Page 64 of Heartland
Rickie comes out of the house just as I have this horrible realization. “Hey, man. We’re out of groceries. Want to drive me to Hannaford?”
“Get in,” I say, fishing for my keys. “But we’re going to City Market.”
“Ooh, fancy,” Rickie says, opening the passenger door. “What’s the occasion?”
“Saving my ass and selling caramels.”
“Can I try one, yet?” he asks.
“I guess,” I grumble. “Chastity hates me already for a long list of reasons. A few missing caramels won’t even hit the top ten.”
“Chastity does not hate you,” Rickie says, grabbing a box off the backseat as I back down the driveway and then hustle the truck through our little neighborhood.
“You don’t know that.”
“I sense a story here.”
“Yeah, you have no idea.”
* * *
“You’re late,” the manager of the upscale food co-op says when I locate her in an office in back.
“I know,” I say immediately. “My business partner is probably going to kill me. She’s the kind of person who is never late to anything. She made these candies by hand, but then couldn’t be here to meet with you.”
“Why not?” the woman asks, frowning. “She was so nice on the phone, she said she’d pitch to me herself.”
“Because I made her life difficult.” I swallow hard.She’s too busy crying to remember your appointment. “She’s probably inventing ways to kill me right now.”
“Sounds like there’s a story there,” the woman says, lifting an eyebrow.
“That’s what I said,” Rickie grumbles from somewhere behind me.
I ignore him. “So could I possibly leave these with you and ask her to follow up?” I extend the boxes a little farther in her direction. And—thank goodness—she takes them.
“Sure.” She cracks open the lid of the box on top. “These do look pretty fabulous. They’re handmade in Leah’s creamery?”
“That’s right. Leah is Chastity’s cousin.” Distantly, anyway. Apparently everyone from the compound is related to everyone else by marriage if not blood.
She plucks one out of the box and bites into it. “Okay, wow.” She chews happily for a minute. “These are delicious. And you’re ramping up for the holiday season?”
“Right. Our first delivery is in two weeks. And here’s the order form with all the information and pricing.” I put it down on her desk before she can object. “I’ll let Chastity know you got your boxes.”
“Okay, kid.” She shakes her head. “I hope you get your shit under control.”
“Thanks,” I murmur. “You have a nice day.”
I leave her office and find Rickie, who’s picking out a few different fancy cheeses. “These prices are pretty high,” he says.
“Let’s go to our regular store, then.”
“No way. You brought me to good cheese. I shall dine on good cheese. And you’re paying half.”
“Okay.” If there’s one thing I’ve learned by now it’s that fucking things up is expensive. “They have fresh bagels.”
“Ooh! Get some of those. And don’t forget the smoked salmon.”
“It’s like fifteen bucks a pound!”
