Chapter 41 – Mabel
Chapter Forty-One
MABEL
The sun is high and hot this morning and I’m extra glad I tied my long hair into a high ponytail.
I’m at the cafe, baking in the outdoor seating while I wait for Ali.
She’d texted me just as I parked to let me know she was running a few minutes late.
I was hoping she would have beat me here but it’s fine.
I’m able to distract myself from my thoughts by people watching.
I’ve been avoiding downtown Honeyville for awhile now, basically since I decided to retire my Maybe persona.
As I look around, I feel a tug of nostalgia in my chest. It seems while I’ve been away our little town has been flourishing.
A handful of little shops I’ve never seen before but look interesting.
Maybe I’ll have to get the siblings together for a shopping day. I’m sure Paul is aware and could play tour guide for us. As Honeyville’s highest rated handyman, I assume he assisted with some of the set up for these new shops.
My wandering gaze catches on a pair walking with arms linked. Walking down the sidewalk, across the street from me. Long black hair is a pretty contrast to shoulder length auburn hair. It takes a moment for recognition to hit me but it’s some of the pretty girls from the Salon.
They’re just as pretty as they were a month ago.
I can hear their jovial voices but they are just a smidge too far to make out the words. I wonder if they’re a couple. They look to be about my age, maybe a few years younger. Maybe they know Anika or Paul. Lola is less likely since she lives and breathes the Farm. Could they know Jude?
Could they have possibly gone to school with Jude?
Could they have dated Ju—
“Mabel! Oh my god, how is it possible you got prettier while I was gone?” Ali’s voice is high pitched with excitement.
I’m quick to jump up from my seat to hug my friend and former employee.
I’m happy for her arrival, for pulling me out of my thoughts.
“Ali! I missed you.” I wasn’t expecting the rush of emotions at reuniting with her.
“Hurry, let’s order so we can catch up.” I tug Ali into the cool air of the air conditioned cafe. A shiver travels down my spine at the rapid change in temperature, the sweat that had peppered my skin quickly cooling.
It feels like no time has passed, having lunch with Ali. She tells me stories about school and I let her know what’s been happening at the Farm. She’s gobsmacked to hear that Elle is engaged and that her fiance is basically sunshine incarnate.
“I love that Lola started tours, how’s that been going?”
I could go on a tangent about how it was going almost too well. The Farm business has been exploding.
Unfortunately, thinking of how business has been going moves my thoughts to how smart Lola was to start the shadowing program which of course makes it impossible to keep my mind off of Jude.
Naked Jude. Looking up at me as he sucks my soul out of my clit. Over and over and over again.
“Oh, I know that blush! You’re thinking of something naughty.
” Ali’s blonde eyebrows waggle and I curse the lack of filter between the two of us.
“Was it something you did or something someone did to you?” Ali gasps, covering her the side of her mouth in an attempt to hide the next question from anyone who might possibly be listening to our conversation.
“Did a guy finally let you…you-know-what?” I choke on my lemonade at her question.
I had forgotten I had confessed my secret sexy bedroom desire to Ali when she came home for a visit last year.
One of the only times we had been able to get together face to face since her move.
I’ve joked about it with others but Ali is the only one who knows how badly I actually want to eat ass.
Reading books I was definitely too young to read introduced me to the male g-spot and have become very interested in male satisfaction, in the ways that most men are afraid to explore.
I’ve been able to find some past partners who’ve let me tease a finger or massage a taint but none have let me eat them out. Which is fine. I’d never want to pressure someone on their limits, even if it’s something I’ve always been interested in.
“No! It’s just hot today.”
I can barely keep eye contact with Ali.
“Alight, keep your secrets.”
“No secrets! I promise. Well, none of the ass eating variety.”
Ali barks out a laugh and, thankfully, the conversation moves on to other topics like Ali’s move back home and what she wants to do now that she’s done with school. A hopeful part of me thinks that I’m picking up the hints she’s dropping about possibly coming back to work at the Farm.
Ali’s probably one of my favorite non-family member employees Warren Farms have ever had. It was bittersweet watching her head off to school. I was so excited for her to get the new experiences, but knowing she wasn’t going to be working next to me at any markets was hard.
I’ve learned I don’t do well with losing people.
Eventually, we have to part ways but not before I extend an invitation to Elle’s bridal shower and another promise to have lunch again very soon. The hug I give her lasts a little longer than necessary but it was so nice to see her again.
As I get into my truck to head back to the Farm, I pull my phone out and shoot off a text before tossing my phone into the passenger seat. I don’t want to be tempted to check for a response as I make my way home.