasha nodded to the sheaf of papers sticking out of her briefcase. "Already printed and ready to go. If we get the go-ahead."
"Getting autographs, also my department," I said.
Mr. Reynolds saw me coming from across the conference room. "Well, Mr. Maxwell, it is an exciting possibility."
"We're willing to sign the long-term contract today," I said. "I'm sure Ms. Nichols included our commitment to raising community awareness, organizing volunteers, and overseeing the initial work."
He nodded to Tasha. "Yes, yes, and it's all great, but there are other obstacles."
Tasha joined us. "The Parks and Recreation Department is very busy and understandably hesitant to assign the extra work to their already spread-thin staff."
"And hiring a private company is not cost-effective," I realized.
Mr. Reynolds cleared his throat. "It's hard to ignore headlines that include the large bonuses you two must have received from GroGreen. I can tell you are both sincere, but I just don't see a couple of billionaires getting their hands dirty."
I laughed. "There you're wrong, Mr. Reynolds. I've been dying to get out from behind my desk and really sink my hands into something. Don't let the suit fool you; I'm here to work."
Tasha hesitated. "Yes, of course, but I think Mr. Reynolds’ concerns are long term."
"There's a strong community here. Have you seen the roses the community center’s closest neighbor has in her front yard? Plus, I see crowds of junior high kids just up the hill. Once the teachers have access to the lesson plans and activities on GroGreen, I'm sure they will be happy to let their fidgeting kids into the garden."
Mr. Reynolds finally bent. He held up both hands. "All right. All right. I can't really turn you down when my second-in-command is out there laying out space for a pumpkin patch. I'll give you the permits to lay out the framework. Everything will come under review from the city before we go ahead in earnest, but at least show us what you can do."
Tasha was dazed as she laid out the right paperwork for Mr. Reynolds. After it was all signed, she checked her watch and had no idea which way to go. I caught her arm and steered her towards the front doors.
"Thanks so much, Mr. Reynolds. I know it's too early to treat your department to a celebratory lunch, so we'll just go introduce ourselves to your neighbors," I said.
"Start with Mrs. Davis," he said. "She's the one with those knock-out roses. Head of our gardening club. Oh, and Mr. Maxwell?"
I turned back but kept my hold on Tasha. "Yes, sir?"
"You can never go wrong getting this bunch some barbecue," Mr. Reynolds said.
"Done." I opened the door for Tasha and escorted her around the building in the opposite direction of the reporters.
She didn't speak until we passed the white picket fence and entered Mrs. Davis' riot of roses. "Did all of that really just happen?" she asked.
"Great work, partner," I said.
Tasha grabbed my arm before I could ring Mrs. Davis' bell. "Rainer? I have to thank you."
"Is it really so painful?" I asked.
She swatted me and then caught my arm again. "No, really. I get so caught up in the paperwork, in the way it looks on paper, that I never even saw these roses. Without your help, I would have come across as a buttoned-up executive, and they would never have let us get this far. Thank you."
I rang Mrs. Davis' bell. "You're welcome. Now just do me a favor."
"What?" Tasha asked.
"Stop and smell the roses."
Mrs. Davis opened the door to Tasha swatting at me as I laughed. "Well, you two are certainly not what I expected to see. Looking to move into the neighborhood?"
Tasha's eyes widened. "No, ma'am, we're not together. I mean, we work together."
I put an arm around Tasha and held out my other hand to greet the older woman. "Mrs. Davis, I just had to stop by to admire your beautiful roses. We just met with Mr. Reynolds about the possibility of a community garden and everyone agreed we couldn't do anything until we talked to you," I said.
Tasha resisted my embrace but that only made the older woman's smile grow. "Maybe your colleague there would soften up a bit if you offered her a rose. I'll let you pick one while us girls talk."
I left a blushing Tasha on the front step while I headed back to the gate. The deep red, glistening roses there had caught my eye right away. When I rejoined them, I caught the end of their quick chat.
"I know he seems a bit slick and showy, but I think he's really committed to this project," Tasha said.
The older woman nodded and winked at me. "The red rose represents passion; guess we'll all just have to wait and see about the commitment."
"My colleague is the one with the five-year plan, Mrs. Davis. She's got it all laid out, the full commitment, if you'd like to see," I said. I handed Tasha the red rose and was rewarded with a brighter blush on her cheeks.
"Sounds like you two make a good team. I'll give my garden club a call and set up a meeting," Mrs. Davis said.
As we walked back towards the community center, Tasha sniffed at her rose. "I'll follow up with Mrs. Davis tomorrow. Anyone who can grow a rose that smells this heavenly can certainly help us make this whole thing something special."
"It's already feeling pretty special to me," I said.
Tasha rolled her eyes to deflect her disbelief. I wasn't to be believed, but it didn't bother me. I was out of the office, away from all the posturing and posing, and it was a beautiful day. And then there was the beauty of Tasha sniffing that single red rose.
