Chapter 17 #3
Sandra giggled. “Oh, aren’t you funny? All right, then. The whole box of crackers. It would take me longer to eat you.”
His eyes widened. “I beg your pardon?”
“Don’t mind her,” Barbara said. “Sandra, dear, please behave yourself.”
“Oh, hi, Mrs. Ironwood.” Sandra smiled sweetly, then immediately turned that smile back on Rhaz. “Do you have any cranberry left?”
“Yes. How many would you like?”
“Just one. But could I have a sample first?”
“Certainly.” Rhaz picked up a container of cranberry goat cheese, spread some on a cracker, and held it out to her.
Sandra’s posture immediately changed. She pushed out her chest, opened her mouth, and pointed to it.
“Oh, please,” Phin muttered. “Sandra, really?”
“What?” Sandra asked innocently. “I want him to feed me. Is there anything wrong with that?”
“Quite a few things, dear,” Barbara replied. She took the cracker from Rhaz’s hand and gave it to Sandra herself. “There. Problem solved.”
Sandra pouted but accepted defeat. Taking both her sample and her goat cheese, she wandered off toward Anon to pay.
Rhaz immediately leaned toward Phin. “What was she doing?”
Phin blinked. “You don’t know?”
“No.”
“That was Sandra Gilpin’s version of flirting.”
“Flirting.” Rhaz nodded thoughtfully. “I have heard this word. Quill used it the other day.” His eyes widened as he looked at Phin.
“Oh no,” Phin muttered. What was he going to say?
“Hi,” Barbara interrupted before either of them could continue. “I’m Barbara Ironwood. It’s so nice to meet you. We’ve heard a lot about you from Phin.” She stuck out her hand.
Rhaz stared at it. Then he looked at his gloved hands.
“Oh.” Barbara lowered hers. “Sorry. I forgot, you’re handling food. At any rate, it’s lovely to meet you.” She smiled. “Are you seriously thinking about staying in Moon Creek Falls?”
Practically every head around the booth turned toward them. Rhaz glanced around at the crowd and shrugged. “I have not made up my mind.”
“Well, if you do,” Barbara said, “it would be wonderful to have you as the new fire chief.”
Several women nearby sighed dreamily. Phin wanted to bury herself underground.
Her father finally squeezed through the crowd. “Well, hello there, young man.” He adjusted his sunglasses. “Don’t tell me all the goat cheese is sold out.”
“No, sir. We have plenty.”
“Oh, thank goodness. I want two.” He paused. “Better make it three.”
“Wait a minute, Bill.” Barbara frowned. “Do we have any left in the refrigerator?”
“No. I ate it.”
“All of it?”
He thought about it. “Apparently.”
Barbara rolled her eyes. “Three it is.”
Rhaz smiled, retrieved three containers from the cooler behind him, and slid them down the counter toward Anon. “He will check you out.”
“Ah, thanks.” Bill immediately headed in Anon’s direction, weaving through the crowd.
More women continued gathering around the booth. Phin had officially had enough. “Well, it was nice seeing you.” She smiled at Rhaz. “Are you having fun?”
He nodded. “I find it very interesting. I have never sold anything in a market before.”
“It’s usually not this busy.”
“It’s because of him,” Barbara announced. Several women nearby nodded. Phin groaned inwardly.
“It is… entertaining,” Rhaz said diplomatically.
“Come on, Phin,” her mother said. “Let’s go.”
Phin gave him a small wave and started after her parents.
Before she’d taken three steps, Rhaz appeared beside her on her side of the counter. She blinked. “What is it?”
He glanced around, then lowered his voice. “I would like to have lunch with you.”
Her eyes widened. Several women nearby glared. Oh. They’d heard. Every single one of them.
“Well...” she hedged.
“What a lovely idea,” Barbara declared before Phin could answer. “Invite him over, dear. I’ll make tuna melts.”
Phin closed her eyes. Subjecting Rhaz to her parents might not be the wisest decision she’d ever made.
“What is a tuna melt?” Rhaz asked.
“It’s a?—”
“You’ll see, young man,” Bill interrupted. “Hurry up, Phin. I need carrots and celery.”
Phin sighed. “Would you like to come over for lunch and try a tuna melt?”
Rhaz smiled down at her. “I would love to.”
Her heart immediately performed a small gymnastics routine.
“I think we will be finished soon,” he continued. “We only have enough goat cheese for perhaps another hour.”
“Goodness gracious,” Barbara said.
“Anon says he is selling out faster than usual.”
“I wonder why,” Phin muttered.
Rhaz missed the comment entirely. “So where do you live?” he asked.
“I’ll come get you,” she said quickly. “Or meet you here at noon. Unless you’ll already be home by then. I can call Dr. Blackstone,” she added. “I mean, Anon, and let him know I’m on my way.”
“Excellent.”
Why was she suddenly incapable of speaking? “All right.”
He gave her a warm smile before returning to his post behind the counter. A second later, her father grabbed her arm and steered her toward the vegetable stand. “Come on. The good carrots go fast.”
Phin looked back over her shoulder. Rhaz was already handing out samples again. Three women immediately moved in closer.
She narrowed her eyes. Maybe the carrots could wait.