Page 9 of Scoop Me Up
“It was enough,” I said. “Let’s go back to your mom’s house so I can rest up a little.”
Another dramatic sigh, as if I was imposing on her plans for the day. “Fine.”
I looked back at Sam. “Thanks again for your help.”
Sam nodded. “Of course.”
“I guess I’ll see you when they announce the winners of the flavor contest.”
The grin on Sam’s face warmed me. “Maybe sooner.”
My heart thudded in my chest, and I couldn’t help but think that seeing Sam again soon wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.
Chapter 5
Sam
I knew I shouldn’t flirt with the parents of my students, especially when those parents were presumably straight, but I could barely help myself. Gabe was tall, with reddish blond hair and a classic “dad bod,” a physique that made my mouth water. He was attractive, easy to be around, and he clearly thought the sun rose and set with Ellie. Besides, he was a good sport—he’d eaten almost a pint of ice cream despite the pain that had been evident on his face.
I made my way back around the town square, heading to the booth I’d helped Cooper set up earlier that morning for his artwork. As I rounded the corner and he caught sight of me, his face brightened. Coop put down the book he’d been reading and waved me over.
“How’d it go?”
I shrugged. “They don’t announce the winners until later today. You know that.”
“I thought you might have gotten a feel for how it went over with the audience, though.”
“I think they liked it. For the most part, there weren’t any complaints. Not like the mac and cheese flavor.”
Cooper let out a startled laugh. “Don’t tell me—Theo?”
With a nod, I chuckled. “Nailed it.”
“Why am I not surprised?” A customer approached then, and I stepped back to give Cooper some room to help her. He walked her through his artwork. They’d all been created on his tablet—digital art—and they were stunning. He had some pieces that were of local interest, like local landmarks, a few of Mabel, the town’s cryptid, who most people believed was a sentient being that looked like a giant, tree-shaped creature made of maple limbs and leaves, but with eyes. A lot of pieces depicting various stages of syrup harvesting, maple trees, and the like. For today’s event, he’d made a few that included the ice cream theme, and that’s what the customer eventually left with.
After she was gone, I congratulated him on the sale. “Glad to see someone’s finally appreciating your art as much as I do.”
“Thanks, friend. I mean it.” He gestured to a chair next to him. “Come sit down. Relax a little. You’ve got a while before the announcement, after all.”
I settled into the seat and we chatted between customers.
“How did you come up with that ice cream concoction, anyway?”
“My grandma. She loved walnuts and planted a few on her property a long time ago. Way before I was born. The maple part just seemed natural.”
“And the fig and tamarind?”
“Figs were her favorite fruit. I’m not sure where the tamarind inspiration came from, but it felt like it worked.”
“Well, I can’t wait to hear how much they loved it.”
“I can tell you one person who loved it.”
He quirked an eyebrow. “Yeah?”
“You know Ellie Winslow?”
“I think so. She’s pretty new in town, right?”