My phone rang and sliced through the moment. "It's James, from the office," I said.
Tasha nodded with a stiff expression and walked ahead of me.
"Hello, James. Missing me so soon?" I asked.
"And here I thought it would be the other way around," James said. "From what I heard, you've been exiled to the East Bay with the Ice Queen. You frozen solid yet?"
"Things are going great, thanks for asking," I said.
James snickered. "Sure. Now, how about you escape and come back to civilization? We've got a group heading to the Cliff House. Drinks with a view; can't beat that, can you?"
"Sorry, old man, I'm still working," I said. Ahead of me, Tasha stepped aside to let a bright parade of preschoolers walk by. The line piled up as they noticed her red rose and surrounded her with bubbly chatter.
"I knew she'd turn you cold," James said.
I watched as Tasha knelt down to let the preschoolers smell her rose. They smiled up at her as she explained why she was at their community center. The teacher pulled out her phone and
handed it to Tasha. Within seconds, Tasha had the app up and running and the whole class was clustered around her. The teacher smiled, relieved her students were engaged, and watched how to make GroGreen work. Tiny students clamored with excitement and more than a dozen gave Tasha impromptu hugs.
I sighed. "You only wish you knew what she was doing to me," I told James and then hung up the phone.
Tasha glanced up as I approached and flashed me a bright smile. I stopped on the sidewalk, feeling my pulse skip a beat. Rumors would be flying because of my off-handed comment on the phone, but it was true. Tasha did something to me every time I got near her, and all I knew was I wanted more.
"We have popsicle sticks and markers," the teacher told Tasha when I finally joined them.
"What should we use for the guidelines?" Tasha asked the cluster of preschoolers in front of her.
One popped a thumb out of her mouth and said, "We have fuzzy yarn. It's yellow."
Tasha grinned. "That will work perfectly! I'll let the Parks and Recreation staff know they have helpers, and we'll see you in the garden."
"Thanks, we needed a new activity after the whole Playdough experiment went south," their teacher said. The woman gave me a big smile. "See you in the garden."
"Making friends?" I asked Tasha.
She watched the teacher's walk change to a suggestive sway and frowned at me. "Not as quick as you do."
"It's a talent, I know," I said.
Tasha turned and gave me a rueful smile. "Or a curse, depending on how you look at it. Are you ready for this?"
My voice fled so I nodded before I could speak. "Wait, ready for what?"
"You're going to roll up your sleeves and get into that garden," Tasha said.
I blocked her from heading to her car. "And what are you going to do?"
Tasha smiled. "Get this group some barbecue. I know a great place nearby. Go show them what GroGreen can do, and I'll be back with lunch. Unless you've had a better offer?"
I glanced at my phone. A row of messages had arrived from the other junior executives. Most were about joining them for lunch, but a few here and there wanted to know how I was faring with the Ice Queen. I dropped my phone in my pocket and peeled off my suit coat.
"Let's see, hanging out in the sunshine and getting a barbecue lunch or heading back to the office? No question, this is the best offer I've had all year," I said.
Tasha raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you bring a change of clothes?"
"Must have lost my overalls in the move," I said.
"That's an expensive suit, Rainer. Don't go too crazy," Tasha said.
"Too late," I said to myself as I watched her head for her car.
Chapter Nine
Tasha
There is no neat and tidy way to eat barbecue, even when wearing an expensive silk blouse. I hesitated at first, waiting until everyone else at the community center got a plate, but then it seemed odd and snobbish for me not to eat too. Plus, the food smelled so good I was practically drooling. Luckily, Rainer was eating his heaping plate near the food table while talking to Mr. Reynolds.
I watched him lick the thick, tangy sauce off his fingers until he caught my glance and smiled.
"Too spicy?" the woman next to me asked.
"The barbecue? No, it's delicious," I said.
She turned to look at Rainer. "Yeah, he is too," she said.
I recognized her as the front desk secretary of the community center. "He's my co-worker."
"So was my husband, once. My name is Deanna Reynolds," the woman said.
"You two still work together?" I hid my avid interest behind another bite of barbecue.
Deanna smiled. "We may only be a few yards from each other, but our work is totally different. That helps."
For a moment, I imagined a day when I was only separated from Rainer by a few yards. Would it always be as easy and fun as today?
"You've got a little sauce on your chin," Rainer said. He plucked the napkin from my lap and dabbed my face.
I was sure my cheeks were as red as the barbecue sauce by the time his gentle attentions were over. "Luckily, this isn't a date," I said.
"Luckily?" Rainer asked.
My cheeks burned. "No. I mean, wolfing down barbecue is not the best way to impress other people."
His eyes sparkled, not letting me off the sharp hook of my embarrassment. "Who are you trying to impress? Me, I'm impressed with a lady who's not afraid to eat."
"I'll be impressed if we make it back to the office at all today," I said. It was meant to change the subject, steer it back towards work, but it made Deanna laugh.
