Chapter 17 #2
Her mother had insisted on coming with her and spent the entire drive talking about the supposed talent show.
Her father had contributed his own opinions regarding what sort of fruit they should be.
They kept circling back to the Lemon Sisters, though he’d suggested the Banana Jammers, which Phin had to admit was an interesting name.
Once her mother pointed out that lemon costumes would be cheaper to make, he’d reluctantly agreed.
Phin looked at the full parking lot.
The farmer’s market was held near the high school. Between the parking lot and the tennis courts was an alleyway between two buildings, making it the perfect place to set up booths on either side and create a shaded center aisle. In the summertime, it was one of the nicest places in town.
“Are we ready?” her mother asked, patting her dark hair.
“Babs, where are the shopping bags?” Her father disappeared into the back seat of the family station wagon, which was thirty years old if it was a day and somehow still running, before emerging with several canvas bags.
“Found them.” He shut the door, adjusted his sunglasses, and the three of them headed for the market.
They crossed the parking lot and entered the crowd. Everyone seemed to be laughing, chatting, and carrying cups of iced tea or coffee from one vendor or another. It also seemed as though everyone was carrying goat cheese.
“Oh no,” her mother cried. “What if we’re too late? What if Dr. Blackstone has sold out?”
Phin blew out a breath. “Mom, don’t worry. It’s still early. He usually doesn’t sell out until he’s been here a couple of hours.”
“I don’t know,” her father said. “Look at that crowd around Dr. Blackstone’s booth.”
Phin looked. Then she gaped. “I can’t even see him.”
“Neither can I.” Her mother immediately picked up the pace.
The three of them cut through the crowd as best they could until they reached Anon’s booth. There had to be a dozen women gathered around it, all talking at once.
“I’ll take three cranberry.”
“Can I get two olive?”
“Do you still have any jalape?o left?”
If Phin had stood on her tiptoes, she still wouldn’t have been able to see Rhaz.
He’d said he was helping Anon today. Apparently, he was also good for business.
Maybe she should have talked more on the walk back to Anon’s house yesterday. Instead, she’d been too embarrassed and too afraid of saying something stupid. So she’d mostly kept quiet unless he asked her a direct question.
When they’d crossed the bridge and reached the chain-link fence, her heart had been beating so loudly she thought she might pass out.
To her shame—or maybe not—Phin had never had a boyfriend. She certainly wasn’t admitting that to anyone. Most people assumed she’d dated in college or was simply too busy for a relationship. Which was true. She had been busy.
So why was she suddenly feeling jealous?
Phin pushed her way through the crowd, her mother right behind her, and finally caught sight of Rhaz. He stood behind the table, wide-eyed and smiling as three young women Phin recognized from community college practically hung on his every word.
The women looked ready to drool.
Rhaz caught sight of her and immediately smiled.
Her stomach fluttered.
“Have you tried the goat cheese?” he asked.
“Many times.” She nodded.
“I’d like to try some,” her mother announced.
Her mother looked at Phin, winked, and returned her attention to Rhaz.
Phin covered her eyes with one hand. Oh no. If there was one thing her mother excelled at, it was embarrassing her in public.
This could get ugly. What was she thinking coming with her parents?
She peeked between her fingers as Rhaz spread goat cheese onto a cracker and handed it to her mom.
“It is olive,” he explained.
Several women nearby looked ready to swoon.
Phin wanted to gag.
Anon, meanwhile, looked perfectly content as he handed out samples, bagged goat cheese, collected money, made change, and watched the crowd continue to grow.
Rhaz spotted her again and lifted a hand in greeting.
“Good morning, Phin. Barbara. Bill. It is nice to see you.” Anon looked around. “Where’s Jessica?”
“Oh, who knows?” Barbara replied. “I’m sure she’ll wander down here eventually. She always buys her vegetables at the market.”
“So do I,” Anon announced. “Who’s next?”
Several women immediately raised their hands. Most of them were looking at Rhaz. Not the goat cheese.
Rhaz smiled politely back at them. It looked as though he was simply handing out samples. “Are you sure you don’t want to try some?” he asked Phin again.
She finally caved. “All right. How about the olive? That one looks good.”
Rhaz spread a generous portion onto a cracker and handed it to her. She took it and nibbled the edge.
As expected, it was delicious. Anon’s goat cheese always was. No matter the flavor, the man was an expert at making it.
“Mmm. Nice.”
Rhaz’s eyes widened. “You like it, Phin. Would you like another?”
“I’d like some.”
Phin instantly recognized the voice. Great. Sandra Gilpin. Of all the people who could have shown up, it had to be Sandra.
Sandra had never liked her, and Phin had never cared much for Sandra either. For obvious reasons.
Sandra shoved her way through the crowd, bumping Phin’s mother, which in turn knocked her into Phin. “Excuse me,” Phin said. “Please be careful.”
Sandra shot her a sideways glance before turning her full attention to Rhaz. “Oh, you’re new.” Her eyes raked over him. “I’d like to put you on a cracker.”
Phin cringed.
Rhaz looked down at the cracker in his hand. “I do not think that would be possible.”