Page 3 of Deep Fried Devotion
"Well then!," Jennie clapped her hands together with relief. "I'll leave you two to work out the details. Fair opens at four, and I expect this corner to be the talk of the weekend."
As the crowd dispersed, vendors heading back to their own setup challenges, Birdie and Soren were left alone.
"So," Birdie said, determined to start this partnership on the right foot. "Deep-fried energy drinks, huh? That's actually kind of brilliant."
Soren's shoulders relaxed a fraction. "Your bubble gum concept is technically challenging. I'm curious about your stabilization method."
It wasn't exactly friendly, but it wasn't hostile either. Birdie decided to count it as progress.
"I guess we're neighbors for the weekend," she said, extending her hand. "Partners in deep-fried chaos?"
Soren looked at her outstretched hand like it might explode, but after a moment's hesitation, he shook it. His grip was firm and surprisingly she felt a little tingle of attraction in the brief contact.
"Partners," he agreed, though he made the word sound like a medical diagnosis.
As they turned to face their respective trucks, Birdie caught Mrs. Plum watching them from her knitting booth with a satisfied smile that suggested she was up to something.
Chapter Two
The fairgrounds buzzed with excitement as families streamed through the gates. Birdie wiped down her counter one last time, then cranked up her portable speaker. Taylor Swift's voice spilled into the afternoon air. If Soren disapproved, he could file a complaint with her playlist.
A family with three children appeared at her window almost immediately. The youngest boy—gap-toothed and maybe six years old—pressed his nose against the small shelf where her samples sat like edible crown jewels.
"Is that really fried bubble gum?" His voice held the hushed awe of someone discovering actual magic.
"It absolutely is." Birdie pulled on her food service gloves, grinning at his wide-eyed wonder. "Want to try one? It tastes like strawberry bubble gum but crunches like the world's best cookie."
The boy's mother stepped closer, protective instincts warring with curiosity. "Is it safe for children?"
"Completely safe. I use a special edible gum base and coat it in my grandmother's secret batter recipe. No actual gum anywhere near it." Birdie gestured toward her prep station where ingredient lists were posted in cheerful script. "I have a nephew about his age. I'd never serve anything I wouldn't give him."
From Soren's truck came his voice, clinical as a professor's lecture. "Deep-fried energy drink?" A teenager was reading his menu board with fascination. "How does that even work?"
"I create spherical gels using sodium alginate, then coat them in a temperature-controlled batter that maintains the carbonation effect," Soren explained.
The teenager nodded like he understood every syllable, though his blank expression suggested otherwise.
I make these gel balls with—well, it's complicated chemistry stuff—but they fizz when you bite them,” Soren said.
“Righteous.” The teen nodded and handed over some money.
"I'll take three bubble gum bites and one of those cola things," the mother decided, wallet already emerging from her purse.
"Excellent choice." Birdie dropped the treats into hot oil, watching them bubble and transform into golden perfection. The deep-fried cola balls were her proudest invention. Somehow she'd managed to capture the fizzy sweetness of childhood summers in solid form. "That'll be twelve dollars."
She handed over the paper boat decorated with cheerful polka dots and watched the family's faces transform with that first bite. The little boy's eyes went round as saucers when the cola ball burst with familiar flavor on his tongue.
"Mom, this is the best thing ever." He bounced on his toes like he'd been spring-loaded. "Can we get more? Can we get ten more?"
Birdie was giddy. This was exactly what Grandma Rose had dreamed of, bringing pure joy to people through weird fried food.
A metallic crash from the neighboring truck shattered her golden moment.
"Everything okay?" she called out, already moving toward the sound.
Soren's head appeared in his service window, dark hair mussed for the first time all day, frustration etched across his features. "Generator hiccupped and my digital scale reset. Ineed exact measurements for the spherification. If the calcium chloride ratio's off by even a gram, the whole batch fails."
The words were barely out of his mouth before Birdie was unplugging her speaker and jogging toward him. "You can use my outlet to get your scale back online. I've got a backup power strip."