Rainer's eyes widened, but he kept his smile cautious. "Well, the preschoolers staked out the garden with popsicle sticks and yarn. The plans are coming together on GroGreen. And everyone's had at least two plates of barbecue. If you want to head back to the office, now's as good a time as any."
"You ready?" Mr. Reynolds called to Rainer.
"I offered to help set up the hall for tonight's event. It'll only take a few minutes," Rainer said.
I nodded and watched, speechless, as he rushed off to help the small community crew set up tables. His smile was different, wider and easy. Rainer joked with the men as they hauled the large tables into place. He had the amazing ability to charm anyone, but today it didn't seem as smooth. Rainer's stylish suit coat was flung over a chair, his sleeves were rolled up, and his collar hanging open. More than that, his every movement seemed looser, more relaxed.
"This has been a nice break from your office, hasn't it?" Deanna asked. "He certainly seems to be enjoying himself. Or is he always like that?"
"He's like that," I said, "except a little more buttoned-up, a little more, I don't know, corporate. Our job is highly competitive, and his charm gives him an edge."
Deanna nodded. "That's why Alan left his office job. He didn't like spending all his time jockeying for position. It always distracted him from the projects. Here he can accomplish something from start to finish and see it firsthand. Some men need that."
I looked at Rainer again and thought Deanna had a good point. At Hyperion, the projects had a way of overlapping and blending together. It all amounted to lines of data in the end. That's why a lot of the junior executives treated their jobs as a game. They couldn't see the results as concrete, real, and so made a joke out of the whole thing. I thought Rainer was the king of that, the leader of the good times, but now I wondered. What if all Rainer needed was a project like this? Maybe it would curtail his playboy ways.
"From the looks of your plate, I'm going to say that's a food coma," Barbie said. She heaved herself onto the picnic bench next to me. "Though, on second thought, I see what has you so distracted. Who's that?"
"Barbie? What are you doing here?" I asked, blinking owlishly.
"You told me to stop by. You knew I couldn't resist food." My sister turned to Deanna. "I ate lunch an hour ago, but that doesn't seem to matter anymore. I'm starving."
Deanna grinned at my sister's rounded belly. "I remember waking up in the middle of the night and having to raid the refrigerator when I was pregnant."
Barbie smiled. "So, how long has she been staring at him? Are we going to have to get his number for her?"
I swatted my sister's arm. "That's Rainer Maxwell. My co-worker."
Deanna saw my sister's slack-jawed reaction and stood up. "How about I get you a plate? I'll be back in a minute."
"Rainer?" My sister asked and then let her jaw fall open again. "As in, holiday party hunk, Rainer?"
"I never said that. I never called him that," I hissed.
Barbie gave Rainer another long look. "I can see why you fell for him. Wow. I thought you said he transferred or something."
I shoved my plate away from me, dropped my elbows on the table, and laid my head in my hands. "I said he wasn't who I thought he was."
Barbie pried my hands away from my face. "So, who is he?"
"The office playboy. The kind of guy who whispers all sor
ts of romance in your ear one night and then doesn't remember your name the next day. He's also the junior executive who horned his way onto my team just in time to catch the big bonus."
"Gorgeous, rich, and a total scoundrel," Barbie said. "I better go introduce myself."
My sister was fast despite her pregnant belly, and I had to scramble to catch her arm. "Why? You don't need to meet him. Just enjoy your second lunch."
Barbie narrowed her eyes at me and twisted her arm free in one easy move. "You might be all cool and professional, but I remember what you were like that Christmas. You glowed brighter than our Christmas tree. If he's the one who sparked that in you and then snuffed it out, I'm going to give him a piece of my mind."
"He didn't snuff anything out, Barbie, please. Rainer's just like all the other junior executives. Charming and cutthroat. Lazy until it comes time to take credit. You've heard me talk about work. Seriously. Do you think it's a good idea for me to fall for anyone at my office?"
Barbie studied my face and then looked back at Rainer. She frowned. "I want him to be different. He seems different."
Rainer caught us looking at him and waved. He shook hands with the crew and then strode towards us. "You must be Tasha's sister," Rainer said. "Nice to meet you."
Barbie reached out to shake his hand, but I looped my arms around her shoulders and turned her away. "My sister was just picking up something to eat on her way home. I'm going to walk her to her car."
Rainer looked hurt but erased the evidence with another bright smile. Now, he looked more like the man I knew from the office. He even pulled on his suit coat and buttoned up his white shirt. "Guess I better get back to work then."
Barbie glanced from him to me and back again. "I hear you'll be working over here in the East Bay for a while," she said. "Tasha will have to bring you by our house one of these days. We could have dinner."
"Thank you. I'd like that," Rainer said.
"Let's not make any plans yet," I said. "We're not just here to have fun."
Rainer's smile cooled. "Speaking of work, Mr. Reynolds is ready for the final pitch. I'm going to walk him through the garden."