chuckled in victory.
We got to the door of the Pike and Zoey saw us. She smiled as she rushed over to hold it open for us. “Hi, ladies.”
I blushed, and Ash wiggled her eyebrows at her. Then Zoey scowled at the motor and said, “That looks heavy.”
I nodded, and she chirped over her shoulder, “Let me get the kitchen door.” The place was already crowded. It looked busier than normal.
She hustled over and opened the swinging door as we lugged our load through, passing the twins who were stocking the front display cases and waving at us. We sat the motor down on the ground beside the Kok Stjarna and relaxed. My arms felt like spaghetti and Ash signed, “Next time, we use a hand truck.” She pointed at the red hand truck by the boxes of product in the corner.
I squinted at her accusingly, and she chuffed out some laughter and signed, “Don't complain, you took advantage of it for your own nefarious purposes just now.”
I blushed and looked down as Zoey chuckled at our banter and asked Ash as she grinned at me, “And what did our intrepid Leigh do?”
I grinned at my hands as I wrung them and said, “We're watching Twilight tonight.” Then I signed “Ha.” to my girl.
Zoey almost giggled at that but was able to turn it into a chuckle instead as she signed, “I thought you hated that series, Ash.”
Amber squinted one eye at me accusingly, her hands a blur of motion, “The little minx proclaimed it when we were carrying the motor so I couldn't protest.” I looked down bashfully and grinned.
Zoey rolled her eyes and bumped shoulders with Ash and said, “Just suck it up, Buttercup. She's too cute to argue with.”
My gal just nodded seriously as she signed in resignation, a smile threatening at the corners of her lips, “There is that.” Then she added the question of, “I take it Kenzie is keeping the Pike open?”
I saw both sorrow and the extreme joy and excitement warring around in her eyes as the redhead shook her head and shared, “McKenzie made me controlling partner!” She couldn't keep the excitement from her voice or hands from bleeding through.
Then she seemed to bounce on her toes as she added, “So the first order of business is to make the chief cook and bottlewasher's job easier by getting that Swedish beast fixed.”
Ash gave her a quick hug and signed, “Congrats...” Then added with a somber face more slowly, “It is good to know the Pike will still have a Mrs. Z.” I blinked. I hadn't thought of that. Zoey would carry on the Z tradition. It was a sad but hopeful thought. I saw the same realization pass through Zoey's eyes.
She reached over and laid her hand on Ashley's shoulder and gave it a little squeeze before turning to look at the kitchen. She changed the subject. “Well I'll let you girls get to it. We are simply swamped and the the ovens are working overtime. And June said she'd visit before she went down to Vancouver to visit the folks.”
The twins came into the back back as Ash unplugged the beast and began taking off the access covers. I have never felt my anxiety kick in around children, and I loved that I could feel normal around them. They were endlessly fascinated with what Ash was doing and asked a million questions I couldn't answer. I loved that the twins signed so I didn't have to butcher the tech speak my tinkering pixie shot at them.
She kept tossing me parts, signing, “Crap.” or “Junk.” or “Keep.” I made two piles feeling mostly useless. I was the trash sorter and tool wrangler.
When Ashley started fashioning some sort of motor mounting adapter with short pieces of L-shaped metal with holes drilled in it at even intervals, Max coaxed me into helping her bring the items that Zoey started pulling out of the ovens to the front cases. The whole place smelled of that heavenly aroma of fresh baked bread. The most tempting of calling cards for the tourists arriving at the Market.
I
We got to the door of the Pike and Zoey saw us. She smiled as she rushed over to hold it open for us. “Hi, ladies.”
I blushed, and Ash wiggled her eyebrows at her. Then Zoey scowled at the motor and said, “That looks heavy.”
I nodded, and she chirped over her shoulder, “Let me get the kitchen door.” The place was already crowded. It looked busier than normal.
She hustled over and opened the swinging door as we lugged our load through, passing the twins who were stocking the front display cases and waving at us. We sat the motor down on the ground beside the Kok Stjarna and relaxed. My arms felt like spaghetti and Ash signed, “Next time, we use a hand truck.” She pointed at the red hand truck by the boxes of product in the corner.
I squinted at her accusingly, and she chuffed out some laughter and signed, “Don't complain, you took advantage of it for your own nefarious purposes just now.”
I blushed and looked down as Zoey chuckled at our banter and asked Ash as she grinned at me, “And what did our intrepid Leigh do?”
I grinned at my hands as I wrung them and said, “We're watching Twilight tonight.” Then I signed “Ha.” to my girl.
Zoey almost giggled at that but was able to turn it into a chuckle instead as she signed, “I thought you hated that series, Ash.”
Amber squinted one eye at me accusingly, her hands a blur of motion, “The little minx proclaimed it when we were carrying the motor so I couldn't protest.” I looked down bashfully and grinned.
Zoey rolled her eyes and bumped shoulders with Ash and said, “Just suck it up, Buttercup. She's too cute to argue with.”
My gal just nodded seriously as she signed in resignation, a smile threatening at the corners of her lips, “There is that.” Then she added the question of, “I take it Kenzie is keeping the Pike open?”
I saw both sorrow and the extreme joy and excitement warring around in her eyes as the redhead shook her head and shared, “McKenzie made me controlling partner!” She couldn't keep the excitement from her voice or hands from bleeding through.
Then she seemed to bounce on her toes as she added, “So the first order of business is to make the chief cook and bottlewasher's job easier by getting that Swedish beast fixed.”
Ash gave her a quick hug and signed, “Congrats...” Then added with a somber face more slowly, “It is good to know the Pike will still have a Mrs. Z.” I blinked. I hadn't thought of that. Zoey would carry on the Z tradition. It was a sad but hopeful thought. I saw the same realization pass through Zoey's eyes.
She reached over and laid her hand on Ashley's shoulder and gave it a little squeeze before turning to look at the kitchen. She changed the subject. “Well I'll let you girls get to it. We are simply swamped and the the ovens are working overtime. And June said she'd visit before she went down to Vancouver to visit the folks.”
The twins came into the back back as Ash unplugged the beast and began taking off the access covers. I have never felt my anxiety kick in around children, and I loved that I could feel normal around them. They were endlessly fascinated with what Ash was doing and asked a million questions I couldn't answer. I loved that the twins signed so I didn't have to butcher the tech speak my tinkering pixie shot at them.
She kept tossing me parts, signing, “Crap.” or “Junk.” or “Keep.” I made two piles feeling mostly useless. I was the trash sorter and tool wrangler.
When Ashley started fashioning some sort of motor mounting adapter with short pieces of L-shaped metal with holes drilled in it at even intervals, Max coaxed me into helping her bring the items that Zoey started pulling out of the ovens to the front cases. The whole place smelled of that heavenly aroma of fresh baked bread. The most tempting of calling cards for the tourists arriving at the Market.
I
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