Page 69 of Operation Protector
He’d always liked this place. Surrounded by all kinds of trees and plants, with various habitats built especially for them. They were just getting to one of the more sheltered areas when he heard a shout.
“Hey, Colby! Good to see you. Need help with something?”
He turned to see the son of the owner and founder heading toward them.
“She might,” he said, nodding at Ali. “Ali Moran, John Reynolds. His dad opened this place what, fifty years ago now?”
“Almost,” John said with a smile. Then he looked at Ali. “And this guy—” he nodded toward Colby as he had to him “—has built about half of it for us. All the new outbuildings, and the sheltersso we could carry more indoor plants, and things that need a more protected life than the Northwest usually offers.”
“He neglected to mention that,” Ali said, giving him a sideways look.
“That’s Colby, never brag, just let the work speak for itself,” John said. “So, what can I help you find?”
She explained what she was looking for, some of which was familiar, a lot not. But when she described a flowering tree she’d seen and had been wanting ever since, something registered.
“You mean the one outside the library?” he asked.
“Yes, that one. But I don’t know what it is.”
“I don’t either, but I know someone who does. Haven’t talked to him since I finished his patio cover last summer, but…”
He pulled out his phone, looked up a number and dialed.
“Jake? Colby Kendrick. Got a question.”
“Hey, been meaning to let you know Kim loves being able to sit out in the rain on the patio now.”
“Glad to hear it.”
“So, what’s the question?”
He asked about the tree, and got an immediate answer. He thanked him and was about to hang up when Jake asked, “How’s your girl?”
“She’s…okay.” He flicked a glance at Ali. “Doing better right now, thanks to some help.”
“Glad to hear it.”
They ended the call and he looked at John. “Japanese snowbell.”
“Ah,” John said. “Yes, that’s a good one. Stays fairly small, not a lot of maintenance unless you want a specific shape, and my wife loves the flowers.”
“Sounds like a home run to me,” Colby said, smiling now.
Ali was watching him, a rather different expression on her face. But before he could figure it out she turned to John and smiled. “Lead on,” she said.
And I’ll follow.
The quip that shot through his mind then seemed to have a lot more weight than it should have.
Chapter 31
Ali was happy she’d had this idea for more reasons than she’d ever expected. Not only did Colby seem lighter, happier out and thinking about other things, she was seeing a side of him she never had. She was seeing at least glimpses of the man he was when not all consumed with worry. The guy who had a reputation around here, the guy people thought of as a friend, the guy who could make a call to someone he hadn’t talked to in months and not only be welcomed, but to have that person ask about his little girl.
And she couldn’t help noticing he’d been looking at her when he answered. It told her she was part of that help he’d mentioned, and that warmed her yet again in that way only he seemed able to.
Once they were loaded up, and the back of her little SUV was full of things she was looking forward to filling her new greenhouse with—including a baby version of the library’s tree—she headed for the rather winding exit from the parking lot.
“I’m sorry I can’t go to help you unload,” he said, brow furrowed.
