Fifteen
Amelia
L ooking around, I put the finishing touches on the table, and the pride I feel seeing how far I’ve come is overwhelming. But it doesn’t feel real yet. Not just the farmers’ market I help organize, which has two new vendors this week, but my personal life as well. Part of me wants to sink into this feeling and believe that only good things will happen from here on out, but a little voice in my head is whispering that nothing good ever lasts.
“Do you think she’s broken?” I hear from the side, and a giggle shakes my shoulders.
“No, I’m not broken. Just thinking.”
Pam rolls her eyes. “We were talking about when we were going to reschedule our girls’ night, but you spaced out and didn’t respond when we suggested Wednesday.”
Sometimes I hate how well she knows me. “I didn’t space out. I was just going through my mental checklist since, you know, I have to open the booth soon. I think Wednesday should be fine, though.”
Kristen walks up with the last of the extra produce we brought and sets it along the back of the tent.
Penny is in her spot by the little register section we have set up while Luna, Pam, and Abby are organizing things on the table before we officially open.
It’s nice having more friends around than just Pam. I haven’t had this many friends since before I started dating Leo.
Nope, not going there. He doesn’t get my brain space today.
“Amelia! Are you ready for the market to open?” Farmer Joe says from the side.
“I am. How are things going? How is Ann doing?” They’re good people and always ready to root for people in town, even those who are deemed as competition.
“Good! Good. You need to come by for dinner. It’s been too long, and I promise no work talk,” he says with a laugh.
“I’ll have to double-check my calendar. Maybe after the co-op meeting, we can have a late lunch together?” I say because he’s right, it’s been far too long. But with the two of us trying to get a multi-county co-op set up and getting them set up with our farmers’ market as well, we just haven’t had the time.
“Yes! I’ll double-check with Ann to make sure we don’t have plans, but I’m pretty sure we’re free. Don’t you have a meeting with a couple of the supermarkets in the next town over on Monday?”
“I do. It took me weeks to try and get anyone to even answer my emails and calls, but I finally did after actually going there and talking to the store manager in person.”
“If anyone can convince them to give local produce a chance, it’s you. You might say you don’t like people, but you sure are good at showing them why our stuff is better than what they’re shipping in from large farms who don’t care about the actual quality of the food they’re selling.”
I feel the blush creep up my neck.
I never would have thought that I would be the one who took on this role, and while he’s right that I’m not a people person, I’ve found that when I’m passionate about the topic, I have no issues becoming that person.
“Thanks, Joe. I’m going to do my best to do our little group proud,” I say.
Patting my shoulder, he says, “You’re doing great, girl. Well, looks like the people are starting to roll in. I better get back and tell Ann about our plans and make sure she has the help that’s needed.”
“Let me know if you need any additional help. I have the girls with me, and I can send one or two of them over so you both don’t have to work so hard. Actually, I’ll send Abby and Pam over before lunchtime so you guys can take lunch and wander around like we both know Ann loves to do,” I say as I look over at the girls.
“Yeah! For sure. In fact, Mr. Joe, I’ll come over in an hour or so to make sure you guys have everything you need and give you guys a quick break before then,” Abby says.
“You’re all good girls. We’ll always gladly accept a little help. Now I can surprise my Ann with a little lunch date today.” He winks before walking back to his area.
“They’re such good people. I just want to put them in my pocket to keep them safe,” Luna says from behind me.
“I know. Joe has wanted to do a multi-county co-op for some time, and when he pitched the idea to me, I knew we could make it happen. The two of us sat down to figure out just how to get it done. I mean, I love our farmers’ market, but could you imagine if the three towns around us put one together? It will be epic, probably one of the best farmers’ markets in the state,” I say as customers trickle into the booth.
“I also want a love like them. You can see how, even after all these years, the love they have is so strong,” Abby admits.
“They have one of those once-in-a-lifetime loves. I can only hope when I’m ready to settle down, I can find that. Speaking of love . . . How is lover boy?” Pam says.
I roll my eyes. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I don’t have a lover boy.”
“I don’t know about that. I saw you guys on your first date, and let me tell you, the chemistry is there,” Abby says with a chuckle.
Abby might be shy, but once you get to know her, she’s not only one of the smartest and most loyal people, but she’ll call you out when needed. Apparently, she thought I needed to be called out today.
“Chemistry doesn’t mean love, Abs,” I say and roll my eyes again.
I might like Luke, and yes, we might have almost had sex on my front porch, but that doesn’t mean we’re in love or even on our way to being in love.
“Ask her how that second date went, ladies,” Pam says, and I turn to give her a death stare. But she just smirks at me while walking up to the next customer, knowing I can’t say what I want to say to her.
“Oh, yes! Please tell us how your second date went!” Luna says excitedly.
This makes me smile. Luna is so reserved, and to see her ask questions about my second date when men, other than Joe, seem to make her nervous, makes me proud of how far she’s come.
I give a brief overview of our date. I mean, they don’t need to know that he actually took an interest in my life and interests, or that he looked at me like I was the only person in the world, or that when he touched me, even just to guide me from hole to hole, he made my body vibrate with anticipation.
“Oh. My. God. A kitten! Why am I just hearing about this now? How precious! He didn’t even blink an eye, did he? He seems like such a go-with-the-flow kind of guy. Wait, that’s it? You got fast food, played mini golf, and found a kitten, and he just dropped you off and left?” Abby asks.
