Integrated Lives
The morning air was suffused with a rich smell of vanilla due to the striking Joe-Pye—a tall weed with pink clusters—that Dan had just planted. He looked up to the lake and glanced over to Amber as she lined the lakeside of the garden with fluffy grasses called Pink Muhly grass. When the sun came over the lake, the grass would look like pink cotton candy.
Amber looked to him with a smile, then her eyes swept over the other wildflowers they had already planted together—together. The idea of her and Dan working together warmed her. Her heart surged in her chest and her stomach fluttered. She exhaled to steady herself and looked to Dan again, her smile blooming across her face once more. "Are you ready to set up that unique chain water feature? I really want to see what it looks like."
Dan smiled and answered with a nod. The water feature was a chain made of marble attached to a wooden beam extending from a wooden T-post; all of the wood in the feature had already been wrapped with a flowering vine. It took them forever to position it all without ripping up the vine.
Amber had been terrified. Now, terror bloomed anew in her chest as she thought about moving the heavy piece of slate to sit under it. The post covered the water system that would run water over the marble chain. The water would be collected in a marble basin that they were going to fit over the piece of slate. The collected water would be pulled back into the system to run over the marble chain over and over again.
Dan had designed it, and even as Amber huffed to put the slate in place, she was in awe of his creativity. With the slate in place, she quickly retrieved the marble basin and moved to hand it to Dan. He reached for it without looking and his fingers laid on top of hers. They paused and looked at each other as Dan's fingers slowly slid over hers.
Amber blushed, but she didn't look away; he held her gaze as well. In the end, it was Amber who leaned in. Dan's heart rammed in his chest as she got closer and closer. When her lips touched his, he felt like electricity streaked through his body from his lips to all of his extremities. The world seemed to stop for both of them. In that moment, it was only them and the rich smell of vanilla.
When they finally pulled apart, they were both flushed and breathing heavily. Without a word, they attached the basin to the fixture coming out of the ground and through the slate. Amber smiled and turned it on. Water gurgled and, after some time, began coming out of the post and down the marble chain.
The links were dense, solid, polished marble, and the water flowed down them with a soft sound like water over smooth river stone. It fell into the marble basin with a light, soothing patter, and Amber closed her eyes and listened.
Dan watched her for a long moment, a smile etched on his face as he enjoyed watching her enjoy something he designed. His smile fell as he decided to speak to her. "Amber, I am going to have to start doing videos a bit more. The ones here at the villas, but I need to do some addressing the vandalism and some resort reviews as well." He paused, not really sure what to say next.
Amber pursed her lips and looked up to him with a smile. "Of course you do. That just means we need to work a bit faster here." She frowned. "I have some extra materials from the lake house you can use. They are recycled, but they are considered upcycled. They can replace your doors and floors, and they will look like rare, exotic materials."
Dan nodded thoughtfully. He had wondered what the lake house's doors and floors were made of. The doors had intricate designs that reminded him of Celtic knots and the floors were soft and warm under the feet. He looked to her. "Thank you, Am."
She paused but didn't speak for a long while. She looked to the wildflowers, set in neat rows and looking like a natural wildflower meadow. Dan had chosen well. He had thought about her in a way that no one else ever had. She looked back to him with a smile. "I would like to do a video handing them off to you and going to your property for the install."
Dan smiled with a nod. It would help him if an environmentalist helped "save" his properties. A flash of inspiration hit him and his smile widened. "Only if you review resorts with me next week as well."
The request caught her off guard. He had never wanted her to go out of town with him before. She had bought racks and racks of clothes and tons of swimsuits wishing they could go to just one resort together. Her mind buzzed as she tried to stay calm. It was like one of her most secret dreams was coming true.
She smirked. "Of course I will, if you promise to show up to the lunch with your parents tomorrow."
Dan grimaced. "If I have to." He smiled. "I am ready to do what I have to for you."
"Is that a promise?"
Dan stepped to her, his eyes never leaving hers, and he kissed her softly. Amber swallowed hard when he finally pulled back to look at her. "It is. And it is the first of many that I intend to keep."
They continued working, planting more grasses, bordering the paths and the flower patches, and beautiful wildflowers. Amber placed a broad wrought-iron bench in the nook with the marble chain water feature and looked out at their work.
The garden had circular paths that were separated by hedges and broad patches of flowers. The narrow side ended in a beautiful meadow of wildflowers and the wide side ended in a large, clear pond with beautiful waterfalls. Dan came up behind Amber and kissed the back of her neck. She leaned into him as his arms went around her. They stood in silence and watched the sun rise over their work. Amber gasped as she watched the Pink Muhly become a soft, romantic pink before her eyes.
It was just like her life—a transition into a new phase of wonder.