Page 87 of Love in Mission City

She handed me her credit card. “Just ring it up. Anything is better than having to find something else.”

I glanced at the name on the card.Remy Stevens. She appeared to be about half-a-dozen years older than me and already had kids. The girls looked nothing alike, but that meant little these days. I returned her credit card. “Thank you so much. Ashton will help you.” I glanced at him. “But you’re coming back, right? Did you need something?”

He shook his head. “Never mind. I guess I’ll see you around.” With a curt nod, he maneuvered out from behind the table and followed Remy down the aisle.

Damn, I bet he wanted to buy another pumpkin.Before I could process what had just happened, a young boy approached. Not a teenager, but not a child either. That awkward phase in between.

“I’m Angus.”

“Nice to meet you, Angus.”

“My dad is working today. My other dad is dealing with my sister, Opal.”

“Okay.”

“So you have to be quick because my one dad said to buy a jar for my other dad without him noticing.” He glanced around furtively, then handed me cash.

I handed him the jar. He tucked it into a cloth bag, then slipped back into the throng of people. I smiled as I helped the next person in line.

Chapter Six

Clay

After I’d broken down the last of the boxes and tossed them into the recycle bin, I made my way over to Wyatt and Tate’s booth. “You need help?”

Wyatt arched an eyebrow. “You’re done?”

I held up my hands and clapped them together. “Sold the last jar about five minutes before the end. I’ll have to drop some off for your mom later.”

Tate turned from where he was stacking crates to give me a high-five. “Way to go. That’s awesome.”

Hiding a grin was impossible. “And orders for at least a thousand more.”

Wyatt’s jaw dropped and Tate’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline. He spoke first. “That’s awesome.”

“I called my manufacturer Thursday night. I had a good feeling, you know? I tapped into my business line of credit and placed a massive order. I worried I might have to ask my boss for a loan. He’d offered in the past—”

“You might consider that.” Wyatt scratched his chin. “I assume you’d be paying him a competitive interest rate.”

“Although you might not want to mix your solo business with his,” Tate added. “You have an advisor, right?”

I shook my head. “I didn’t think this wasn’t going to grow so big so quickly.”

“Who do you bank with?”

I named a local credit union.

Tate nodded. “I work for them. In their corporate office. But I have a friend who works in the Mission City branch. I’ll shoot you an email with her contact info—”

“That would be amazing.” I’d assumed a business degree would be sufficient, but having someone on the finance side would be good. I could always talk to Noel, my boss, but I didn’t want to risk my job by bugging him too often. I didn’t think he’d mind, but I didn’t want to find out the hard way. “Oh, hey, do you know a guy named Ashton?” I’d had enough business talk for the day and something on my mind.

“Tall guy? A bit older than you? Dark hair and eyes?” Tate gestured around his eyebrows.

Yeah, the guy’s tall.“Yeah, that’s him.”

“He lives up on Old Mill Road. The green house at the end of the lane. Why?”

“I think he wanted to buy a pumpkin from me. Another pumpkin,” I quickly clarified.