Page 28 of The Mountain Man's Mail-Order Mafia Princess

By the time Mabel rang everything up, the counter was covered with clothing, toiletries, groceries, two packaged sandwiches, bottled water, and paper bags that filled the back seat of Jonah’s truck.

The total appeared on the register.

I opened the notes app on my phone and entered the amount.

Jonah watched me. “You’ll have the receipt.”

“I’m making my own record.”

“That doesn’t surprise me.”

I added the date and typed LOAN FROM JONAH in capital letters.

Mabel leaned over the counter. “You want me to witness it?”

“That would be helpful.”

She took the phone, added her name beneath the entry, and handed it back.

Jonah paid nothing in cash. Mabel wrote the charge into a thick account book beneath the counter and gave me an itemized receipt.

I folded it and placed it in my handbag.

“There,” I said. “Nobody is confused.”

“I wasn’t confused,” Jonah said.

“I’m preventing future confusion.”

“Is that different from expecting it?”

“Yes.”

“How?”

“I’ll explain after lunch.”

Mabel pointed toward a small table near the post-office area. “Eat before you start another session. You both look meaner when you’re hungry.”

We sat with the packaged sandwiches and water while Mabel helped another customer at the counter.

Jonah took the chair facing the store. I sat across from him, the bags stacked beside us.

He opened his sandwich. “Did you call anyone?”

“No.”

He paused, then took a bite.

“That’s all you’re going to say?” I asked.

“You had privacy. What you did with it is your business.”

“I’m going back to the cabin.”

He set down his sandwich. “Why?”

“I haven’t completed the week.”