weeks life went on inside
our pack as usual except that Daniel never left. Gavin and Granddad
had taken quite a liking to him. So much so that they suggested he
stay until after fall harvest, maybe even until spring. They said
it would be great to have an extra set of hands to help around the
house.
He heartily agreed and warmly embraced my
pack as a group of friends. This gave him plenty of opportunity to
be around me whenever he chose.
“I can’t decide if I want kale or spinach.
What does your mom prefer?” Daniel stood in front of the greens
section of the market.
“She likes either one.” I said, growing
impatient.
“Your mom is a great cook, by the way. I’ve
never enjoyed dinner so much in my life.”
“Yeah, she is.”
“Who taught her to cook if your grandma is
gone?”
“Granddad taught her.” I put a hand on my hip
hoping he’d get the picture. He didn’t.
“Can I ask what happened to your grandma? Or
is that too personal?”
I sighed. “Grandma died in childbirth with
Mom and her sister Eve. Granddad was so heartbroken he left their
home in New York State and came down here to start over.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Daniel did look sorry.
Maybe I should be nicer to him. I thought
grudgingly. He is trying really hard.
“It’s okay. It’s kind of hard to mourn
someone you’ve never met. Like my dad. I was so little when he died
that I don’t have any memories of him, either.”
“I hear ya. One of my best friends from
childhood was a human boy named Gregg. He got cancer at eighteen
and passed within a year. Having been so close made his death so
much harder to bear.” Daniel’s handsome face tightened with
recollection of this pain. “You know I’ve never told anyone about
Gregg.” He cleared his throat. “My family isn’t very fond of
humans.”
It was my turn for sympathy. “I’m so sorry
Daniel.”
He grabbed some spinach from the shelf. “I’ll
just go with this.”
“I’ll ring it up.” I took the bunch of
spinach from Daniel’s hand, accidentally touching his palm as I did
so. His lopsided smile beamed at me. My cheeks burned as I realized
how hot he was. Ugh…Shake it off. I ordered myself. No way was he
going to get to me. I wouldn’t play into his hands just because he
was a super hot guy who opened up for a minute.
“Five dollars and ten cents.” I put the
spinach in a bag and took Daniel’s ten dollar bill, carefully
avoiding touching him again.
“Thank you Sophie. See you at home.” Daniel
took his change and winked.
It isn’t your home. My irritation
returned.
I turned on my heels and walked over to a
woman examining different baked goods. She and I had a long
discussion about the different homemade breads which took my
thoughts off Daniel.
I was ringing up the lady’s banana nut bread
purchase when Brad, one of our stock boys, came over to my station
with a huge bouquet of white roses wrapped in a lovely pale pink
paper with an embarrassingly giant yellow ribbon. Brad put the
flowers down next to my register. “Hey Sophie, some guy just bought
these from Mrs. Tanner’s booth and he requested that I hand deliver
them immediately.”
“What?” I did a double-take. “Who did you say
it was?” I asked, too surprised to be more eloquent. Hadn’t Daniel
left? I don’t want him buying me flowers.
“Some guy over at Mrs. Tanner’s booth. He’s
probably still there if you want to go thank him. I’ll watch your
station.” He smiled at me and took the banana nut bread from my
hands.
I took off my long maroon apron
apprehensively. I looked all around Mrs. Tanner’s booth but I
couldn’t find anyone other than a small group of older ladies
debating over whether or not to buy the marigolds or dusty millers.
I stood by the booth for a few minutes feeling like an idiot when
someone grabbed my hand and pulled me to the right through the back
door.
The sun shone blindingly bright in my eyes.
For a fraction of a moment I wasn’t sure who
our pack as usual except that Daniel never left. Gavin and Granddad
had taken quite a liking to him. So much so that they suggested he
stay until after fall harvest, maybe even until spring. They said
it would be great to have an extra set of hands to help around the
house.
He heartily agreed and warmly embraced my
pack as a group of friends. This gave him plenty of opportunity to
be around me whenever he chose.
“I can’t decide if I want kale or spinach.
What does your mom prefer?” Daniel stood in front of the greens
section of the market.
“She likes either one.” I said, growing
impatient.
“Your mom is a great cook, by the way. I’ve
never enjoyed dinner so much in my life.”
“Yeah, she is.”
“Who taught her to cook if your grandma is
gone?”
“Granddad taught her.” I put a hand on my hip
hoping he’d get the picture. He didn’t.
“Can I ask what happened to your grandma? Or
is that too personal?”
I sighed. “Grandma died in childbirth with
Mom and her sister Eve. Granddad was so heartbroken he left their
home in New York State and came down here to start over.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Daniel did look sorry.
Maybe I should be nicer to him. I thought
grudgingly. He is trying really hard.
“It’s okay. It’s kind of hard to mourn
someone you’ve never met. Like my dad. I was so little when he died
that I don’t have any memories of him, either.”
“I hear ya. One of my best friends from
childhood was a human boy named Gregg. He got cancer at eighteen
and passed within a year. Having been so close made his death so
much harder to bear.” Daniel’s handsome face tightened with
recollection of this pain. “You know I’ve never told anyone about
Gregg.” He cleared his throat. “My family isn’t very fond of
humans.”
It was my turn for sympathy. “I’m so sorry
Daniel.”
He grabbed some spinach from the shelf. “I’ll
just go with this.”
“I’ll ring it up.” I took the bunch of
spinach from Daniel’s hand, accidentally touching his palm as I did
so. His lopsided smile beamed at me. My cheeks burned as I realized
how hot he was. Ugh…Shake it off. I ordered myself. No way was he
going to get to me. I wouldn’t play into his hands just because he
was a super hot guy who opened up for a minute.
“Five dollars and ten cents.” I put the
spinach in a bag and took Daniel’s ten dollar bill, carefully
avoiding touching him again.
“Thank you Sophie. See you at home.” Daniel
took his change and winked.
It isn’t your home. My irritation
returned.
I turned on my heels and walked over to a
woman examining different baked goods. She and I had a long
discussion about the different homemade breads which took my
thoughts off Daniel.
I was ringing up the lady’s banana nut bread
purchase when Brad, one of our stock boys, came over to my station
with a huge bouquet of white roses wrapped in a lovely pale pink
paper with an embarrassingly giant yellow ribbon. Brad put the
flowers down next to my register. “Hey Sophie, some guy just bought
these from Mrs. Tanner’s booth and he requested that I hand deliver
them immediately.”
“What?” I did a double-take. “Who did you say
it was?” I asked, too surprised to be more eloquent. Hadn’t Daniel
left? I don’t want him buying me flowers.
“Some guy over at Mrs. Tanner’s booth. He’s
probably still there if you want to go thank him. I’ll watch your
station.” He smiled at me and took the banana nut bread from my
hands.
I took off my long maroon apron
apprehensively. I looked all around Mrs. Tanner’s booth but I
couldn’t find anyone other than a small group of older ladies
debating over whether or not to buy the marigolds or dusty millers.
I stood by the booth for a few minutes feeling like an idiot when
someone grabbed my hand and pulled me to the right through the back
door.
The sun shone blindingly bright in my eyes.
For a fraction of a moment I wasn’t sure who
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