Chapter 8 #2
“They must keep up their grades, attendance, and coursework. If a student falls behind, they should step back from outside projects until they catch up. I’m not their parent, but I will make strong recommendations. I won’t let them be set up for failure.”
“We respect that,” Ivy said.
Rosie looked at Shelly. “And I need to know that whoever supervises them on your property treats them as professionals, not free or cheap labor. These are young people building resumes for work and university applications. The experience has to mean something.”
Shelly straightened. “I take my work seriously, and I’d expect the same from anyone on my crew. But I won’t talk down to them. If they can do what I’ve seen out here, they can handle what I need.”
Rosie held Shelly’s gaze for a moment, then nodded. “Good. That’s what I wanted to hear.”
“I want to be clear,” Ivy said. “We’re hiring them. This isn’t volunteer work. They’ll be paid a fair hourly wage for every shift they work.”
Rosie’s eyebrows lifted. “That changes things. Most of the requests we get are for free help dressed up as a learning opportunity.”
“This isn’t that,” Ivy said. “They’re doing real work on a real deadline, and they deserve to be compensated. If they also gain experience and get school credit out of it, all the better.”
“I appreciate that more than you know.” Rosie hooked her thumbs in her jeans. “I don’t need to put it to a vote. I’ll post the opportunity so club members can sign up for part-time or weekend shifts. I’ll vet the list to make sure their grades are solid before I pass their names to you.”
“How many do you think might be interested?” Shelly asked.
“Depends on the week. Some have other jobs, some have sports. But I’d guess six to eight regulars in the afternoon. Probably more on weekends.” Rosie checked her watch. “Actually, a few of them should be here right now. The club meets after school. Want to say hello?”
Ivy glanced at Shelly, who gave a small nod.
Rosie led them back through the greenhouse to an open area near the raised beds where a group of teenagers perched on overturned buckets, eating snacks and arguing about soil pH.
“Everyone, this is Ivy and Shelly Bay. They own the Seabreeze Inn.” Rosie raised her voice over the chatter. “They have a proposition for you.”
All faces turned toward them. One caught her attention.
Vanz sat near the back, a granola bar in one hand and a plant guide balanced on one knee. When he saw Ivy and Shelly, his eyes widened.
Shelly’s mouth opened with surprise. “Vanz?”
He scrambled to his feet. “Hey, Shelly. Ivy.”
“You’re in the garden club?” Shelly asked.
He shoved his hands in his pockets. “For a couple of months now. Mrs. Gardner said I could join after I got my grades up.”
“Why didn’t you tell us?”
Vanz shrugged, but a flush crept up his neck. “I don’t know. I wanted to get good at it first. Before anyone saw.”
Shelly opened her arms to him. “That’s great. Bring it in, cousin-in-law.”
“Uh, yeah.” The boy’s cheeks reddened as the other kids grinned.
Shelly quickly caught that. “Aw, I’m only kidding. Finish eating.”
“It’s okay.” Vanz held out an arm and hugged her. “Everyone, this is Shelly, Mitch’s wife.”
“Oh, yeah,” one of the boys said. “Mitch at Java Beach. That’s cool.”
Another boy added, “He makes awesome protein smoothies.”
“Yeah, but she’s the horticulturist,” a girl shot back. “That’s our dream.”
“I can’t believe you’ve been doing this,” Shelly said, releasing him. “You could have told me.”
“Yeah, but you would have started quizzing me on plants and stuff.”
“You bet I would have.” Shelly was beaming. “And I still will.”
Ivy stepped forward. “Hey, it’s good to meet you all. We have a spring project for anyone who’s interested in helping us get the Seabreeze Inn ready for the Spring Fling.”
She had their attention, so she kept it brief. She told them about the garden tour, and that the inn was the first and last stop.
“So, we have a timeline,” Ivy said. “We need skilled help we can count on. Except when you have mid-term exams, of course.”
She told them the hourly rate, which got their attention, and that Shelly would be supervising their work.
Rosie stepped forward. “Leilani and I will also check in on you. Ivy and Shelly aren’t looking for people to just pull a few weeds. They want people who know what they’re doing and care about doing a good job.”
