Rachel smiled at Estelle. “Don’t let him fool you. I’ve only been here a couple of months, but I’ve already heard all about the purple basil and the famous tomatoes. Apparently, he spent years getting them right.”
“Three years,” Matt put in as he came back over, reaching for one of the crates. “Trial and error, stubbornness, and far too much muttering at plants.”
“Now you’re making me blush,” Leo said, though he couldn’t suppress the grin that spread across his face.
Matt smirked as he joined them. “He takes his produce very seriously.”
Estelle smiled. “I can see that.”
Rachel glanced at Leo, then back at Estelle. “I’m Aria and Lucy’s mom, by the way. I’ve already heard all about the breakfast this morning from my girls.” She hunkered down soshe was at eye level with Adara. “And they told me that you are going to come over for a playdate sometime soon.”
“I am,” Adara said excitedly. “I can’t wait to see the fairy house. Leo said he was going to help me build one.”
“It seems building fairy houses is a Thornberg talent,” Rachel said with a chuckle as she straightened up. “It’s good to meet you. I should get back to work. My boss is a real taskmaster.”
“So I hear,” Leo joked as he glanced at Matt.
“Don’t you have more deliveries to make?” Matt said with a grin.
“We do,” Leo said, winking at Estelle. “Shall we?”
She nodded. “Yes, we don’t want to keep anyone waiting. It was good to see you again, Matt. And I want to thank you for the food Leo brought over the other night. It was delicious.”
“Ah, it all makes sense now. I wondered why Leo came and raided the kitchen,” Matt replied.
“Now the secret is out,” Leo said. But they no longer felt like something hidden away. They felt like his.
They worked their way through town, stopping at the bakery to drop off herbs, before heading out to Win’s Spice & Honey Shack with a special delivery of tomatoes and herbs.
“It’s the spicy shop!” Adara said, pointing out the window.
Estelle looked back at her. “How do you know that?”
“Percy told me.” Adara hugged Fizz closer. “He said they have chili chocolate here. Can I try some?”
Estelle smiled despite herself. “Why not?”
Leo pulled into the gravel parking area, and together they climbed out. Strings of dried chilies hung from the porch, swaying gently in the breeze. As Estelle stepped up beside him, Leo rested a light hand on the small of her back. He felt thefamiliar tension in her at entering somewhere new, but she didn’t pull away.
Inside, the shop smelled of honey, herbs, and spices. Win looked up from behind the counter and smiled when she saw them.
“Well, now,” she said. “If it isn’t Leo Thornberg. And you’ve brought company.”
“Morning, Win,” Leo said, setting the crate of tomatoes and herbs on the counter. “This is Estelle and Adara.”
“And Fizz,” Adara added, holding up her stuffed dragon.
“Well, of course,” Win said gravely. “Pleasure to meet you too, Fizz.”
Adara beamed.
“Adara’s heard a rumor about your chili chocolate,” Leo said. “She was hoping to try some.”
Win chuckled and reached for two sample jars on the counter. “And here was me thinking you’d want them to try your fruit leather instead.”
Leo leaned an elbow on the counter. “My brother’s chili chocolate is more famous, it seems.”
“So he likes to think,” Win said, setting both jars in front of them. “But some people like sweet instead of spicy. And you don’t know until you try.”
