‘We have got to stop meeting like this,’ she said wryly. The young shopkeeper’s eyes lit up in recognition.
‘You must be Tammy! Pharis was just telling me about your Uncle Ben’s birthday celebration in The Cheese Wedge and Pickles, and the birthday cake you made for him... He was very impressed with it, and it takes a lot to impress Pharis.’
Now it was Tammy’s turn to raise her eyebrows. She looked at Pharis questioningly. Pharis shot the young girl daggers and her cheeks instantly flushed. ‘I’ll just go and restock the candles,’ she quickly said and headed towards the back of the shop.
Tammy took a step forward, holding up her hand. ‘Wait! I need to discuss buying stock with you.’
The young girl pointed to Pharis. ‘Then you’d better talk with the owner.’ She swiftly opened a door and disappeared through it.
Tammy’s index finger stretched out and her other fingers curled under it as she pointed at Pharis. ‘You... You’re the owner of the farm shop?’
Pharis shrugged and grinned. ‘Guilty as charged. Yes, my family and I own it.’
Tammy flushed, both embarrassed and annoyed that her business plans were dependent on Pharis.
Seeing Pharis in the farm shop standing tall and proud in his chequered shirt and denim jeans, Tammy felt more than a spark of awareness of his rugged features and athletic build. She coughed to hide her involuntary gasp when her eyes finally finished marvelling at the width of his chest and rose to meet his piercing hazel eyes. The tingle she felt was surely just irritation at his cocky attitude, she told herself.
She swallowed and then licked her lips to moisten her dry mouth. ‘Then I’d like to introduce myself as the new tenant of Katherine’s café. I’m taking it over next week.’
Pharis grinned wildly and crossed his burly arms across his large chest. ‘Hmm. So we’ll be bumping into each other quite often then?’
Tammy cleared her throat, trying to find the courage to ask for the same discount Katherine had set in place. ‘Well, that depends.’
Pharis took a step closer. Is it getting hotter in here Tammy thought?
‘On what?’
‘If I can get my supplies at the same...if not,betterdeal than what Katherine has in place with you.’
Pharis huffed. ‘You’re as ruthless as you are pretty.’
Tammy could feel her cheeks getting hotter. She wasn’t ruthless. If she was, she wouldn’t have let Richi take her for everything she had after he was the one who’d done the dirty on her.
As they negotiated, his gaze kept drifting to her lips in a way that made her hair stand on end. Tammy crossed her arms tightly, willing herself not to betray any reaction. She would not be seduced by this arrogant man’s attention. He was likely only interested in a challenge, and she refused to be a conquest.
His roguish grin made her bristle, even as her pulse quickened. Tammy stood her ground, fighting the long-buried urges Pharis’ bold gaze awakened. She was here as a professional, not a hormonal schoolgirl. With relief, she escaped the charged air between them, grateful for the reappearance of the young shop girl. No man would disarm her so easily again.
‘Is that a yes, then?’
He thrust his large, calloused hand forward. ‘It’s a deal.’
Her small hand became lost in his as he wrapped his brutishly strong fingers around hers to shake.
She pulled her hand free. ‘Great. I’ll be back later in the week with a list.’ She didn’t wait for a reply. She hurried out of the farm shop, feeling flustered. The cool breeze outside helped cool her cheeks and she took a moment to breathe it in before getting into Mina’s car.
Mina stared at her profile. ‘Hot in there, was it? Your cheeks are like beacons.’ Tammy looked out of the window to avoid eye contact paranoid Mina would be able to read what just transgressed like a gypsy reading tea leaves. Mina reversed and drove slowly over a large pile of dung, making her way back down the country lane. ‘Okay, am I taking you back to the café or to Ben’s cottage?’
‘The cottage, please.’ When they were just about to pull onto the main road, Tammy hit her forehead with the heel of her hand. ‘Oh no. I forgot to buy lamb chops for Ben.’
‘Do you want me to turn around?’
Tammy shook her head. ‘No, not to worry. I have to come back in a couple of days. I’ll get some then.’ Mina pulled out onto the road. ‘Actually Mina, can you drop me at The Cheese Wedge and Pickles? I’ll see if they will do me a couple of meals to go.’
‘Sure.’
***
TAMMY WAVED GOODBYEto Mina. She took out her phone and checked the time. It was only 3.05 PM. Too late to order from the lunchtime menu. She would just have to come back later to buy their evening meal.
