Chapter 2

2

F aith yawned then took a sip of her coffee as she waited for the light to change. It had been a long evening followed by a fitful night of sleep littered with snippets of dreams.

Sometimes after she'd had a visit with Mrs. Baker, thoughts of Destiny Green would not leave her head. No matter how many times Faith pushed them away another memory would surface. How long does it take to get past the hurt of betrayal? She may never get over it, but surely it would eventually go away so she could live her life in peace.

Faith took another sip of her coffee and scoffed. "What life?" she muttered. All she did was work, but that's what it took to run a small, yet successful, landscaping business. Lush Fields Landscaping didn't just maintain outdoor spaces, Faith also created concepts with beauty in mind for this sprawling urban area she served.

Her company provided more than just mowing and trimming the grass. She designed areas with color that were uplifting and others with subdued plants inviting calm and relaxation. The landscape around a building could set the tone for the business inside. It was more than just grass and shrubs.

Faith pulled into the parking lot and drove around to the loading area of her favorite wholesale nursery. She was meeting Mark, her longtime friend who ran the installation crew for Lush Fields. Faith dreamed up the designs, went over them with Mark, and he and his team made them come to life at the project site.

When she'd quit her previous job and decided to start her own business, Mark was the first person she asked to come with her. He believed in her vision and took the leap. They had built a thriving company with a steady client base, but Faith was ready to go after bigger jobs.

"Hey, where were you last night?" Mark asked, walking up to the truck. "I thought you were going to come by and have a beer with us."

"I was, but I heard about a big job off I-35 at that new office park," Faith said. "I started looking at the area on the internet and?—"

"The next thing you knew it was midnight. Is that why you look so tired? I know you couldn't possibly be out with anyone." Mark said, giving her a pointed look.

Faith smirked. "It wasn't quite that late, but it was too late for a beer."

"Faith, it's never too late for a beer," Mark said seriously. "One of these days I'm going to convince you that it's okay to smile and have a good time."

Faith shook her head and rolled her eyes.

Mark leaned in and lowered his voice. "There are beautiful women out there who would love to show you a good time."

"I can show myself a good time and these flowers, plants, and shrubs are all the beauty I need."

Mark sighed. "You have a big birthday coming up. I refuse to let you turn forty without some kind of fun. Prepare yourself because I'm not taking no for an answer."

"It's not a big deal."

"Oh yes it is. We'll talk more as it gets closer," Mark said. "Check out these butterfly shrubs."

"Oh, those are nice," Faith said. "I texted Abel and asked him to pull the Black Knights. These dark purple blooms will be beautiful."

"Yeah, he had them waiting when I got here. I'll start loading them," he said. "I've already loaded the rest of our order into my truck."

"I want to look at his gardenias," Faith said. "I really want to try a few of them sprinkled throughout that bed against the building. They smell so good, but can be finicky."

"Not with your green thumb." Mark grinned as he began to put the shrubs in Faith's truck.

Faith chuckled and walked into the nursery. She wandered through the rows of shrubs until she found the gardenias.

"Those would look nice with the butterflies Mark's loading," Abel said, walking up beside Faith.

"They would, but…" Faith said, turning one of the plants around to examine it.

"You can get them to thrive," Abel said. "Everything grows for you."

Faith shrugged. "Most of the time."

"How many do you want?"

"Let me have these," Faith said, pulling four pots into the aisle.

"Come sign for your order and I'll get a cart to load these," Abel said.

Faith followed him over to the counter and looked over her order as Abel loaded the gardenias. She signed the receipt, turned around, and looked straight into the dark brown eyes that once made her melt with the slightest glance. For a moment everything stopped and she was whisked back to a happier time.

"I'll be with you in a minute, Destiny," Abel called from behind them.

Faith's heart started to pound in her chest and she was instantly irate at her body's betrayal.

Where was it, she wondered. She couldn't see the slightest hint of guilt which should be shimmering in Destiny's eyes. Instead, for just a flash, she saw softness, but then Destiny took a shaky breath and stood a little taller. The corner of Faith's mouth slightly turned up from seeing Destiny falter somewhat before regaining her composure.

"I don't guess you're buying supplies for that Sims job," Faith said with a smirk.

Destiny scoffed. "You didn't get it either."

Faith smiled. Lush Fields Landscaping may not have won the job, but knowing The Green Thumb didn't get it either had eased the sting a little.

"At least they gave me a reason why they went with the other company," Destiny said, looking into Faith's eyes.

Faith could feel the heat of Destiny's stare. Was that sadness in her eyes? Surely not.

"We've got plenty to do," Destiny continued, looking away and shuffling her feet. "Besides, I've got my eye on something bigger."

"Surely you don't mean the business complex up the Interstate," Faith said. "That's more my size."

Destiny huffed. "Oh yeah? Because you're such a big player in the landscaping business in the Austin area?"

