She picked up a cute little jar with a homemade label that saidThe Cozy Catch’s seafood bouquet. Warning, contains plenty of salt!and held it up. ‘We do.’
‘In that case, I’ll take a couple please.’
She popped them into a brown paper bag and I paid.
‘Hang on, I’ll get your change,’ she said, pulling an old Christmas cookie tin out from underneath the counter.
‘Keep it. You’ve saved me from a lifetime of bland lobster.’
‘Thanks.’ She smiled at Jonah. ‘I like her.’
‘Yeah.’ He shrugged, screwing up his sandwich paper. ‘She’s not too bad I suppose.’
I stared at him as we wandered off towards the next stall. ‘Have you finished your sandwichalready?’
He nodded. ‘Was good, too.’
‘Did you eat it in two bites? What are you, a Labrador?’
‘Nah. You just talk too much.’
‘Oh really? You’re full of compliments tonight.’
He smiled down at me. ‘You want a compliment? How about this. You look absolutely adorable in that hat.’
I narrowed my eyes. ‘Sarcasm?’
He seemed genuinely surprised. ‘No. I mean it. You really do. On anyone else I feel like that pompom thing on the top could look utterly ridiculous.’ He reached over and gave it a wobble. ‘But not on you.Youpull it off.’
‘I don’t know if that’s actually a compliment, or if that’s just a nice way of saying I’m ridiculous enough to pull off the ridiculous.’
He sighed. ‘You’re a hard one to please.’
‘That depends how you’re pleasing me,’ I said, then squeezed my eyes shut, mortified, when I heard the words out loud.
Laughing, he stopped in front of a stall and gestured. ‘Hot drink, milady, to warm you up on this fine evening?’
‘Sure. But I’m?—’
‘Paying. Yes, I remember.’ He reached over and did a slap handshake with the guy behind the stall. ‘Hey, Leo.’
‘Hey, man, what’s up?’ Leo replied. ‘What do you guys want to drink?’
I scanned the little chalk-written menu, expecting hot chocolates and teas. But it wasn’t those kinds of drinks.
‘Ladies first,’ Jonah said. ‘Mae?’
‘What’s in the hot cider? Or is that a family secret?’
He grinned. ‘What’s not in it? There’s apple cider, obviously. Some maple syrup, star anise, allspice berries and cinnamon. Generous amount of rum. And then my own special additions: orange peel and ginger. If you’re cold, I guarantee you this will warm you up.’
‘Knock me flat on my butt too, by the sound of it,’ I said. ‘But hey, you only live once, right?’
‘I like your attitude.’ Leo lifted the lid on a slow cooker and started stirring the liquid inside, instantly releasing the smell of warm cider and cinnamon. He scooped some into a takeaway cup and passed it over to me. ‘Jonah?’
‘Yeah, go on. Be rude to let the lady drink on her own.’
I snorted. ‘I’m Gen Z, just. Widely considered to be theBridget Jonesgeneration, thanks to our yearning for a simpler time, specifically pre-social media. I have no problems drinking on my own.’
