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Things started off really well, especially with the samples and it being the first day of the new season for this market.
But then there was a slight hiccup which was a nice way to say someone was a bitch.
“I’m so sorry, there seems to be a mistake,” a woman said loudly with a fake smile about an hour in. “I don’t know what you put down to get a booth here, but we only allow local produce.”
I blinked at her and her almost gleeful tone. “Yes, or products made with local produce. I didn’t put down anything but what I sell, so I’d appreciate you not making me sound like a swindler. And especially not with the intent of embarrassing me.”
She blinked right back at me for calling her out on her shit. “You expect me to believe you locally grew a list of fruit I cannot even pronounce and never heard of?”
I chuckled softly, smirking at her. “Your ignorance aside, I’m wondering why I’d have to convince you of anything.”
“I’m one of the coordinators and—”
“Okay, you’re one of theassistantsbecause I spoke with the manager who approved my application when I assured her everything I sell comes from mygreenhouseswhich are local. Besides the honey. She allowed that because I’m allergic to bees and something as benign as honey or sugar is fine, but theproducein my wares is local. All of it.”
She pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes at me before remembering the performance she was putting on and smiling again. “Really? You grow acai trees in your greenhouses?”
“Dwarf ones, yes, and I’m not the only one I know of,” I answered. “I have several types of dwarf trees including citrus.” I rolled over her when she opened her mouth again. “Are we done with this disturbance to the market and the kind people who came out to support it?
“I don’t expect some local politeness for the new girl who just moved here and hired people, but you’ll give an apology, right?”
“Apologize for what? Checking you’re here validly and not a con?”
“Your vernacular and making a scene for one,” I threw right back. “To assume someone’s conning people instead of maybe amistakeand there’s not one, so you’re in the wrong. Most people with manners apologize. If you won’t, I’m sure you’re busy assisting all the vendors and have lots to do.”
She gave me a half sneer and half smile before strutting off like she owned the place.
“What the fuck was that?” Finn asked under his breath, his gaze following her as mine was.
I shook my head, catching the eye of one of the guys working the booth across the way.
“You’re competition with her family’s farm that sells jams and jellies,” he told me. “It seems she doesn’t take kindly to having competition like the rest of us have.”
“Wow, that’s fairly cutthroat to come over here and cause a scene, accuse me of lying and conning people just because of that,” I grumbled, shaking my head. “Thanks for the heads-up.”
He shrugged. “Nothing wrong with a bit of healthy competition as long as everyone plays fair. And most of us feel that way, so welcome to the market.”
“Thanks.” I was still upset though, so I let out a slow breath and handed the credit card reader to Finn. “I’m going to do a lap and change my mood. I didn’t even get to really see the market last time working it by myself.”
“Besides that food truck,” he muttered quietly, giving me a knowing look.
Yeah, bringing that up didn’t help my mood. I didn’t even touch his poking, but just thinking of that guy and what he’d said to me, how he’d acted today, miffed me all over again.
I walked around, checking out the produce and impressed with what I found even at the beginning of the season. I bought a few cloth totes that the marketplace booth sold to support the event before heading to the meat section which was pretty rare for a farmers market to have from what I knew. Which admittedly wasn’t as much as I probably should have.
I bought a few pounds of local shrimp that looked fabulous. Then I got some steaks from a grass-fed beef farm that offered more. I talked to the owner about getting some whole hogs over the summer and they said they could handle that which was nice.
My mood slowly started improving as I talked with nice people and saw lots having fun, enjoying the almost fairground atmosphere.
Finn took what I bought from me and put it in a section of the larger cooler we’d brought so it was separate from the drinks even if it was already wrapped in plastic and then again in the totes. He gave me a quick worried look before leaning in so close that his breath tickled my ear.
“The market’s manager came over after hearing there was an issue. I told her one of the other booths had accused you of being a con and lying to get your booth. She asked who and I told her the bitch didn’t bother to tell me her name but she announced she ran the whole market. She seemed to know who I meant then and was not happy, said to tell you she apologized for the bad behavior.”
“Nicely done,” I praised. I let out a slow breath. “The hit landed hard because of what I can do. I’ve gotten a lot of shit about it all being unnatural and no better than BDEs.”
“That’s bullshit. Fuck them,” he said firmly.
Yeah, I agreed, but sometimes there just wasn’t a switch we could flip inside of us to make us feel that way. Which waswhyI liked selling my mood jams. We couldn’t do it, but sometimes it was nice to have a little push. That was all I did.
