AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She hissed out a breath.
“Boy, you don’t even know what ylang-ylang is, how is it you know what’s in that tea?”
He wasn’t giving that secret away, or the fact that he pored over the internet and ordered teas himself, so he knew what was in theirs.
“It’s a gift, what can I say?” He took off the blindfold and looked into the frustrated face of Miss Marla. Behind the counter, Miss Sarah was scowling at him. He then made himself stand and look at her.
“Hi there, Bailey.” She wore a lemon-yellow sweater over a denim skirt. On her feet were sandals, her toes unpainted. Her hair once again was up in that messy knot.
“Hello, Joe.”
“You eaten all that candy yet?”
One side of her mouth lifted as she nodded. “I saw Joe in the grocer’s a few days ago,” she explained to Maggs.
“She devours that stuff, just like you, Joe,” Maggie added.
“It’s good.” He shrugged and made himself look away from Bailey. He felt warm in his chest just knowing that she was standing here beside him.
“What’s paraben then?” Miss Sarah stepped into the conversation—literally. She now stood before him, hands on hips.
“Now, now, we’re not talking about what’s in my shampoo, but what’s in your tea, ladies.” Joe bent to brush a kiss on a soft, paper-thin cheek that smelled of musk. “Have to head off now, have work to do. Come in later, and I’ll pour you a glass of that hideous sherry I stocked just for you, and I can bask in my success.”
“If I didn’t love you so much, Joe Trainer, I’d dislike you intensely.”
“Now you don’t mean that, Miss Sarah. I’m your favorite, admit it.”
“Actually, you may have slipped down to second favorite, as of two days ago.”
“My heart’s breaking here.” He wondered why he was so aware of a woman who was now a stranger to him, but he was. He knew when she walked away, and made himself stay focused on the older woman instead of following Bailey with his eyes.
“Sarah’s star pupil is back in town, aren’t you, Bailey. So to be fair, she has to take first place, seeing as we’ve been following her career for years.”
Because they were talking about her, he could look at her. She was standing beside the counter, looking at the scones.
“So she’s back in town a few days, and my position slides? Hardly seems fair.”
She looked up at him and smiled. It was natural, and made her look sweet, which he did not notice.
“What can I say?” She shrugged. “It’s a gift.” She repeated his words, making everyone laugh.
He had to leave then, because work was piling up. What he actually wanted to do was sit and talk to Bailey, but instead he made himself walk to the door. “I want you two to try harder with the next tasting, because that effort was pathetic.”
“How do you know about marshmallow root?” Miss Marla asked.
“I have a plant.”
That got them scoffing, because everyone knew Joe was no gardener.
“See you round, Bailey, Maggie.”
They waved at him, and Bailey caught his eye, but then looked away. Joe felt that look right to his toes. Closing the door, he made himself walk out into the sunshine under the huge blue-and-purple teacup.
“Let’s go, Buzz.” His dog fell in beside him as he walked.
“Joseph Trainer, the noise coming from your establishment last night was too loud!”
“You have to be kidding me,” Joe said beneath his breath as Mary Howard approached him. “If I say bite, you get to it, boy.”
