The smell of fried food coming from the mini donut stand makes my mouth water as we weave our way around the different booths, stopping here and there to check out homemade goods that catch our eye. The sun is out, trying to overtake the icy chill coming off the water. I thought my sweater would be warm enough. I really need to start checking the fucking weather.
“Brrr, the wind is chilly today.”
“Let's head into this booth for a minute and get out of the wind.”
Stepping into the closest one, we are suddenly surrounded by all things bird.
“Umm, are thoserealstuffed birds?” Finn asks.
“Ohh, I’m afraid so.”
“Boys?”
We both turn. “Hello, Mr. Jacobson!” I greet the old man waddling our way with… Is his cane… Bedazzled?
“And who do we have here?” he says, eying Finn up and down assessingly.
“This is Finn. Finn, this is Mr. Jacobson. He has been a customer of Dragonfly since Mom opened.”
“Well, I sure as shit am not going to buy one of those electronic things.”
“I myself love the feel of a physical book. Ebooks have their place, but there is just something about a physical book,” Finn says. I can’t help but smile when his eyes meet mine for a brief moment.
“Well, now Finn, you just got a mark in the approve column. But… If you hurt our Spencer, you will have a whole town to contend with.”
Oh, sweet mother of all things! I know the breeze coming off the ocean is cold and my fingers hurt, but we stepped into the wrong booth.
Finn just chuckles next to me.
“I don’t plan on it, Mr. Jacobson. Ah, I like your cane!” he says, gesturing down to the pink bejeweled monstrosity. I struggle to keep the laugh in. I can tell Finn is trying his hardest to behave, which makes it even more difficult.
“Damn Alice! I swear, that woman!”
“The way you two bicker, you would think someone has a crush,” I say.
“Oh hush, I’m too damn old for crushes. Now, since I have you here, there are a few books I need to order.”
Finn nudges a kiss to the side of my head. “I’ll be right back.”
“Okay,” I say.
Mr. Jacobson needs another bird book like he needs a hole in the head. But I type it into my phone to order tomorrow.
“Umm, there is also this quilting book I would like to order.”
My eyebrows raise. Well, this is a new development. “And what kind of quilting book are you looking for?”
“Like ahow tobook for beginners,” Mr. Jacobson says sheepishly.
“I see. Well, I’ll do some research and find out the best one for you to use.”
“That would be great, but, umm, if you could maybe not tell Alice.”
I give him a gentle smile. “It will stay between us.” And probably Finn.
We say goodbye and I step out of the booth just as I see Finn walking towards me holding a small bag.
“Did you find something good?”
