Page 2 of Beaches, Bagels & Babes
At least Daisy was wide awake now.
With her jaw buzzing, she garbled out,“Canni-takyerurder?”
The girl giggled even harder while Daisy flushed.
They had to be about the same age. That, though, seemed to be the only thing they had in common.
People used the word “gawky” to describe Daisy. She was the tallest in her class, with muscle from trekking all over the island and a distinct tank-top tan from her work uniform. Her angular face was one her parents promised she would grow into, made more awkward by her most recent haircut. She’d asked the stylist for “Trinity, fromTheMatrix,” and ended up more like an athletic Julia Robert’s Tinker Bell thanks to her ash blonde hair.
This girl, meanwhile, was the complete opposite. She looked like a doll, tiny and cute, with silken ringlet curls tied into effortless pigtails. Her entire outfit was like something from a pre-teen fashion magazine, with low-cut whitewash jeans, a matching halter top, sunflower yellow Converse sneakers,and expensive-looking big movie star shades. Her smile, with perfect, pearly teeth, made Daisy feel all squirmy.
In an instant, the girl’s expression dropped. She covered her mouth and spoke through her fingers with polka dot-painted nails.
“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to laugh. Are you okay?”
“Um, yeah. I’ve got a hard chin.”
DUMB.Dumb, dumb, dummy!Daisy’s internal voice chanted. She swallowed the lump in her throat and willed the transaction to move faster.
One of the girl’s eyebrows arched.
“But, like, you’re bleeding.”
Daisy did not know why, but the words failed to register. She stared at the girl, and the girl stared at her like they were waiting for someone to tell them what to do next.
Then, the girl figured it out.
Dropping her Coach purse onto the countertop as if it weren’t a $500 bag, she dug until she found a pack of tissues. She reached out, offering one.
They stood there like that until Daisy remembered how to be a not-awkward, hormone-ridden mess. She took the tissue and pressed it against her chin. Thankfully, the damage wasn’t too bad; she dabbed away the worst of it and slapped on a bandage from the emergency first-aid kit. The dull, throbbing pain was a distant afterthought as she fell back into service-mode.
“Er, thanks. I think I’ll live. Can I take your order?”
“Oh! Um…” The girl bit her lower lip, messing up her shiny gloss. “I’m sorry, I was just looking. I don’t have any money. I have to ask my uncle if I want stuff.”
Daisy followed the girl’s hesitant gaze to a group of adults near but not in line for the fun pier’s ticket counter. They did not look like shoobies; they looked like businesspeople in their definitely-not beach wear. Something about one tall, stark blond-haired man was familiar, but his back was turned, so she could not see his face.
Without thinking, Daisy offered, “How about a free sample?I’m allowed to give away one per customer.”
“Theydosmell good. But…”
The girl cast another furtive glance back at the adults. She propped her sunglasses on top of her head to look at the bagel bombs under the counter window, revealing bright seafoam blueish-green eyes.
“You’ll eat it in one bite,” Daisy promised. “I’m no narc, they’ll never find out.”
“Well,” the girl asked with an interested tilt, “whatare“bagel bombs?”
“They’re like bagels, butDA BOMB!”
Daisy spun in place and snapped her fingers, doing a little dance just like her parents taught her. Again, the girl giggled. Daisy’s heart, which had not stopped its wild beating, kicked up even harder. Normally, she hated putting on a show, but she liked making this girl laugh.
In a rush, she added, “They’re like mini hot pockets or doughnut poppums. Bite-sized bagels stuffed with different cream cheeses or jellies. We’ve got savory and sweet, your standard favorites, along with the random flavors my dad feels like trying out.”
“Poppyseed, cinnamon raisin, lemon glaze…‘Peanut butter and jelly?’”The girl read with an arched eyebrow.
“Oh. I made that batch. Yeah, I know. PB&J is a little kiddish, but I thought it would be fun and—”
“IlovePB&J! It’s my favorite. What kind of jelly did you use?”
