Page 48 of Harmony Island Gazette
It was eleven thirty when I saw a man about my age approach the register. He looked like a man on a mission as he caught my gaze and smiled.
“Hi,” he said as he stood a few feet away from me, grasping his hands as he leaned forward.
I handed Mrs. Parkes her receipt. She thanked me and headed toward the sliding doors. I had no more customers, so I turned my attention to him. “Hello, how can I help you?” I asked, confused as to why he’d started his grocery shopping experience with talking to me.
“I’m looking for Boone Lewis, and I was told he works here.”
I frowned.
The man seemed to pick up on my reaction. “Does he work here?”
“Um…who are you?”
He shook his head like he’d just realized he made a mistake. “So sorry, I’m Asher Wolfe. I’m a new realtor on the island.” He extended his hand.
I studied it before I took it. “Juniper Godwin.” I pulled my hand back. “What does a realtor want with Boone?”
“So, he works here?”
Crap. Well, I’d already given up the game. But I wasn’t just going to send this man back to Boone without sussing out who he was first. If he wasn’t good for Boone, I was going to send him on his way.
“He works here, but I don’t let anyone harass my employees.” I stood straighter as I studied him.
Asher widened his eyes and held up his hands. “I’m not harassing him at all. I just wanted to run something by him.”
I frowned.
“It’s completely innocent, I promise.” A silence fell between us. Asher must have realized that I wasn’t going to give up his location, so he moved to pull his phone from his pocket. “I have a reference if you want. Ella Calipso. Do you know her? She’s a journalist here on Harmony.”
Ella.“You know Ella?”
He nodded. “You know Ella?”
“I’ve met her.”
He laughed. “Then you know if I’m friends with her, then I can’t be bad, right?”
I didn’t know that, but if he knew Ella, then there was a certain level of trust I could give him. And maybe this was all innocent, and I was making a big deal out of nothing. I sighed before I narrowed my eyes and then nodded my head toward the back of the store. “Last I saw, he was stocking the ice cream freezers.”
Asher flicked his gaze in the direction I’d indicated before he nodded. “Wonderful.” He didn’t acknowledge me again as he passed by in front of me and headed toward the freezers.
I sat at the register, stewing over what had just happened. What did a realtor want with Boone? I chewed on my thumbnail as my mind swirled with questions.
Had I done the wrong thing, sending that man to look for Boone?
Unable to stand at the register any longer, I picked up the phone and pressed four to ring the bakery. Kate answered after two rings.
“Hey, Juniper.”
“Kate, can you do me a favor?”
“Sure.”
As soon as Kate got to the register, I told her I’d be right back and headed to find Boone and Asher. I found them tucked in the back corner, with Asher talking and Boone listening. Thankfully, neither man noticed me as I approached.
“…I understand, but this is a solid offer on your mother’s house that is struggling.”
Boone was staring at the cooler in front of him. I could tell that he was listening, but from this body language, he wasn’t happy with what was being said. Guilt washed over me. I should have sent Asher packing, especially if this was about Boone’s mom.
