A Moment for You

Chrissy’s matchmaking father just wouldn’t quit . . . then he introduced her to Rick!

His deep blue eyes held my gaze for a long moment

I leaned against my patio rail and admired the newly planted Roma tomatoes in their containers. When my cell rang, I shook the dirt off my hands to pick it up. It was my father.

“Chrissy, can you come over tomorrow? The final touches on the yard are being added. I’d like to know what you think.” “Sure, Dad. See you then!” Like father, like daughter. My dad loves working in the dirt. Spring signaled a green flag for his plans on behalf of the yard.

Saturday morning, a landscaping truck pulled up to Dad’s house at the same time as I did.

“Dad?” I called as I unlatched the picket fence gate. “Right here, Chrissy.” I came around the side of the house and froze. My dad was balanced precariously on a ladder with his head in the apple tree. “What are you doing?” I yelled. From behind me a voice called out. “Mr. Rogers, we agreed that I was going to trim the trees. You don’t have to do that.”

I whirled around to see a tall man with the landscaping company logo on his polo shirt. He looked as concerned as I did.

“No, worries, kids,” Dad called. “I’m coming down.”

We reached to steady the ladder for my father at the same time, and our hands collided.

“Oh, sorry,” I said, my face warming.

“Chrissy, you’re early,” my father said. “Rick, this is my daughter, Chrissy. She’s a gardener, like you.”

“Pleased to meet you,” I said. Turning slightly, his deep blue eyes held my gaze for a long moment. “I have container veggies on my patio—i doubt that qualifies me as a real gardener.”

Rick grinned. “Sure, it does!”

As my dad stepped onto the ground, his phone alerted him with a text.

“Uh, oh,” he said. “It’s the doctor’s office reminding me that I have an appointment in two hours. I guess I forgot.”

“Are you okay? I didn’t know doctors kept office hours on Saturday!”

He chuckled. “Mine does. And it’s time for my annual physical.”

“I can always come back,” Rick offered.

“I was pretty excited about getting that landscaping done.”

“I can help Rick. You already showed me what you had in mind last week.”

“You go ahead, sir,” Rick said. “We can get this done in no time.”

My father nodded. “Okay, then. Thank you both.” “I like your dad,” Rick said, as my father left.

“Me, too.” Our eyes met again. Flustered, I asked, “How can I help?”

“Let me show you the perennials your father chose.”

For the next few hours, I knelt in the dirt, helping Rick plant flowers. We worked well together, chatting about soil composition, flowers, his job and mine. Eventually, we even talked about the fact that we were both unmarried and unattached.

My father finally arrived home in late afternoon.

“Dad, did everything go okay?” He laughed. “I’m fit as a fiddle!” “Why did it take so long? “Did it?” He shrugged and nodded toward the yard. “Let’s see what you kids accomplished.”

As we walked the perimeter of the area, my dad’s smile grew wider with each step.

“It looks wonderful. You two are quite a team.”

I glanced over at Rick. When he winked at me, I couldn’t help but smile. My father was right. We really had worked well together.

“Rick, you went above and beyond what we agreed on. And Chrissy, you gave up your day off. I don’t know how to thank you two.” Dad paused. “Well, maybe I do.”

He pulled an envelope from his pocket. “I happen to have two passes to a concert at the botanical gardens tonight.”

I narrowed my eyes. Happened to have?

When my father looked at me, I saw the love in his eyes, and suddenly it didn’t matter that he’d been matchmaking. What counted was how much he loved me.

“I don’t suppose you’re free?” Dad asked Rick.

“We’d better ask Chrissy first, sir. A beautiful woman may already have plans for Saturday night.”

My heart melted. This man was adorable. “I’d love to go,” I said. When my gaze returned to Rick, I knew we’d planted more than flowers today. And thanks to my father, this just might be the beginning of something very special.