The cute gardener was in his flowerbeds, and Prosper was hoping that this was an opportunity for the cute gardener he spoke to flirtatiously to become the cute gardener he kissed. This was also risky — it was very close to home and he did not think Herbert would necessarily endorse homosexual affairs — but there were only so many times Mr. Ragge could flirt with him before Prosper assumed it was on purpose.
He opened the door to, at the very least, chat with him, and stood on the front stoop. "Oh, thank you, Mr. Ragge," Prosper said, smiling back at him and using the same tone. There was the flirtatious lilt again, right there, he could hear it. "And everything's in order in the garden now?" He was stalling, trying to decide — or, trying to conjure an excuse to have Mr. Ragge come inside, where he could test and see if there was truth to the flirty ambiance.
He opened the door to, at the very least, chat with him, and stood on the front stoop. "Oh, thank you, Mr. Ragge," Prosper said, smiling back at him and using the same tone. There was the flirtatious lilt again, right there, he could hear it. "And everything's in order in the garden now?" He was stalling, trying to decide — or, trying to conjure an excuse to have Mr. Ragge come inside, where he could test and see if there was truth to the flirty ambiance.