Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
Cordelia
The muffler roars as I ride my bike into the parking lot of the local grocery store.
I pay no attention to the women who shoot me judgmental looks or the men who stare admiringly at my ride.
Blocking out my surroundings, I pull my helmet off and hang it on the bar. I normally never do that. I’ve learned the hard way that whatever isn’t tied down on my bike is fair game.
But Lucky Falls is so safe that, if I dared, I could leave my key in the bike and come back to find it exactly where I left it.
Score one for small towns.
Inside the grocery store, I grab a basket and turn left into the toiletry aisle.
“Delia! Hey!” a familiar voice chirps. May, April’s little sister, struts toward me, holding a box of FreshButtFit boxers.
“Hi,” I say, leaking a smile. When I first came to town, people took one look at my leather jacket and loud bike and kept walking.
But not May.
She skipped right into The Pink Garage, introduced herself to me, and asked a million questions. Even when I didn’t respond, she kept the same bright, welcoming energy every time we met.
For the life of me, I couldn’t hold her at arm’s length like usual. There was something about her youthful, upbeat personality that disarmed me.
Because Gwen was like this when we were in college.
I shake the thought and gesture to the item in her hand. “Are you…having issues?”
“Oh!” She yelps and stuffs the absorbent boxers into her cart. “Me? Goodness no. It’s for my dad.”
A picture on the package catches my eye, and I lean over. “Is that…is that Chance McLanely?”
“Yup.” May taps the man on the boxers package who is dressed in a hockey uniform and crouched in an action pose.
“Don’t they usually have a picture of the model wearing the product?” I blink.
“Sadly, Chance doesn’t need the money, so the company couldn’t convince him to wear these. You cannot believe what they offered him to do it.” May tips her head forward, peeking at my empty cart. “I’m guessing you’re not here for boxers?”
“Uh, no.” I point to the toilet paper up ahead.
“I need those too. Hey, let’s shop together.”
“I don’t think…”
“Come on,” May says, pushing her cart and waving at me as if the matter is now concluded.
Just like Gwen.
I squeeze my eyes shut, let out a deep breath, and follow her.
“Do you cook?” May asks.
My gaze trails the toothpastes. They don’t have my favorite brand here in Lucky Falls, and it’s been bugging me. “Does microwavable rice count?”
“Pineapples on pizza?”
I compare the toothpaste ingredients listed at the back of the box. “I’m not a psychopath.”
“Are you interested in Renthrow?”
Despite my best intentions, I freeze and look back at her. “What?”
She grins from ear to ear.
Cheeks burning, I toss a pack of toilet paper into my cart and keep moving down the aisle.
May follows me. Her cart wheels make a clanging sound as they travel over the store’s large, white tiles. “You two would look so cute together.”
“Change the subject, please.”
“We could talk about what it’s like to be a Davenport. Is it true that you once met the president?”
That was my sister.
I flinch. “I’d rather talk about Renthrow.”
“Suits me.” May grins. “I heard you two were cuddling in Bob’s Burgers.”
My lips tighten. The Olympics should make “nosiness” an official sport. Lucky Falls would walk away with all the gold medals.
I hasten my way to the frozen food aisle. “Did Gordie tell you?”
“It was in the group chat.”
I arch a brow. “What group chat?”
“The nursing home group chat.” May grabs packages of microwavable mashed potatoes and compares them. “I’ll add you if you want. They always have the best gossip, but I do have to warn you that it’s easy to get sucked in and lose track of time.”
“No, thanks.” I grab a microwavable chicken parmesan and set it in my cart. I’m thinking of eating these for lunch next week. That way, April and Rebel can get off my back about eating tuna sandwiches all the time.
The wheels clank as May pushes forward to meet me around the fruit aisle. “Are you and Renthrow dating?”
“No.”
“Fake dating?”
“You said that as if it’s a normal thing to do.”
May’s lips curl up. “Around here? It kind of is.”
I have no idea what that means.
“No, we’re not involved. We were set up by our mothers.” I grab a bunch of bananas and some apples and search the refrigerated section. “Do you see the green grapes?”
