“How much?”Chloeasked, businesslike.
“Thirty.”
“Sold.”
Alice rushed away, presumably to get the earrings, whileChloefished some cash out of her pocket.Shehanded a twenty toDylan.
“Chloe,”Iwhispered, leaning over the table to her, “what the hell are you doing?Wedon’t have the money for all this.”
“We do,” she said, ignoring me as she rearranged the bits in the gift basket. “Jengave me a marketing budget thatIbarely touch.I’mgonna host a giveaway for all this, which everyone whose stuff is in the basket will share on their profiles, and it’ll get us loads of new followers.Andfollowers means customers, which means money.”
I nodded along as she spoke–Iknew nowhere near enough about it all to know if she was right, butI’dseen her in action enough now to give her the benefit of the doubt.
Alice came back over with a pair of amber earrings that caught the light beautifully.Chloeadded them to the basket, then stepped back and started taking photos from different angles.
A woman walking by stopped to admire the display. “Oh, that’s gorgeous!Isit for sale?”
“This particular basket is for a giveaway,”Chloesaid smoothly. “Buteverything in it is available from vendors here today.”
“I already got the cured meat,” the woman said, holding up a package from another stall. “Doesthis mead pair well with it?”
“Absolutely,”Chloesaid, not missing a beat, grabbing a bottle of theGoldenDragon. “Thisone would go perfectly with it – the oak ageing gives it the structure to stand up to the charcuterie, and the fruit notes cut through the fattiness well.TheHenfordis nice, too, though, because it’s got a lot of herbal notes that pair well with the meat.”
The woman smiled up atChloeas she spoke, visibly delighted.Damn, she was so charming.
“I’ll take one of each,” the woman said, andChloebeamed with pride.
“Are you a cheeseboard kind of person?Doyou want some honey to go with it?”
“Sure, doIget to spin the wheel?”Thewoman asked, andChloestepped aside for her to give it a go.Itmade a lovely clicking noise as it spun, though maybeIjust liked it because it meant we’d made a sale.Thewoman ended up getting thirty per cent off her honey, which was our first jar sold for the day, so everyone walked away happy.
“Not bad,Barlow,”Isaid as the woman left, andChloesmiled sweetly at me, butIdidn’t get a chance to enjoy it, because two different shoppers who had been nearby came up to the table after that, and we were off to the races.
* * *
We didn’t sell out– we didn’t even come close to the success of the cheese festival – but the rest of the market was significantly better for business than the morning.AliceandDylanhad sold better, too, andDylaneven had two commissions for more bees ahead of the next market day.Chloe’sgift basket photos were already getting engagement online, and several people had stopped at our table specifically because they’d seen theorganisersshare the giveaway post online.
By the time we packed up,Iwas feeling marginally less terrible about the day.
The drive back to the farm was quiet, both of us tired from hours of forced enthusiasm.Ikept glancing atChloe, wanting to say something about how she’d turned the day around; how impressedIwas, yet again, with her quick thinking.HowimpressedIwas with her all the time, in fact.Butshe seemed too satisfied, her head back against the seat rest with a soft smile on her face, andIdidn’t want to make things weird again.
We were unloading the van, still in silence, whenIheard the crunch of gravel and turned to seeJack’svintageDefendercrawling up the drive.
Before the others arrived,IknewIneeded to clear the air withChloe.OrIwanted to, anyway, maybe selfishly.ButIonly had a moment or two, depending on how quicklyJackdrove, soIstepped in front of her as she headed back to the van, ignoring the look of surprise and disgruntlement on her face.
“I owe you an apology,”Isaid, setting down a box of unsold inventory on the ground at my feet. “Forbeing grumpy this morning, but also for other things.”
Chloe looked up, surprised, a look of pleading crossing her face. “Youdon’t have to?—”
“Yes,Ido.”Itook a breath, trying to find the right words. “And, besides, you were amazing today.Notjust with the gift basket, but with the customers, too.Youknow our product better than … well, better thanIdo, if the blind tasting is anything to go by.”
“I pay attention,” she said quietly. “Icare about this place.Whatyou’re—whatweare doing here.”
It made me smile hearing her use the word “we”. “Iknow you do,”Isaid. “Andit makes a massive difference.”Ipaused, watching car doors slam across the parking lot. “AndIknow there are other things going on, but the most important thing to say is that you’re in the right place.We’relucky to have you.”
The expression that crossedChloe’sface– surprise, gratitude, maybe a lingering hint of trepidation– made my chest tighten in a wayIwasn’t prepared for.
“Teddy—” she started, butJackhad parked his car alongside the van, and we could hear the opening and closing of doors.
