As Love Blooms (7 page)

The trap snapped and a clay pigeon vaulted into his line of sight. Lightning fast, he lifted the barrel of the shotgun and fired. He
grinned at the faint familiar sound like the ring of bell, signaling a hit, and watched the pieces rain down.

Nineteen for twenty. Not too bad. Not perfect either.

He turned to his puller and teammate. “You’re up, Erik.”

They switched spots, and Reese loaded the trap with the clay disc while Erik Swenhaugen readied his shotgun.

Reese looked at his Norwegian friend. The robust man would have made a good Viking. They’d met at the Saint Paul Rod and Gun Club two years ago after he’d moved to the area, and had been fast friends ever since.

“You ready?” Reese grabbed the cord of the trap.

“Don’t rush me.” Erik cocked his gun. “Pull!”

Erik missed and the disk fell to the ground. He hit the next three, then missed another. In the end, he came in at seventeen for twenty shots.

“Not bad. I wish the trap boys weren’t busy. I’d like to try my hand at doubles.” Reese picked up his shotgun and glanced toward Erik’s nine-year-old son Kristoffer, who was working as one of the trap boys. Several of the other club members had yet to complete their practice, so he motioned Erik toward the clubhouse door.

Erik stopped. “What’s Kristoffer doing out there?”

Reese followed his line of sight and caught a glimpse of the boy skirting around the end of the field. Did he think he could get a start on retrieving the clay pigeons? Didn’t he hear the men still shooting?

“Hold your fire!”

 7 

Reese raced toward Kristoffer, his heart thundering in his ears, while Erik barreled down the line, shouting to his fellow club members over the din of the shotgun peals. Most lowered their shotguns immediately, but a few seemed slow to catch on.

Pausing at the end of the line, Reese glanced at the men to see that all had lowered their weapons, then ran onto the field. He grabbed Kristoffer by his shirt collar. “Why are you out here?”

The boy swung his arms and tried to wrench himself free. “Let go of me!”

Reese gave him a firm shake. “I asked you why you’re out here on the field.”

“I was picking up pigeons.” Kristoffer squirmed some more. “Now let me go.”

“Not until your dad gets to talk to you.” Reese hauled the young man back behind the firing line.

Erik met them and clamped a beefy hand on his son’s shoulder. “Thanks, Reese. I’ll take it from here.”

“He’s all yours.” Reese stepped back and leaned against the wall of the club. From this short distance, he could easily hear the exchange between father and son. He chuckled. Who was he kidding? Probably half the county could hear it. Kristoffer protested that he hadn’t thought he was in any danger because the men were
done shooting on his end. With his booming voice, Erik made sure his son was well educated to the contrary.

How would Reese’s father have handled such an experience? He was not a man given to displays of anger or affection, but he managed to express his approval or disapproval in quiet ways. A frown or scowl spoke volumes, and a pat on the shoulder could make Reese’s day, but something like this? Reese could only imagine how his father might have reacted.

When the men began to file into the clubhouse, Reese followed and took two Cokes from the cooler. He returned with the drinks in time to see Erik release Kristoffer to finish his work on the field. Reese popped off the caps of the Cokes and passed one to Erik.

He took a long swig from the bottle. The cold liquid hit the spot. “It was a childish mistake.”

“It could have gotten him killed.” Still red faced and out of breath, Erik seemed to be fighting his churning emotions. “
Uff da
, my Sonja will never forgive me.”

“You wouldn’t have to tell her.”

“And then when it slipped someday?” He swallowed some of his Coke. “No, Reese, secrets always have a way of coming out. It’s best to be honest from the beginning—especially with the woman you love.” He sighed. “But I am guessing tonight will not be a good one at our house.”

“Makes me glad I don’t have a wife and children.”

“You don’t know what you’re missing.” Erik chuckled. “And if my Sonja has her way, she’ll find you a wife by year’s end. She wants you to meet a nice girl.”

“I meet nice girls.” His work at Como Park did keep him busy, but there were always young ladies at church. The only problem was none of them seemed to have any spunk. He liked a girl who was more than pink frills and parasols. A girl like—

“Recently?”

“As a matter of fact, yes.” A girl like Tessa? Good grief. Sure,
Tessa had spunk in spades, but the last thing he needed right now was to look at her any way other than as a friend.

Erik set his Coke down on the fence rail. “Oh? What’s her name? Or does she even exist?”

If he told Erik about Tessa, he’d have to get into the whole story. Somehow he imagined Erik would see more in their garden arrangement than it was.

“Well?” Erik chuckled.

Why had he opened his big mouth?

“You haven’t met anyone, have you?”

“Yes I have.” Reese rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. “Her name is Tessa—Tessa Gregory—but she’s simply a friend.”

