Secrets of the Tulip Sisters

“I’m impressed,” Helen said. “Let’s get some breakfast before we get started.”


The buffet of eggs, bacon and sausage were from a catering company in Bellingham. Griffith joined them in line.

“Morning,” he said.

Kelly felt herself get a little swoony at the sight of him. Ridiculous. It had just been a couple of kisses. She was stronger than that. Only not, apparently, around Griffith.

“Not buying local?” she asked, pointing at the name on the side of the food trays.

“I ask for the food to be donated at cost,” he told her. “Which means whoever provides it is losing money. The catering company is owned by a large corporation. I figured they can afford it while it would be tough on Helen. She would never refuse me and I didn’t want to put her in an awkward position.”

It was too early for him to be that sweet, Kelly thought. She hadn’t even had coffee. How was she supposed to resist him when he talked like that?

“You’re a good guy,” she complained. “Nice even.”

“So I’ve heard.”

“Aren’t you going to be upset that I said that? Don’t most guys want to be bad?”

He put his hand on the small of her back and eased her forward in line. “I’m not most guys. You like nice. It makes you feel safe, ergo I like being nice.”

“Ergo?”

“I’m very cosmopolitan.”

He was a lot of things, she thought happily. “I’m stuck with a blue badge,” she said, showing him. “I have no construction skills. That’s depressing.”

“You can be on my team. We’re installing solar panels.”

“You’d trust me with that?”

“We need someone to make sure we don’t run into anything as we’re raising the panels. You can do that.” He leaned close and whispered, “If anyone asks, just tell them you’re with the band.”

She laughed. “Thanks.”

*

Olivia spent the day installing sinks in tiny homes. She had to run the pipes first, set the sinks in place, connect everything, then test her work. A little before noon, as she crawled out from under the third sink, she got the idea that maybe she’d been chosen more for her size than her skill level. None of the male plumbers could have fit in the cramped space.

At lunchtime Helen came and got her.

“Are you feeling superior?” Helen asked. “With your mad skills?”

“I’m mostly feeling like a pretzel. How about you?”

“I have applied door handles to the best of my ability, vacuumed and wiped down entire homes. I’m smug in my goodness.”

They collected sandwiches and salads and took them outside to sit on the grass. Olivia noticed Kelly hanging out with Griffith.

“Someone’s crazy about her new boyfriend,” Olivia said in a singsong voice.

“I’m glad. Kelly deserves a great guy.”

“Don’t we all.” She looked across the lawn to where Sven sat with a group of the construction guys. He caught her gaze and winked. She smiled back, then turned to Helen. “What about you? Is there anyone special lurking in your bed?”

“I wish.” Helen sighed. “I’m divorced, which is fine. Troy was a jerk and I shouldn’t have married him.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Me, too, but it’s done. And now...” Her voice trailed off.

Olivia studied her. “What?”

“Oh, there’s this one guy, but I’m not sure he sees me as more than a friend.”

“If he doesn’t, he’s stupid.”

Helen laughed. “Thanks. I just don’t know what to do. Do I tell him and risk losing the friendship? Continue to pine? Get a cat?”

“You should go for it,” Olivia told her. “Regretting not acting is the worst. You’re stuck with the could-have-beens. If it doesn’t work out, then at least you know you tried. Plus, you’ll know he’s an idiot and you can move on.”

“You think?”

“I’m totally and completely sure.”

“I want your level of confidence one day.”

Olivia grinned. “I’m mostly faking it.”

“You’re doing a good job.”

Conversation shifted to the upcoming auction and all the items that were being delivered. They brainstormed ways to bundle them together so the silent auction was more appealing, then tossed their trash and headed back to work. On the way a woman about her age stopped by Olivia. She was petite, with dark hair and green eyes.

“Hi, Olivia. I’m Eliza. We went to high school together. Do you remember me?”

Olivia had a vague recollection of a quiet, shy brainiac who always aced tests. “Sure, Eliza. It’s nice to see you.”

“Thanks. I wasn’t sure you would. Remember me, I mean. We didn’t exactly hang out in the same circles. I was with the smart kids and—” Eliza slapped her hand over her mouth. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to imply that you weren’t smart.”

Olivia laughed. “I know. It’s okay. I’ll forgive you if you honestly tell me whether or not I mean-girled you in high school.”

Eliza grinned. “Nope. You ignored me completely.”

“Thank God. So you still live around here?”

“I just moved back a few months ago. I graduated from Washington State University vet school and I got a job with the local vet here. It’s challenging but fun.”

“Come along, ladies,” one of the volunteers called. “Work first, talk later.”

“Maybe we can get lunch sometime and catch up,” Eliza said.

An unexpected shot at friendship, Olivia thought. “I’d love that. Let’s plan on that for sure.”





15

The forklift carried bins of rooted tulips from the cooling rooms into the greenhouse. Kelly inspected the trays as they were shifted into place. Around her, a couple of guys worked the watering system. The tulips would be given a day to warm up to the greenhouse’s constant sixty-seven degrees, then the special water-nutrient mixture would be added to the trays. In exactly twenty-one days, they would be harvesting this batch of tulips.

Olivia arrived and walked over to where Kelly was working. Kelly instantly felt dowdy in her green coveralls.

“Hi,” Olivia said. “I saw all the cars in the parking lot and came to check it out. What’s going on?”

Kelly motioned to the forklifts and the stacked trays ready to be put onto the tables. “Over the next two days, we’re going to start forcing about a hundred thousand bulbs.”

Olivia laughed. “You’re kidding.” Her humor faded. “You’re not kidding. How is that possible and why?”

“August weddings. These bulbs are already purchased by a big distributor on the West Coast. Pink, yellow and orange are very hot this year and we have the best color saturation.”

“Wedding flowers? That’s so cool.” She eyed the trays of bulbs. “What if they flower late?”

“They won’t. They will be ready in exactly twenty-one days, give or take twenty-four hours.”

“How on earth do you pick that many so fast? You must need dozens of people.”

“I do. We have some mechanization, but a lot of it is done by hand. I have a group of regulars who come in. Mostly stay-at-home mothers who work for me every couple of months. They’re long days, but I pay well enough that they make the schedule work.”

Kelly was willing to offer the extra money in exchange for not having to employ full-time people. It was much cheaper for her.