Ain't She Sweet (Seven Brides for Seven Mothers #2) - Whitney Dineen Page 0,8

a huff of motherly indignation.

“That’s why we have to be sneaky. For instance, I left James and Tara out in the garden together. I’m sure my son is absolutely livid with me right now, but you know what? Too bad. Life is all about balance and James hasn’t learned that yet.”

“Imagine, Tara Heinz working here at the lodge!”

Ruby does a quick scan of the area while whispering, “That’s a secret. No one can know.”

Chris puts her fingers to her lips. “Sorry about that. I haven’t said a word to anyone, and I won’t. I just got a little excited. Why do you think she left Los Angeles anyway?”

“I’m pretty sure it has something to do with the tabloids. As soon as I found out who she was, I Googled her. Lord, you would not believe the kind of media circus that girl has been involved in.” The quirk of Chris’s eyebrow has her adding, “She broke up with her rock star fiancé and the tabloids are saying it’s because she got fat.”

“Fat?” Chris yells before catching herself. “That girl could gain thirty pounds and not be fat.”

Ruby shrugs her shoulders. “I guess Hollywood sees people through a different lens than the rest of the world. I’d better get going though. I’m worried those two might kill each other if left alone for too long.”

“Good luck and keep me posted.” Chris shakes her fists in the air like she’s waving pom poms.

Ruby returns the gesture before turning around and scurrying out the nearest exit.

James

I would have sooner believed the aliens Brogan and I used to hunt as kids would come to earth to make me their leader than I’d be standing three feet away from Tara Heinz talking about gardening. I fantasized about doing a LOT of things with Tara while staring at the posters of her that used to hang on my walls, but this was never one of them. Unfortunately, all we ever seem to do is fight when we’re near each other, so there’s little chance of more pleasant fantasies coming to fruition.

As soon as my mom arrives, I none-too-pleasantly declare, “I didn’t realize Tara was going to be joining us this morning.” I say her name as though I’m talking about corn smut, that aggravating fungus that can grow on ears of corn.

The supermodel sends me a withering glare before adding, “I didn’t realize James would be here, either.” I can only imagine the word she’s thinking of when she says my name.

My mom smiles like neither one of us is upset. “Well, dears,” she looks at me first and then at Tara, “you both play important roles in this garden and I want to make sure everything gets off to a good start in the spring when planting begins.”

Tara turns to me. “I want a lot of cabbage, carrots, and zucchini.”

Before I can comment, my mom interjects, “We also need to talk about the herb garden. What kind of herbs do you want James to plant, Tara?”

“Obviously mint, but I’d prefer chocolate mint to peppermint. I’ll need lavender, thyme, rosemary, and basil. And of course, a variety of edible flowers.”

“You do realize your desires aren’t the only ones we’re trying to satisfy here.” I can’t help it if I sound annoyed, I am. Bossy Tara makes me bristle.

Glaring at me, she says, “Your mother asked what I wanted. I’m just telling you.”

Mom smiles brightly as though we’re having a nice time and there isn’t an elephant-size ball of tension crowding the space. “A lot of the garden will work well for both savory and sweet.”

“I want sweet corn, too,” Tara adds to her list of demands like a kidnapper upping a ransom.

“What do you want sweet corn for?” I swear the woman is trying to be maddening.

“I use it in vegan ice cream. It blends beautifully with the coconut milk base my recipe calls for.”

“Let’s talk fruit!” My mom claps her hands together like she’s giving the garden a standing ovation. After twenty solid minutes of ideas, I finally raise my hand to get a word in edgewise.

“What about the deer?” Deer in the Willamette Valley will eat your garden, fruit trees, and flowers right down to the ground if you’re located anywhere near the woods. The lodge is surrounded by forest.

“Good point,” my mom says. “What do you suggest?”

“You’re going to have to erect a fence around the perimeter. That might not be very cost effective, especially if you’re looking to plant an entire acre