Chapter 30 #2
Phin pulled up in front of Sweet Haven Bakery, got out, and went inside. Sally was at the counter. “Hello, Phin, honey! It’s been a long time since we’ve seen you in here.”
“I think it was last week,” Phin pointed out.
“Well, you know we can’t keep track of folks’ comings and goings. Though I would like to see that handsome Mr. Stormfyr again. Now there is a tall drink of water.”
“You said it,” came Louise’s voice from her usual table. Phin hadn’t noticed her sitting there.
Louise took one look at Phin and frowned. “What’s the matter with you? You don’t look happy.”
Sally looked at her too. “She’s right, Phin. What’s going on?”
“I was in Coos Bay looking for a job.”
“Oh, I know that look,” Louise said. “You got skunked, didn’t you? Couldn’t find anything?”
“I’m afraid not. Can I get an iced latte, please?” she asked Sally.
“Sure, honey.” Sally got to work as Phin looked around. “Where’s Hana?” she asked.
“She went home early. Something about Anon and some of his tenants getting back from a small trip they took.”
“A trip?” Phin said, curiosity piqued. “Where did they go?”
“I don’t know,” Sally said. “She didn’t say.”
“Really? Huh.” Phin looked at Louise. “That’s interesting, isn’t it?” If anyone might know what was going on, it was Louise. She knew everything.
Louise stuck her nose in the air and pretended nonchalance. “I haven’t heard a thing. I don’t know what’s going on. Nobody informs me anymore.”
“Informs you?” Sally laughed. “Good grief, Louise. You’re the one informing most everyone else.”
“True, but not this time. I’ve lost a bit of my spark, I suppose. I haven’t written a column in a couple of weeks now. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
Phin giggled. “That’s so unlike you. Are you sure you don’t know anything?”
Louise pressed her lips together and shook her head.
Phin sighed. She obviously wasn’t going to get anything out of her.
She paid for her latte and left, sipping it as she went out the door. It was good. She stopped a moment to relish the flavor.
Maybe all she needed was the coffee, and she’d be fine by the time she got home. But instead she took a walk and wound up in front of the shop where Rhaz had decided to make a point to the shopkeeper.
Phin still didn’t know what he said to the shopkeeper. Swallowing her pride, she went inside.
The same saleswoman was behind the counter. When she looked up and saw Phin, she smiled. “Hello again. How can I help you today?”
Phin cocked her head. Why was the woman being so friendly? “Oh, you remember me.”
She approached the counter. “I, um, wanted to say I’m sorry about last weekend when my friend and I were here. He’s from out of the country, and he’s...
“He’s a very generous man.” The woman cut her off. “My goodness, you must be very special to him.”
“What?” Phin’s eyebrows knit in confusion. “I don’t understand. He was being kind of rude to you.”
“On the contrary, my dear. He bought you all those clothes. I hope you’ve worn some of them.”
Phin stared at her. “What?”
“Oh dear, he hasn’t given them to you yet.” The woman’s hands flew to her mouth. “I am so sorry. I’ve spoiled the surprise.”
“Surprise?” Phin said in confusion. “What are you talking about?”
“Forgive me, but all the things you were looking at the other day and liked? He bought them for you. He obviously hasn’t given them to you yet.”
Phin’s jaw dropped. “He did what?”
“Oh, I knew I shouldn’t have told you,” the woman said, clasping her hands before her. “Please don’t tell him. Act surprised when he gives them to you. Maybe he’s waiting for the right moment.”
Phin’s jaw dropped again. “You mean he... he bought those things for me?” A slow smile crept over her face. “I mean... wow.”
The woman laughed. “Indeed. Like I said, he’s a very generous man.”
“No kidding,” Phin said. She wasn’t going to tell her about the ring, and she could only imagine how much the clothes had cost.
She gave her attention back to the woman. “I’ll be sure to tell him—I mean—oh my gosh, this is such a shock.” She put her hands to her temples. “I won’t say anything. I promise. And I’ll be more surprised when I actually see everything, so you don’t have to worry. I won’t have to pretend.”
“That’s a relief,” the woman said. “You’re a very lucky young lady. He must care for you very much.”
Her mind gripped the word “care”. “Yes. Yes, he does, I suppose.”
“You suppose?” The woman laughed. “Oh honey, that’s a man in love.”
There was the word her mind wanted to hear. Now that she’d heard it, though, it made her nervous. “Oh wow.” She swallowed. “Yes, I suppose so. Thank you. Thank you very much.”
She left the shop, got into her car, and sat for a moment. Rhaz had purchased a bunch of clothes for her. Good grief, they must have been anywhere from five hundred to seven hundred dollars.
Which meant he spent...
Oh goodness.
She fanned herself. That was a lot of money. No one had ever spent that kind of money on her before. But buying her presents did not mean he loved her. It just meant he had money.
Phin leaned back in her car seat, holding her latte in her hands, and stared at the ceiling.
“Oh, Rhaz, what are you doing? You’ve got to make things clear, buddy, or my heart’s not going to be able to take this.”
She sat up straight. “And where did you go anyway?” She swallowed hard, then took a sip of her latte. “All right,” she said out loud. “I’ll admit it.”
She nodded to herself. “I miss him. I miss him a lot.”
Phin squeezed her eyes shut. “This is bad. Oh, so bad.” What if he’d left? But he couldn’t have left, she thought suddenly. “He didn’t give me the clothes yet. And if they were a present, he would have given them to me before he left, wouldn’t he?
Oh, but maybe not.
She sat up straighter. “Maybe that means he’s gone home to pack up all his things, and he’s coming back to the States permanently.”
She smiled at that, hoping it was true. Phin started her car, a smile still on her face, and headed for Jessica’s.