Page 86 of Return To You

He smiles. "We meet around noon."

“That for Grace or Lynn?” Ms. Angela’s voice startles me. She materializes next to Noah, and she’s looking at the Chardonnay I’m holding.

“Um…” I huff. Yep, small town.

Noah grabs two bottles. “Lynn is partial to her Finger Lakes Riesling, but if it’s for Grace… you can’t go wrong with this Russian River Zinfandel.”

Ms. Angela nods. “What I was going to say.”

I put the Chardonnay back. “I’ll take both.”

Noah gives me a wink that our retired teacher doesn’t see and walks with me toward the front.

On my way out, I take some yogurt and freshly sliced ham from the cooler, then stop at the small produce section and start bagging a few tomatoes. Ms. Angela slides next to me and whispers, “If you could ever show me how to carve fruits, I’d love to. You know, for the bed and breakfast. You know I have a bed and breakfast now, right?” she adds.

“I heard about the bed and breakfast, and yes, I’d be happy to show you. Strawberries would be great for that.”

I eye a colorful bouquet of flowers wrapped in a simple kraft paper and tied with twine. Would Grace like that?

“You know, I’m happy for you and Grace.”

Well, we’re not printing wedding invitations yet.

“You’ll find a way,” she adds, reading my thoughts, or her own fantasies.

I pluck the bouquet out of the bucket, turn it around.

“You were meant for each other.”

I clear my throat.

“You’re finally the right age and the right… everything for each other.”

I shuffle my feet and can’t help but feel the heat creep up my face again.

“She’ll like the flowers. Nice and simple. Start small.”

I pretend to put them back in the bucket. Getting the hint that she won’t get anything from me, Ms. Angela mumbles something and scampers out under Noah’s mild frown. I stick the flowers under my arm.

“D’you see Owen yet?” Noah asks as he weighs the tomatoes for me.

“Yeah, I bumped into him.”

He smirks. “He’s gotten better.”

I have to chuckle at that. Owen was a bully when we were growing up. I had to teach him a couple of lessons.

“Believe it or not, he and Colton get along.”

“Do they now?”

“Seems like you drilled some sense into him. Shit, I’ll never forget that time.” He laughs.

Back in the day, Colton was a scraggly boy. He took a while to blossom. Owen, on the other hand, was always big. He took advantage. I never could understand the appeal of being mean to others, but as long as it stayed within certain limits, I let Colton deal with Owen however he could. But one day Owen crossed a line, and I did too.

And I’m glad I did. Owen never bothered Colton again. Colton knew he wasn’t alone. And Grace had even more hearts in her eyes when she looked at me.

What a bunch of idiots we were. I smile big at the memory. “His mom seems to like me,” I drop.

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