“Friendship is a good place to start.” Erik downed the rest of his Coke. “Sonja will be thrilled to hear this. Maybe she’ll forget all about Kristoffer on the field when I tell her your news.”

“It’s not news. You asked if I met any girls, and I have. That’s all.”

“I know. You’re just friends.” He clapped Reese on the shoulder. “You say that with your mouth, but your face says something else.”

Since Reese had to move the potted banana trees from the hothouse this morning at Como Park, Tessa planned to stop by Lincoln’s office before heading to meet him. She wanted to know the names of the men on the park commission and figured if anyone could find out, it would be Lincoln.

She stepped off the streetcar and began the trek to his office on Wabasha. Tessa tipped her face up to view the Ramsey County Courthouse. The large Romanesque Revival–style stone building seemed to symbolize unfailing justice. Was Hannah inside, arguing a case before a judge? Her hours varied now, as she took on fewer clients. She might also be at home or even at the office she shared with Lincoln. If that was the case, Tessa hoped Hannah wouldn’t be in a lecturing mood.

The ornate oak door to Lincoln’s office bespoke of his clientele. The clerk, a long-faced fellow with spectacles, looked up when Tessa entered. “Good morning, Miss Gregory.”

“Is my brother-in-law in?”

“Yes, he is. He’s with a law clerk from another firm, but I’ll let him know you’re here.” The clerk left the room. He returned a minute later and told her to go on in.

Tessa smiled when she saw the visiting clerk was Edward Ferrell, her dinner companion from last night. Both men stood when she entered.

“Well, to what do I owe this pleasant surprise?” Lincoln asked.

Tessa sat down in a leather-clad chair. With Mr. Ferrell present, she’d have to choose her words carefully. “I know Hannah believes my plan may be flawed, but I want to help Mr. Nussbaumer by soliciting more support on his behalf. A conservatory is an excellent idea, and if I can help by encouraging members of the park commission to agree with his plan, then I’d like to do so.”

Lincoln raised a skeptical eyebrow. “And what do you need from me?”

“I need the names of the park commissioners and any other information about each of them you can provide. Otherwise, how will I know who to reach out to?”

“And what makes you think these men will have anything to do with you, Tessa?”

“I won’t contact them directly. I will try to influence them through their wives and daughters.” She stilled her hands in her lap. “Please, Lincoln. I need your help.”

Lincoln leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers. “Let me talk to your sister first. If she agrees, I’ll drop the list by later.”

Tessa swallowed her disappointment and stood. Hannah would never agree. She’d have to get the names elsewhere. “Thank you.”

“I’ll walk you out, Miss Gregory.” Mr. Ferrell opened the office door. “Lincoln and I were finished anyway.”

Lincoln chuckled. “More like at an impasse. Do you think you can get Johnathon to consider my client’s offer?”

“Absolutely.” Mr. Ferrell shook his hand. “For at least ten minutes. Miss Gregory, shall we leave your brother-in-law to his next victim?”

Tessa giggled and told Lincoln goodbye after putting in one more plea for the names and information. Out on the sidewalk, Mr. Ferrell offered to walk her to the streetcar stop. Automobiles beeped at one another on the busy street, and patrons bustled from business to business.

“Miss Gregory, I may be of help with your endeavor.”

“You want to help?” Tessa paused and looked at the law clerk. Dressed in a chocolate-colored three-button sack suit that complemented his dark eyes, he was the epitome of affluence. Still, he lacked a pretentious demeanor, and she found his deep, rich voice hard to ignore.

“I have those names you want, and I’m familiar with the men and their families. If you’ll do me the honor of joining me for lunch, I’ll be happy to provide the information you requested. I believe there’s a get-together this weekend, and many of the wives and daughters you spoke about will probably be in attendance. I’m sure you’ll want to begin preparing for that as soon as possible.”

Tessa clapped her gloved hands together. “That’s a wonderful idea!”

He motioned down the next block. “Let’s make a detour by my office so I can make the list. Then we can have lunch and go over those details.”

Oh dear, if she went out to lunch with Mr. Ferrell, then she’d be late to meet Reese. What would he think?

“And Miss Gregory, please call me Edward. All of my friends do, and we may be seeing a lot of one another.”

A friend like Edward could prove invaluable. Surely Reese would agree when she told him about Mr. Nussbaumer’s plans.

She smiled and picked up her pace. “I’m indebted to you for your help.”

Where was Tessa?

Reese looked over his shoulder at the sidewalk for the tenth time since he’d begun tilling this section of the garden. She should have been here at their garden an hour ago. Was she sick? What if she had gotten hurt on her way? He didn’t even know how to contact her.