Secrets Of The Tulip Sisters

Because while the decorations might be tacky, the food was amazing and the bacon cheeseburgers were huge and delicious and, well, damn.

Helen’s stomach grumbled, which she took as a vote of “yes, please.” Oh, why did she have to be weak? Or fat?

“Sure,” she murmured, then waited for the wave of guilt.

Their server came over. Jeff ordered for them, asking for extra fries and suggesting a chocolate milk shake. In deference to the now broken diet, she said she would just have water.

“We’re getting Christmas orders,” Jeff said when their server had left. “It’s June. What are they thinking, waiting so long? We have to grow the tulips from bulbs, which we have to order. It’s not like we can put on an extra shift in the factory.”

“Maybe if you put up inspirational posters they’d grow faster.”

“Are you sassing me?”

“Actually I believe I was sassing the tulips.” She sipped her water. “I get that you’re growing flowers, but it’s still strange to me that flower distributors have to order flowers so far in advance. The most I have to do is make sure my food orders are done two weeks out. What if the bulbs don’t work?”

“They’ll be fine.”

“Still, it seems risky. You put a bulb in the ground and expect there to be a flower. You even know exactly which one it is. That’s a lot of trust.”

“It’s farming, Helen. Don’t make it into magic.”

“I think there’s an element of magic. I mean, come on. Eggplants. Who saw that coming?”

* * *

A burger and more fries than Weight Watchers would approve of later, Helen pushed her plate away. The chef had tossed a little avocado on their burger, taking it from delicious to heavenly. She would, she swore, start her diet tomorrow. Again.

Jeff moved his glass of iced tea in a circle on the table. He looked at her, down at his drink, then back at her.

“Before you were asking me about the women I sleep with.”

Had Helen been drinking, she would have choked. As it was, she tried not to flinch and still had to clear her throat before speaking.

“That’s one way of putting it,” she murmured. “I was just wondering about, you know...”

“Not really.”

She tried desperately to think up something to say. If she wasn’t desperately in love with him, what would she want to know?

“How do you do it?” she asked, then held up a hand. “The logistics of finding someone. I know how to have sex.”

He smiled. “I would hope so.”

“It’s the other stuff.”

“Why are you asking?”

Because I want you desperately and I’m hoping you’ll make the jump from friends to more than friends, pull me close and ravish me with a fiery passion. She glanced around the diner. Okay, maybe you’ll just suggest we go back to my place.

“Helen? Why are you asking?”

“I’ve been divorced for years and I need to do something.”

“You don’t want to date anyone in town?”

“Um, well, that’s hard to say. There aren’t a lot of single guys. Sven is Kelly’s ex, so that would never work. Griffith is into Kelly, so again, a problem. Now that I think about it, your daughter is creating trouble in my personal life.”

“You want to date Sven and Griffith?”

“No, but blaming Kelly means it’s not my fault.”

“I respect that. There’s Ryan.”

Helen wrinkled her nose. “Thanks, but no. He’s flaky and not my type.”

“Plus he’s too young for you.”

She glared at him. “Excuse me? He’s what, five years younger than me? That’s a perfectly acceptable age gap.” Jeez, if Jeff didn’t think five years was okay, what was he going to say about their sixteen-year difference?

“You’re an old soul. Ryan isn’t.”

“That’s amazingly similar to calling me old.”

“You know I didn’t mean that. You’re on a tear tonight.”

“Not really. Just sassing you.”

“You said it was the tulips.”

She grinned. “I lied.”

“You don’t have to sound so cheerful about it.”

“Why not? I’m a cheerful person. Now about your women... How does it happen? Do you go to bars? Is there a website? And why haven’t you ever brought someone home? Don’t you want to get married again? I know things with Marilee weren’t great, but it’s been forever. You’re still a relatively young man. Don’t you ever want more? Someone to care about you and be a part of your life?”

His steady gaze warned her that she might have gone too far with that last bit, but she figured Jeff would chalk it up to enthusiasm rather than a plea for attention.

“Helen,” he began, then stopped. His tense expression relaxed.

She turned and saw Isaak walking toward them.

“Timing bites,” she muttered.

“Depends on how you look at it.”

“You would say that.”

Isaak slid in next to her and reached for a fry. “We have made our musical selections.”