We were on a collision course from which there was no escape.
My instinct was to yell at him to walk on by, but I didn’t want to cause a scene out here. The Halston farmers’ market had been profitable. I wanted to be welcomed back. If I messed up my reputation here too, I would start running out of towns to peddle my eggs.
Once he was close enough that I wouldn’t draw attention, I pointed at him and said, “You need to leave me alone.”
“I wanted to give you this.” Carter held out the yellow knit cap. “I’ve still got your rain hat, but you can use this until I get it back to you.”
“I don’t want anything from you, Carter Allory.”
He shrugged and tossed the beanie on my table. “Well, in that case, how about I buy some eggs?”
“You’re out of luck,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest. “We’re all sold out.”
He looked down at the eggs on the table right in front of him. “Are you sure?”
I nodded. “Yup. But there’s a palm reader at the end of the next aisle who can tell your fortune.”
Carter narrowed his eyes in confusion and chuckled. “Palm reader, huh? I’ve never tried that before. Maybe she can tell me if the hot-headed farmgirl who saved me on the side of the road will ever give me a chance to clear my name when I’ve done nothing wrong.”
I blew out an annoyed breath. “I should have left you on the side of the road. If I had known who you are, I would have.”
“Somehow I don’t believe that.” He braced his hands on the table and leaned over it. “And I keep trying to tell you, your anger is misplaced. I wasn’t the CEO when your family’s business was purchased. I wasn’t involved in that deal at all. That was my father.”
I examined his face for any sign of deception, but Carter seemed to be telling the truth. His green eyes held genuine regret, as if he truly felt sorry for the sins of his father. That didn’t mean I had to be nice to him, though.
“Fine,” I said. “Then I just hate your father, the company you still work for, and everything you represent. Thanks for clearing that up. Now have a nice day.”
Carter growled in frustration. “Look, I’m the CEO now, and I have a job to do. This time, I promise it’s not to take your business away.”
“What do you want from me?” I finally asked. “I don’t see how any of this is my problem.”
“I just want to know what happened from your point of view.” His eyes softened and met mine again. “If I’m going to avoid the mistakes of the past, I want to know what happened here.”
“There’s nothing left to say, and even if there was, I don’t owe you any information on my family’s greatest shame. Even if you weren’t directly responsible for what happened, I don’t likeyou and your kind. Filthy, greedy CEOs who don’t care who gets hurt.”
“I’m not my father,” he said, eyes blazing.
“I don’t care.”
“How about this?” he asked, his calm CEO mask back on. “Let me buy the rest of your eggs. Then you’ll have some time to talk to me.”
“I’d rather smash them on the ground.” I paused and shook my head. “Actually, I have a better idea.” I stepped out from behind the table, cupped my hands around my mouth, and shouted, “Free eggs, while supplies last!”
No one needed a second invitation. A swarm of shoppers descended on my table, all civility gone. In a blink, the remaining cartons disappeared.
I shot Carter a smug grin and he shook his head in disbelief. Then he gave me an amused, irritated smirk that made my stomach squirm rebelliously.
Why was he looking at me like that? Like he was impressed? What was wrong with this guy?
“Are we done here?” I asked.
Lila returned at that moment with two open bags of chips piled high with taco meat. The woman could never pass up a walking taco. She looked back and forth between Carter and me, confused at the obvious tension.
Carter smiled at her, then at me. “I’m a patient man, Shelby. I’ll get you to change your mind.”
“Don’t hold your breath,” I said, glaring at him.
He walked away with a chuckle, and Lila put the food down and grabbed my arm to shake me. “What was that all about?”