Faith furrowed her brow, set her feet and folded her arms across her chest. Destiny was a couple inches taller than Faith and heavier. Where Faith's frame was slight and willowy, Destiny was muscular and athletic. Years of moving dirt and planting shrubs and flowers had made both women strong.

Faith remembered how Destiny once marveled at her body.

"You are such an enigma," Destiny said. "Your beautiful, lithe body is so strong and powerful. People don't see that by simply looking at you, but I know. I've felt your strength. I've experienced your power." She ran her fingers through Faith's light golden strands of brown hair.

They were naked in bed when Destiny had told her that. Faith had proceeded to give Destiny another taste of her strength and they'd made love late into the night.

But here they were about to face off—in what, Faith wasn't sure.

"Oh, stop!" Destiny exclaimed. "You don't have to get all big and bold with me, Faith."

"You'll find out how big and bold I can be if you fuck with my company, Green," Faith said, venom in her voice.

"I'm not fucking with you or your company. Why would I do that?" Destiny shrugged and furrowed her brow.

"Why wouldn't you?" Faith said. "It's not like you haven't done it before."

"What?" Destiny exclaimed with a confused look on her face.

"Hey," Mark said, walking up looking from one woman to the other. "Everything is loaded, Faith." He looked at Destiny and smiled. "Abel is taking your order to your truck, Destiny."

"Fine," Faith said, walking past Destiny giving her shoulder the slightest nudge with her own.

Destiny closed her eyes and fisted her hands where they hung at her side. She tried to calm her pounding heart before she talked to Mark. It wasn't his fault that his boss was such a bitch.

"You okay?" Mark asked quietly.

Destiny opened her eyes and smiled. "Hi, Mark. How's it going?"

Mark grinned. "Oh, you know. Just watching two people that could've had the most amazing life together totally fuck it all up."

Destiny looked at him with shock on her face.

"The air crackles with electricity when you two are near one another. I used to wonder if you were going to tear each other's clothes off and now I'm wondering if you're about to get into a fist fight."

"I would never hit her," Destiny exclaimed with shock in her voice.

Mark smiled and nodded. "She wouldn't hit you either."

"I don't know." Destiny blew out a deep breath. "What the fuck," she said, frustrated.

"Have you ever considered apologizing?" Mark asked.

Destiny's brows flew up her forehead. "For what? Breathing the same air?"

"Uh, no," Mark said slowly. "That's not what I meant."

Destiny tilted her head then realization covered her face. "Oh, you mean…" She sighed. "Don't you think I've thought of that? I don't know what I have to fucking apologize for, Mark!"

Mark winced and led them over to a bench at the side of the counter. "You really don't know?"

"That was probably the longest conversation I've had with her in three years. She never told me what she thinks I did. If I knew what it was and could apologize, I don't know how I'd even do it." Destiny threw up her hands in defeat. "If she saw me come into your shop, I'm quite sure she'd either leave or throw me out."

"Man, what could you have done that's unforgivable?" Mark said.

"I know you don't believe me and you, like everyone else, think I'm hiding something, but I swear, I don't know what I could've done. I was head over heels in love with Faith. I wanted to spend my life with her."

"Was?"

Destiny glanced over at him. "It doesn't matter if I love her or not," she said with a sad smile.

Mark sighed. "All she does is work. I can't even get her to have a beer with the crew. She rarely smiles. Micromanages everything. She trusts no one and if it wasn't for her assistant, Amy, I'm not sure anyone would work for us."

"It's hard starting then running a business," Destiny said, in Faith's defense. "It takes all your time and energy. When you're not at the office or a job site you're thinking about the next job."

Mark gave her a sarcastic smile and chuckled. "You're defending her?"

Destiny shrugged. "Like it matters."

"This morning she was talking about the big office complex over on Interstate 35," Mark said.

"Yeah, I'm going to have a look and work up a bid on it," Destiny said. She whipped her head towards Mark, wondering if she should've told him that.

He chuckled. "It's okay. I'm your friend, too, Destiny, and I would never give up your plans. I'm sure Faith is doing the same thing. It won't be the first time the both of you have bid on the same job."

Destiny nodded. "I've missed you, but I'm afraid if Faith knew we were talking to each other she might fire you."

Mark chuckled. "No she wouldn't. You don't worry about me. And I have a feeling you've been doing the same thing she has. All work and no play."

Destiny grimaced. "I have no desire to give my heart to anyone. When Faith up and left like that I was devastated and it still hurts. That's just the way it is. Believe me, I wish I could get past it all. One of these days, I'll wake up and decide I don't have to stay busy for the next sixteen hours in order to take a deep breath."

"Aww, Des," Mark said, putting his arm around her. "I'm so sorry."

As good as it felt to have Mark's sympathy, Destiny knew she'd burst into tears if she didn't get up.

"Thanks," she said, jumping up and swiping under her eyes. "My mom keeps telling me it will all work out."

"Your mom is a pretty smart lady," Mark said. "You should listen to her."

Destiny shrugged. "What choice do I have?"