Summer Lovin'

Chapter Ten

The next morning Summer found another note on the kitchen counter along with a credit card, a business card, and a large key.

"Summer, the business card is for Don's Nursery in town. Directions are on the back. They know you're coming and that you'll have full use of my credit card. Order whatever you want. Try not go over five hundred for now. We'll see what's needed more as we go along. I've got the nursery guys coming this morning along with the pest control people to clear the garden. The key is to Dana's car. She said you can use it and fill the trunk with dirt if you have to. She knows how much you love to garden. Her car is parked in the back parking lot, the side facing the tennis courts. I'll be home by six o'clock. I'll bring dinner.- Jesse."

Summer squinted and looked at the clock. It was seven o'clock in the morning and he was already gone. She wondered what time he got up. She never heard him getting ready in the morning. Summer was amazed he'd left her his credit card. He was showing her a lot of trust. She would never give anyone her credit card. Well, maybe she would trust Dana and Jesse with it. They were honorable people.

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She was in heaven when she walked into Don's Nursery. The smell of soil and fertilizer greeted her and she smiled in bliss. She walked through many aisles of various flowers of various colors and she had no idea where to begin. She'd put everything in the garden if she could.

An older gray-haired man approached her with a kind smile."Can I help you, dear?"

Summer smiled back. "I'm just looking around for some things for a friend."

"Jesse James?"

Summer nodded surprised.

"Well, let me help you. Jesse said you'd be by. I didn't think you'd be here so early though," the man said walking her over to the counter. "I've sent some gardening tools over to the house this morning for you as Jesse requested. But he said you'd be here first wanting to look at the selection of flowers."

"Yes, sir. I'm helping Jesse fix up his garden."

"Helping? Ha! That garden needs more than help. But Jesse said you're up for it."

"I am."

"Good. Now, let me show you our rose bushes. They're coming in quite nicely this year."

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"Thought I'd find you here," Summer heard Jesse say behind her a few hours later.

She looked over her shoulder to see him smiling down at her. She was covered in dirt and sweat, there was definitely nothing to be smiling about. Summer wiped her brow as she'd done a thousand times throughout the hot day as she planted in front of the house.

The nursery was busy destroying the back garden and she couldn't bear to watch. They insisted to her, several times, that it was necessary in order to get rid of all the reptiles and vermin that had made the back garden their home. The pest control company had to, in fact, call for reinforcements.

Summer had decided, so she didn't have to watch the destruction, and so she'd stay out of the way, to work in the front of the house.

Jesse helped her stand. "It's looking really good, Summer! You're doing an amazing job!"

Summer stretched her back and admired her work. The weeds were now gone from the rose bushes that had already existed. Some of the rose bushes were dead and she had to replace them with new ones. It was sad, but she could see that there were ones there that could be saved. Summer had cut the front lawn earlier in the day and had planted a few new trees that would flower when they were older.

"Thanks," she answered quietly.

"It's seven o'clock, you think you want to come home and eat dinner?" He raised an eyebrow.

"It's that late already?"

"You think I ditched work to come shoot the breeze with you?" He teased.

"Such a comedian," She answered, picking up her tools.

"I try," he said, helping her gather them.