Violet’s smile spread across her face. She cast a glance over her shoulder at me, but Joe’s hand tightened in mine. He leaned into my ear. “I mean it, Rose. Be careful with that man.”

“I have every intention of being careful.” I was gonna insist on at least half down. Maybe two-thirds. I had seen his church before, and I knew there were a number of landscape beds around the building. The income we could make from this job would be more than we’d budgeted for the entire month.

“And can you plant them as well?” Reverend Jonah asked.

Violet’s eyes widened as she looked over at me.

I nodded. “We sure can.” We’d figure something out.

“Rose,” Joe grunted my ear.

Brody pushed his way around Jonah’s side, trying to regain the limelight and take control of the event. “Well, look at that, folks. Our new-to-town televangelist has stepped up to show his support! Thank you, Reverend Pruitt.”

Jonah flashed his mega-watt smile. “Just doin’ my part.”

Miss Mildred pushed her way to the front, thrusting an elbow into Jonah’s side to get him out of the way. Everyone wanted their moment in the spotlight. “As president of the Henryetta Garden Club, we welcome Violet and the Gardner Nursery as an asset to the town.”

The crowd clapped politely.

Joe tensed beside me and muttered under his breath. “That’s Gardner Sisters Nursery.”

I squeezed his hand. “Joe, it’s okay.” Miss Mildred had not only made an appearance, but she’d given our business the Garden Club’s stamp of approval. Violet had to be ecstatic.

“The hell it is.”

He started forward, but I tugged him back and ran my hand up and down his upper arm. “Joe, it’s really okay. I’m used to it.”

“Well, you might accept that attitude from the people in this town, but I sure don’t see Violet correcting her.”

My stomach cramped. Joe was right.

“Miss Mildred,” I said. “I’m so glad you could make it. Looks like you arrived right in time.”

Her head jerked and her hands shook. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I was here early.”

“But…”

Violet tilted her head with a syrupy smile pointed at me. “What does it matter when she showed up, Rose. The important thing is that Miss Mildred is here now.” Violet looped her arm through Mildred’s. “Let me show you around, Miss Mildred. We have a collection of orchids in the greenhouse that I’m sure will interest you.”

They hobbled off toward the greenhouse and Joe fumed. “I have no idea why you want to live in this godforsaken town.”

Some days I wasn’t so sure either.

The crowd dispersed and began to wander around, checking out the plants we had lining the sidewalk and throughout the greenhouse. We encouraged everyone to go inside our gift shop to get a piece of the sheet cake Violet’s mother-in-law was handing out. I figured if we could get the people inside to eat cake, they might find something they wanted to buy. Aunt Bessie was bustling with activity behind the cash register, serving a steady stream of people at the checkout line. I was pleased as punch that my plan had worked.

Violet and I greeted our new customers and helped them find what they needed. After mingling with some of the crowd and filming something with his cameraman, Reverend Jonah cornered Violet at the end of the row filled with flats of pansies. I made a beeline for them.

“—have it in by next week?”

“Um…” Violet’s eyes looked wild, searching me out.

I reached a hand toward Jonah. “Hi, I’m Rose Gardner, Violet’s sister.”

He offered his hand. His grip was loose and slightly sweaty. “Reverend Jonah Pruitt. I’m pleased to make your acquaintance. If I’d known Henryetta was full of so many beautiful women, I would have moved my church here several years ago.”

Violet giggled, but I was more interested in business. “About your flower beds—”

“Ah,” he winked. “I can see you’re the businesswoman of the team.”

That wasn’t necessarily true, but in this case, the way Violet was all atwitter, it certainly was.

Violet and Mike had been high-school sweethearts, and it looked like Violet was making up for all those years she’d been with one man.

I needed to get this back on course. “Well, you were our first official customer. We want to make sure you’re taken care of.” I wasn’t about to tell him we’d had seven sales before the ceremony.

“That attention to customer service will ensure your success.” He preened then cleared his throat, turning more serious. “Yes, we need to discuss how soon you can get the flowers planted. We’re having a revival on the church grounds next week—tent and all—and I’d like to have the lot covered in flowers. It’s fittin’, don’t you think? All those flowers representing the New Living Hope Revival Church?”

Violet nodded, but I kept my gaze on him. Let him worry about the symbolism. I wanted to talk money. “What kind of flowers were you thinking, Reverend?”

His hand rested on my arm. “Jonah, my dear.”

My dear, my eye. He was trying to make himself sound older, but I knew Jonah Pruitt was in his mid-thirties, which meant he was probably no more than ten years older than me. Reverend Jonah Pruitt could obviously sweet talk himself into and out of anything. I hoped I would have been resistant to his charm even without Joe’s warning. “What kind of flowers were you thinking, Jonah?”