“Those moved over here,” May says, pointing to the opposite side of the aisle.
“Great.” I hurry around the baskets.
“You like grapes that much?” May chuckles.
“You can say that.” I keep my eyes peeled for my favorite green grapes. There’s only one pack left.
Thrilled, I reach for it only for a pair of hands to snatch it away.
“Oops. Seems like I got the last one,” a woman says smugly.
My jaw tightens, and my nostrils flare as I glare up at the stranger. She has dark hair and long, fake eyelashes that are batting away in fake innocence.
I snarl at her, calculating the odds of a win if I started a fistfight.
She’s taller than me, but she’s wearing a flowery summer dress, sandals, and enough blush on her cheeks to make a bull see red.
I doubt she’s ever been in a fight. One stomp of my boots on her polished toes and the grapes could be mine.
“Miss Potts, hi!” May says, giving the thief a wave.
“Hi, May. And…who’s this?” Miss Potts arches an eyebrow at me.
Since she has my grapes in her grip right now, I don’t feel like exchanging pleasantries.
“This is Cordelia,” May speaks for me. “The newest mechanic at The Pink Garage.”
It still stings to lose my favorite grapes, so I ignore both her and May, ready to stomp away.
“Do you want these back?” Miss Potts offers.
I whirl around and find her aiming a sunny smile at me.
Suspicious, I fold my arms over my chest. “What’s the catch?”
“No catch.” Miss Potts tilts her head, her forced cheerful tone grating on my ears. “I know how awful it feels when someone takes away the thing you had your eye on first.”
My eyes narrow. Why do I get the feeling this is a lecture that goes far beyond a bag of green grapes?
I relax my arms. “Keep them.”
Miss Potts’s condescending expression melts away and turns into surprise.
“But they’re your favorite,” May hisses in my ear. “And you did see them first.”
I turn my nose up. “It doesn’t matter who saw it first. It’s who takes it home.” Giving the woman a sharp nod, I head in the opposite direction.
Clang-a-lang-a-lang! The wheels on May’s cart jangle as she picks up her speed to keep up with me.
“I guess Miss Potts saw the pictures of you in Bob’s Burgers too.” At my confused look, she adds, “She’s Gordie’s homeroom teacher, and she’s been after Renthrow for years.”
Great. Thanks to that giant pain in the butt, I can’t enjoy my favorite imported grapes. The man continuously finds ways to irritate me, even when he’s not around.
Tight-lipped, I walk to the canned food aisle and angrily scoop a bunch of tuna cans into my cart as May prattles on.
“Believe it or not, Renthrow is Lucky Falls’s most eligible bachelor.”
“Why? Is everyone in Lucky Falls blind?”
May gives me an “are you crazy?” stare. “Renthrow looks like a hot lumberjack on steroids. Have you seen his eyes? And the way he wears Hello Kitty everywhere because it’s Gordie’s favorite character?
He’s so sweet. Don’t get me started on the lunch boxes he makes for her too.
” She leans closer and whispers, “Word has it that Miss Potts went crazy over him when she saw the first packed lunch he made for Gordie. He molded sticky rice into a bear shape and made little shirt buttons out of—”
I sputter. “I’m really not interested.”
May tilts her head. “But earlier you said you were.”
“I’m finished shopping. You can keep going by yourself.”
“Hey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to tease. I’ll stop talking about Renthrow if it bothers you so much.”
I study her with narrowed eyes.
She raises both arms. “I know someone at the farmer’s market who can get you those green grapes.”
“By when?”
“Tomorrow.”
I sigh. “I’m basically done with mine, but I can stay with you until you’re finished.”
“Cool.” May leads the way down the aisle.
I follow her, paging through my mental grocery list for anything I might be forgetting.
She stops abruptly. “One last thing.”
I groan. Should have known this was coming.
“Renthrow is notorious for making himself clear and turning women down. Most of the matchmakers in town have given up on pairing him with anyone. He can sniff a setup from miles away.”
“Good for him,” I mutter.
“I’m saying that even though you were set up, he stayed.”
My breath hitches.
May gives me a thoughtful look. “I think, despite his best intentions, he’s interested in you too.”