2. Tabitha
TWO
tabitha
This Fox guy is definitely a charmer, and I’m not the first girl he’s used his charms on.
But I can’t say I’m going to care about that.
There’s an earnestness about him. Most guys trying to be cool in front of me don’t immediately confess to buying gifts for their mothers, or fess up that they’re only there to run an errand for her.
Fox, though? He doesn’t even try to hide it.
Him being quite the looker certainly helps things. Tall, dark, and handsome, stone cutting jaw, piercing blue eyes, and one hell of a smile. Absolutely conventionally handsome in every sense of the word, but it’s what’s considered conventional for a reason, it’s hot as hell and ninety-five percent of women are going to dig that.
Even if I always thought of myself as a girl who goes down her own path, I can’t deny the appeal that Fox has, not for a moment.
“So you can see that I’m a self-established business woman who is running her own jewelry store filled only with her own artisanally produced designs,” I say as we continue to go over my stock. I’m not looking to sell more things to him at this point, but I just want to keep talking to him more than anything else. “May I ask what my dear customer does for a living?”
Fox is struck with a bout of sudden nervousness. I’d seen it in guys before, it’s all too common nowadays.
I run my hands around the collar of his shirt and adjust it a little bit. “I’m not going to run you off if you’re between jobs or if you’re a starving artist yourself, you know. I’m fascinated by you, and not your potential wallet.”
“You didn’t seem like the type that would be bothered by that.”
“Then why the anxiety? Are you an orphan-crushing machine mechanic or something?”
“Nope. Possibly worse? I’m a real-estate developer.”
I raise an eyebrow. “That’s a vague job title. Why don’t you tell me what you actually do?”
He sighs. Whatever he does, he’s not particularly proud of it. “I work with my father to buy up land in Evergreen Valley and then turn it into luxury properties.”
“Building homes isn’t a bad thing,” I say, crossing my arms.
“You must have not heard the luxury part. I think I’m the only person at this farmer’s market who could afford the properties after we’re done building them.”
I know what he means. The kinds of places with elevators just for their cars.
I hesitate. He does seem to have reluctance in what he’s doing, and it is his father’s business. Kids more often than not just get swept up in whatever their parents do, and are too financially dependent on them to really break away just out of moral objections.
Or he could be another charming rich boy good at acting like he actually cares about this sort of thing. That is also perfectly possible.
I look past him and see Hunter and Hawk coming up behind him, and note the jovial conversation Bear and Char are having. He’s one of their friends. He grew up in Evergreen Valley, so he has to have some of the values that make this small town great.
“I see you met Tabitha,” Hunter says, “And from how close you are, you’re getting to know her quickly.”
Hands on my hips, I shake my head. “What, I’m not allowed to have friendly conversations with my customers?”
“I’ve seen you chat up customers,” Char says as I realize she’s been nearby and likely watching me this entire time. “You don’t chat up customers like you’ve been chatting up Fox.”
“When are you so judgmental?”
She shrugs. “Just thinking about you and Fox is a bit unusual is all,” she says, before eating a curly fry and looking innocent.
“What’s unusual about a man and woman getting to know one another, Char? I never looked at you and Bear and thought, ‘Oh wow, that’s so weird.’”
A sarcastic grin grows on her face. “It’s more of... well, you know. You, the free spirit who can’t be held down, who breaks all the rules as soon as you’re presented with them... and him, the rich guy who looks unnatural in anything but a suit and tie.”
Fox adjusts his shirt. “I think I look fine in this,” he protests.
“It’s too clean,” Bear chimes in. “Go roll around in the dirt or something, throw it in the wash. Make sure it’s on the wrong setting too. Then do it a few more times like that. Then, maybe, it’d look a whole lot more natural on your everyday Evergreen Valley citizen.”
“Hey, I’m not going to hold someone's clothes that are too clean against them,” I add in. “He can’t help that he’s been deprived of the sweet air and environment of Evergreen Valley. I pity him, to be totally honest.”
“I’m sure if I hang around long enough, I’ll be as messy and tan as I used to be,” he declares.
“Yeah, yeah, we’re just giving you shit, man,” Hawk says, punching Fox in the shoulder as he walks past.
Fox shakes it off. “You want to go take a walk for a bit? Away from the judging eyes of our so-called friends?”
I look over my stand, and how the sun is starting to set. I’m not exactly going to get a whole lot more sales, and it’s not like I needed the money anyway. “I think I’d like that. Give me a moment.”
I head back and start packing everything up. Everything fits in a few suitcases, enough that I can carry it in one trip if I want to awkwardly waddle with all of it.
“Do you mind if I handle some of the merchandise?” He asks as he takes one of my bigger suitcases.
“Not at all. It’s appreciated.” I turn to Char. “Could you do the rest of the business of shutting down for the day, Char? I got something I’d like to attend to.”
“No prob, Tabby,” she says, slurping down another curly fry. “I’ll let you go spend some time with your man.”
“Thanks, Char, you’re the bestest.”
She chuckles. “I know. Now go. Go spend time with the new man in town. Shed the last bit of your rebellious spirit you have left.”
I glare at her with a playful venom.
She goes on and on as she helps me out, just so I can’t hate her for it. “Just think, tomorrow you’re going to be following all the latest fashion trends, listening to only what the Top 40 radio stations tell you to listen to, and caring deeply about celebrity gossip.”
Fox has the big trunk of my merch lifted up, and we head out into the parking lot. He stops by his truck, and pops open the door to put the cloth bag he was carrying with him inside. I take stock of what I’m assuming is his vehicle.
“That’s a bit of a whiplash.”
“Hmm?” He says, shutting and locking the door.
“Your truck is rusty and filthy. Just like every other truck out here.”
“Why wouldn’t it be?”
I gesture at him, all of his fancy clothes and his haircut that looks like it came from some sort of high end boutique.
“A good truck is a good truck. It still runs well and I haven’t even had to maintain it much. It belonged to my grandfather, even.”
“And you haven’t thought of getting a vehicle more suited to your current career and status?”
“My father has tried to pressure me to get a BMV or even a driver, but that sort of thing ain’t for me. If it starts, I’m going to drive it, and I’m going to keep driving it until it doesn’t start anymore.”
“You’re a very unusual man, Fox.”
He looks back at me. “Hearing such a thing from a girl like you? I’m going to take that as a compliment.”
We finish packing everything away in our vehicles, and all that’s left is him and I. I’m leaning against my car, which is just a typical hatchback sedan. It has good mileage while it can still haul things, and that’s all that I really care about. Fox joins me, his hips against my own. Respectable now, but with how quick we’re basically making a date out of it, I had doubts it was going to stay respectable for long.
“So, did you have somewhere you’d like to take a walk to?”
I rub my chin. Dare I show him my little secret? I didn’t really get a lot of good chances to do so. Most of the guys I dated didn’t even care about nature, but something told me Fox was different. He had some Evergreen Valley in his blood, even if it didn’t appear outwardly.
I push myself up off my car and gesture at him to follow me. “Come on. It’s not too far from here.”
“How long is not too far?”
“About a mile, and if you’re really from here, that’s not too far for a walk at all.”