That convinces him. “Maybe you’re right.” He smiles dreamily. “Where are they?”
“They’re planting cabbage.Together,” I say with wide eyes.
“Seriously?”
“Seriously.” I point at them in the field.
“They look so happy,” he concurs. “I don’t want to interrupt them.”
I nod, agreeing with him, and we quietly go into the house together.
“Where’d you go this morning?” Gavin asks when we’re in the kitchen.
“I got some samples from Jean.” I present my loot to him, fanning out the products on the table.
“What are these?” He holds up a sachet.
“They’re dried lavender sachets. You’re supposed to hang them in your closet or drawers, and they make your clothes smell nice.” I take one and go into our room. “Here, let me show you.” I open my closet. But when I see the state of it, I frown. After I unpacked the items Mom and Dad brought back, my closet is now bursting at the seams. I can’t imagine trying to fit my entire wardrobe in this space. I swear, this closet was made for people who must not have an appreciation for fashion, which, in Blaire, tracks.
“You should seriously consider downsizing,” Gavin says.
“Problem is, I can’t wear them, but I can’t throw them away. They’re too nice.”
“You could always sell them at a consignment store.”
I make a face. Then, a second later, I reconsider his suggestion. With the brand names and the pristine conditions I’ve kept them in, I’m sure I could earn enough to pay for the retainer fee I’d need to hire Kiki back.
“A high-end consignment store? Does such a thing exist?” I ask, thinking aloud.
“Let’s go ask Callie. She may know of a place,” Gavin suggests.
I grin teasingly. I know what he’s doing. He’s trying to find an excuse to hang out with her. Despite their obvious interest in each other, they’re taking things slow, and in Blaire it means their progress is moving at a crawl. If slow burn was a sport, they’d be serious contenders for first place. What I’m most surprised by, though, isthe natural ease with which he suggests meeting up with Callie. The opposite of the uptight, awkward version of him from the first time we met her. Between the two, I like this new version of Gavin much better, so I don’t tease him about it, and I follow him out the door.
At the convenience store, we find Callie restocking the shelves, as we knew she would be. She glances over when the bell jangles on the door as we open it. Her face lights up noticing us. She quickly finishes putting the last few jars of honey on the shelf before setting her box down.
“Hey.” She smiles. “Didn’t know I’d be seeing you here today.”
“We’re unpacking some of our old things, and Elena had an idea to sell some of her gently used clothes,” Gavin says.
“Sell? Like, here?” Callie looks around skeptically.
“No, not here,” I say. If I have no use for them, no one here would either. “Is there a consignment store nearby?”
“A consignment store?” She taps her finger to her lip, looking up. “There’s a thrift store in Bakersfield. We could stop by there on the way to the farmer’s market in a couple of weeks.”
“Okay,” I say. “That could work. I’ll bring them with me.”
Callie picks up the empty boxes. Gavin and I each take a box to her car. Gavin opens the door for me and Callie, and we say bye to Hal, who grunts back a bye to us.
“Maybe you could come to the farmer’s market with us,” Callie suggests once we’re by her car.
“I’d love to, but I can’t,” Gavin says.
Callie seems disappointed. Until Gavin explains he can’t make it because he’ll be working at the cafe.
“What?” she says, confused and surprised. “How did that happen?”
Gavin fills Callie in on how Mayor Beecham and Dr.Blaire suggested he talk to the manager at the cafe to have his food added to the menu. Not only did they accept his recipe, but they also invited him to work there part-time.