“I mean, what else were they supposed to do after he dropped her off?” Luna asks.
Pam and Abby whip their heads toward her, and it makes me want to laugh, but I don’t want to embarrass Luna because while she hasn’t opened up a ton to us yet, I didn’t realize just how innocent she was until that comment.
Luna looks around and says, “What? Am I missing something? I think that’s a really nice date! At least someone wasn’t there supervising, and she gets to pick who she wants to be with!”
Now it’s my turn to be shocked. “Wait, what the actual fuck? This isn’t the 1800s! Who told you that’s how you date, Luna?”
Her ears turn red as she says, “This isn’t about me . . .”
Pam slides her eyes to me and furrows her brow. “There’s no pressure, but we’re here to support you however we can when you’re ready,” Pam says.
Footsteps from behind the tables interrupt our bonding moment, and I quickly turn around. Seeing Brian, I get the chills, and not the good kind.
“Why hello, ladies. Fancy running into you all here today,” he says with his slimy smirk in place.
“Um, yeah. What can I do for you, Brian?” I say, annoyed, because for being part of the local law enforcement, he’s not only really pushy but the biggest creep I’ve ever met.
“Oh, I was just doing my rounds and was hoping to spend some time with the prettiest woman in Griffin’s Den,” he says and then tries to swing his arm around my shoulder.
I dip down and move quickly so I’m not standing next to him. The move makes him look around, and a vein on his forehead pulses.
“I mean, there are plenty of pretty people in town, Brian. However, like you, we’re all working and will be for the next several hours. Now, is there something you’d like to buy? I’ll store it over here until the end of the market, which is in”—I look down at my watch—“four hours.”
“What about after, Amelia? Would you like to go on that date you promised me?” he says.
“I never promised you a date, Brian, and if that was the impression I gave you, I’m truly sorry, but as I’ve said, I’m not interested in going on a date.”
He stares daggers at me. “You’ll give in one day, Amelia. We’ll be good together once you give us a chance,” he says and stalks away, putting on his classic golden boy smile that has everyone in this town fooled.
“How does no one ever see what a creep he is?” Abby says.
“I don’t know,” Pam replies.
“The bad guys know how to cover up how bad they are . . . Trust me, I know more than anyone,” I say as I turn back to the table to restock it and help customers.
Pam pulls me into a side hug, knowing what I’m thinking about. I hate that I’m letting him bring me down when I was having such a good day.
My phone vibrates in my pocket, and I grab it, reading the message with a smile.
Luke: Hey, sweetness. How is the market going?
Me: Fine, busy. How’s your day going at work?
Luke: It’s good. Sorry I’m working and can’t help you at the market. Are we still on for tonight?
Ya know, so Ginny doesn’t forget about me . . .
I snort as I read his last message and put my phone down when I realize what time it is. I glance up and see Pam looking at me.
“I like seeing that happy look on your face again. It looks good on you,” she says with a knowing smirk.
I shove her shoulder. “Shut up. It’s time to let Farmer Joe and Ann have their lunch date. Go help them with Abby.”
With a salute, she says, “You got it, boss. Come on, Abs, the boss has spoken.”
She loops her arm through Abby’s, and they walk away.
I turn to look at Luna. “It’s just you and me, my friend . . . Well, and Kristen. You can go grab lunch if you want.”
“I’m good for now. If Kristen is hungry, she’s good to go. Pam is right, you know. I might not be as experienced in the dating world, but in the short time I’ve known you, it’s good to see a genuinely happy smile on your face, and we’ll get all the details about this date that went differently than you told us on Wednesday,” she says as she turns away to let Kristen know she can go to lunch.
I just look at her, stunned.
I’m happy, but I’ll admit that Luke does make me happier than I’ve been in a long time. It’s both amazing and scary, and I don’t know how to handle it.
As I see someone come up to the table, I shake it off and go into business mode. It’s shaping up to be a super busy day, and I don’t have time to dwell on my feelings or how my friends think that I wasn’t happy before. I allow myself to look at my phone one more time before helping the customer and text Luke back.
Me: Yeah, we’re still on. I might be a zombie after the early morning. But we wouldn’t want Ginny to think her father isn’t around
I hit send and put my phone back into my pocket.
As I help the customers and answer questions, I feel Penny come up to my side and stand next to me protectively. I pet her head and scan the farmers’ market when I see movement out of the corner of my eye.
When I turn to get a better look, I swear I see someone standing out by the parking lot with a hoodie pulled low over their eyes, but when I blink, they’re gone.
I jump when I hear Luna come up next to me and say, “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, I was just thinking about what I have to do this week. I would have never thought about how many meetings I would be having as someone who grows food for a living,” I say, hoping to cover up that I was, in fact, not okay because this isn’t the first time I’ve felt like someone is watching me, but it’s a small town, and it must just be stress making me feel like I’m losing my grip on reality.
She narrows her eyes as she looks at me, and I don’t think I fooled her. “Are you sure? If something is wrong, you know you can tell me, right?”
“Positive. Anyway, just in case I forget later. Thanks for all the help today. I appreciate you more than I can say,” I say quickly, and with that, we get back to work with Penny stuck to me like glue for the rest of the afternoon.