Ivy smiled and added, “From what I’ve seen here, you could do it.”
A tall girl with streaks of green in her blond hair spoke up. “What kind of plants are you working with?”
“We’re using a lot of drought-resistant species,” Shelly said.
“Palm tree varieties, bougainvillea, and shrubs, for sure. Depends on the sun and exposure, though. I have a detailed plan, and you’ll follow that plan, but I want people who understand why I’m placing things where I am, not just where to dig the hole. ”
The girl nodded slowly. “I’m Briar. I worked at the Hidden Garden last summer. I’m in.”
A stocky boy with sun-bleached hair and dirt permanently embedded under his fingernails raised his hand. “My name’s Thorn. Well, it’s actually Thomas, but everyone calls me Thorn because they think my personality is kind of thorny.”
“We still like you,” said a girl beside him, elbowing him. She had a notebook open with detailed sketches of garden layouts. “I’m Francesca, but my nickname is Fern in this club. Is there an irrigation system?”
“We plan to install a new system as soon as we can find a company,” Ivy said.
“You haven’t found one yet?” Rosie asked, seeming a little surprised.
Ivy shook her head, feeling a little embarrassed. It seemed they weren’t doing their job. “We have, but it’s high season, and they have prices to match.”
Rosie raised her eyebrows. “Well, then, you haven’t called Garden Sprinkles, have you?”
“Is that a company you can recommend?” Ivy asked.
“Absolutely,” Rosie replied. “Sage Reynolds is the owner. Her company is new, but she worked for one of the largest competitors. She really pays attention to details.”
“Sage started a company?” Fern looked up from her notebook. “She was president of this club three years ago when I joined. She’s amazing.”
Ivy exchanged a glance with Shelly. The connections in this town never stopped surprising her.
A quiet boy near Vanz spoke up. “I’m Moss. I manage the composting and soil work here. If you need beds prepped, I’m your guy.”
“We could sure use your skills,” Shelly said.
Ivy caught the first real spark of excitement in her sister’s voice.
One by one, they introduced themselves. Briar, Thorn, Fern, Moss, and siblings everyone called Bud and Blossom, but whose real names Ivy didn’t catch.
Rosie stood to the side with her arms folded, watching her students with pride.
Briar leaned forward on her bucket. “Can we see the property? Like, today? We can all squeeze into a couple of cars.”
Ivy hadn’t expected that. She looked at Shelly, who nodded. Ivy was surprised, but she acted quickly. “I think it’s good for you to see what you’ll be working on.”
“Most of us have time right now,” Fern said. “Mrs. Gardner, is that okay?”
Rosie looked pleased at their initiative. “Remember that you’re representing this school.”
“Can we take photos for our socials?” Thorn asked. “This would be incredible content.”
Ivy laughed. “You can take all the photos you want. Poppy handles our social media, and I’m sure she’d like to coordinate with you.”
“Even better,” Briar said. “Cross-promotion.”
Shelly leaned toward Ivy. “Did that teenager just say cross-promotion?”
“She worked at the Hidden Garden,” Rosie said. “They’re all quick learners.”
While the kids picked up their books and backpacks and decided who would ride together, Ivy and Shelly started for their car.
Finally, Shelly said, “Vanz has been doing this for a few months and didn’t tell us.”
“I guess he wanted to earn it on his own.” Ivy wondered what his club nickname would be. She opened her door.
Shelly got in and buckled her seatbelt. “That’s what amazes me. He learned from watching and helping me, and then he went and joined a club to learn more.”
Ivy started the engine. “You should be proud of your influence on him.”
“I am. And if Sage knows irrigation as well as Rosie says, then we might get to tick that off the list, too. I want to be there when you talk to her to make sure she understands my rainwater collection system and how to incorporate it.”
Ivy grinned at Shelly’s expression of confidence. She pulled out of the lot. In the rearview mirror, she could see several students already heading for the school parking lot with backpacks and sunglasses.
For the first time since Bennett had warned her about the committee, Ivy felt like their plan was firmly rooted.
She turned onto the coast road toward the inn. “Shelly, would you call Poppy? We need to tell her to get ready.”
The garden club was on its way. Whether that was a risk or not, it was one they had to take.