Chapter 9 – Mabel
Chapter Nine
MABEL
Ismile brightly at the customer that walks up to the booth.
I shoot him a quick wink, silently letting him know I see him but I need to finish up with the customers in front of me.
He stands there for a few minutes, no doubt preparing to ask whatever honey farming questions he’s come up with during the week.
I know he’s not really interested in the farming practices of my family by the way he steps back as soon as anyone else steps up to buy something.
This is his third time coming to the market and spending his early afternoon asking me questions and building up courage to ask me out.
I’m assuming.
But you know what they say about assuming, and no matter how open I am to anal, I don’t need to make more of an ass of myself than I already have. Maybe some different attention will shake the feelings I’ve been dealing with.
“Thank you, have a great day.” I hand the bag of honey sticks to a mom and her little girl, ignoring the small pang in my chest at the pair. I push it away when I turn back to the man, offering a bright and welcoming smile.
My focus is momentarily pulled from the man as a group of five or six curvy women walk past my booth. They look like they’re in a heated exchange and I can’t help but be pulled in. They’re a mixed bag of sizes, heights, and hair colors but you can instantly tell they are all close.
“I will concede the fact that some people,” one of the brunettes starts, briefly interrupted by a taller brunette, “Wrong people!” The taller one shoves a finger into the air to exaggerate her point.
“Yes, yes, wrong people call it ‘pop’ but I will never accept that people play ‘duck duck grey duck’. It’s insane !”
The taller brunette and the others in the group explode in a mix of giggles and groans.
Only one girl doesn’t contribute to the sounds of acknowledgement, a cute blonde.
“How long are you gonna hold onto this?” She is grumbling but it’s clear it’s all in good fun.
The original brunette swings an arm around the blonde’s shoulder, a wide smile pointed at her friend.
“Until the day I die, baby.”
This pulls another fit of laughter from the whole group. Soon enough they walked out of ear shot and I remember I have a customer standing right in front of me that I’ve left standing in silence.
“Sorry about that, handsome!” Yikes. I hope he can’t hear the extra false perkiness I added to my apology. Get it together, Mabel. I chew on my lower lip and subtly adjust my arms to press my breasts together .
Ugh, classic Maybe move. I need to stop falling back on this behavior.
“What can I do for you today, cutie?” I run my gaze up and down his body, overexaggerating to make up for me ignoring him.
He’s handsome and I’m sure with a few kind words of guidance, he could give me at least one orgasm.
“H-hey, I was hoping to get a jar of—” His tone quickly goes from timid to straight up nervous then cutting off completely.
Ominously, a cloud must float in front of the sun because the area around us gets darker. “A jar of what?” Poor guy. Perhaps I should throw him a bone and ask him out. Take some of the pressure off of him and hopefully salvage this foolish attempt at getting Jude out of my head.
“N-nothing. I, uh, I’m gonna go. ” His face is red, sweat starting to bead across his hairline. He spins on his heel and power walks away like I have guns poking out of my nipples. I snicker at the memory of a movie I watched as a kid that I was way too young to be watching.
“What’s so funny?”
The deep voice rumbling near my ear simultaneously scares the shit out of me and turns my panties into a soaking mess. Either way, RIP my panties. The shock of both makes me jump a foot or two in the air. “Christ Jeeeee-sus!” I yelp out.
Giant warm hands wrap around my ample waist, steadying me. “Christ Jesus?” The question comes out in a chuckle, the sound pours over me like too hot water. “I read it in a book, you asshole!” I reluctantly step out of Jude’s grip, smacking his hands away from my body.
I miss his warmth instantly.
My stomach flips with disgust at my traitorous reactions.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I snap, glaring at him and slamming my hands on my hip and all but stomping my foot.
“What am I doing here? What the hell, Mabel? You told me to be at your workshop at 7:00! What the hell were you thinking lying like that?” Even though his words are harsh, his tone is softer than it should be.
“I thought we reached a truce yesterday.”
I’m imagining the hurt in his voice, I have to be.
My eyes drop to the ground in embarrassment. The whole situation is so juvenile. Here I am, the oldest Warren and six years his elder, playing stupid games when all he wants is to make sure my family’s farm is doing the best it can.
“I’m sorry.” It comes out in a whisper but I can’t hide the crack in my voice.
“Hey, hey. It’s fine. I know this is hard for you.
” Jude’s hand reaches out and rubs up and down my arm.
“I’m just here to help, not disturb. Put me to work.
” Jude gives my arm a squeeze before letting it drop, stepping back and looking around the market booth.
“How much longer is the market open for?”
“We can start cleaning up, everything closes out around now and I don’t think we’ll have any more customers.”
We’re basically sold out anyways. Jude offers a nod in acknowledgement, starting to box up our remaining inventory.
I step beside him to help but he quickly stops me.
“I’ve got it. You need to get some better footwear if you’re moving all of this stuff multiple times a week.
” His voice is gruff and shocks me. It’s night and day to the calming tone he just used moments before.
I look down at my shoes, confused. I’m in my sandals, the sandals I always wear. Well, unless there’s snow on the ground. “What do you mean? This is what I always wear to the markets.”
“Just because that’s the way it’s always been done, doesn’t mean it’s the right way.
It’s not safe, not with you doing the heavy lifting.
” I….don’t know what to say to that. So, I say nothing.
I just watch Jude’s back as he lifts and organizes everything we need to take back to the Farm.
For a moment, I let myself drink him in and think of all the things I’d let him do to me if he was anyone else.
For once, my dirty thoughts provide the perfect comeback. I’m glad his back is still to me, I probably look like a lunatic with the grin I have painting my face now.
“You got a foot fetish or something, Muscles?”