Chapter 22

As soon as Ryan got up Sunday morning, he checked to make certain his phone was fully charged. It was, so he got dressed, ate breakfast, then opened his laptop, intending to do some research on landscaping. He was deep into reading an article on one of the recommended sites when his phone rang.

The first thing Merrick said was, “I tried to call you yesterday.”

From the tone of his voice, Ryan knew he was upset, so he quickly explained what had happened

“Silly man,” Merrick replied, sounding amused, now. Then he asked, “Are you doing anything at the moment?”

“Yep. Researching ideas for your back yard.”

“Mind reader. That’s why I was calling. I thought, since it’s a nice day, we might go to the nursery to choose plants for it.”

“You’re on,” Ryan said. “What time?”

“How about I pick you up around eleven?”

“Sure. I’ll see you then.”