Chapter Six

Noah parked the truck a few blocks from the cordoned-off streets that marked the boundaries of the farmer’s market. The streets were already busy with folks waiting for the opening bell to signal the start of the market.

“Got our list?” Mai sipped from her thermal coffee mug.

Noah flipped his spiral notebook open and unclipped a pen from his shirt. “Right here.”

“Buying produce is a tricky thing. You want the freshest you can get for the best tasting food.” She unbuckled her seat belt and lifted the collection of canvas shopping bags from the plastic basket behind her seat. Balancing her coffee cup and the bags, she exited the truck.

“Once the chicken bell rings, we can start buying stuff.”

“What?”

Noah pointed at a large brass bell mounted on a post. The image of a rooster was embossed on the side of the bell. “The rooster bell. It’s so folks don’t start pressuring the sellers to start early.” He gestured toward a low row of tables covered by a bright-green popup tent. “Sally’s Fresh Produce” was printed in red block letters on a white sign suspended below the tent on one end. “That’s Chip’s family’s stall. They grow organic as much as they can. His mom works with the folks at the agricultural extension on integrated pest management.”

Mai followed the line of Noah’s gaze.

A blush spread across his cheeks as his gaze settled on a brown-skinned boy with short jet-black hair stacking crates of produce behind the table. “There’s Chip. Come on.”

Noah led the way and Mai followed him through the crowd. The sharp clang of the bell sounded, and the low buzz of the crowd became louder as people began to make their transactions.

“Hey Chip, I brought Mai.”

Chip held out his hand across the table. “Hi.”

Mai shook his hand. “Nice to meet you. You grow all this?” Mai looked down the wide selection of lettuces and heirloom vegetables.

“Yeah. My mom and me. And my sisters.”

“Chip, keep up, Mr. Jenkins is staring holes in you. Go ring his order.” A tall woman with umber skin, her natural curls held back with a dark-green hair band, tapped Chip on the shoulder.

“On it.” Chip ducked his head and trotted to the far end of the table. Noah followed as if on a string. Mai studied Noah as he talked to Chip between customers.

“I’m Sally. Are you the famous Mai? Noah has bent my ear every day on the way to cross-country practice about you.”

“I don’t know about famous, but I am Mai. And nice to meet you, Sally. Your produce is gorgeous. Do you supply any of the restaurants here?”

Sally frowned. “No. Most of the restaurants here are chains. All their business is contracted to big suppliers. I do this market, and the one in Camden in the middle of the week.”

“I’m opening a restaurant here, most likely next fall. I want to do a farm-to-table kind of thing. Would you be interested?”

Sally glanced down the now crowded table. “I might be. We’d need to talk some about it. Noah’s got my number, have him give it to you. Even if we don’t do business, the boys are best friends. Why don’t you and Dale come over some night? We can chill with some wine while they watch those god-awful horror movies they like.”

“Oh, well. Dale and I aren’t… We aren’t… I just live there.”

Sally raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Well, you’re certainly welcome to come by yourself, if you want. Anytime.”

“Mom! Do you have Ms. Walker’s bushel of tomatoes set aside? She’s here to pick them up.”

“Under the center table, Chip. Got to go. Nice meeting you.” Sally hurried to Chip’s side.

Mai pondered Sally’s invitation and her assumption that she and Dale were a couple. A couple with an instant family. Mai watched as Sally and Chip worked together, their bond so strong it was palpable. Family. Mai chewed her lip, stunned by how much envy flared in her chest.

She’d never wanted to give birth to kids, but she had wanted to be a parent. Charlene had laughed in her face when she had suggested it. No. Not destined be a parent. Can’t assume that role. I’m Noah’s friend. Role model. A queer aunty.

Noah touched Mai’s elbow. “You want to show me how to pick the best stuff?”

“Sure.” Mai looped their collection of bags over her arm and they started down the table. They stopped at each item they needed for the meals they had planned for the week. Noah picked up the items Mai chose and placed them in the bag. At the end of the row of tables, Chip added up their purchases. Noah paid for everything from the envelope of cash Dale had left with him.

The small hairs on the back of Mai’s neck prickled to attention. The sensation of being watched settled over her. She lifted on her toes to see over the heads of the crowd. A burly blonde security guard was standing at the edge of the crowd. Her dark eyes set in her pasty white face settled on Mai. Her broad hands rested on her wide leather belt loaded with equipment.

“Noah, what’s up with the security guard?” Mai inclined her head toward the woman.

Noah glanced in the direction Mai had indicated. “You wouldn’t believe it, but some folks shoplift at the market.”

“Bad enough you need security?”

Noah shrugged. “Town council thought we did.”

The woman shifted her gaze to Noah and then back to Mai.

“Why the hell is she looking at us like that?”

Noah blushed. “Um. She and Mom used to date. But they broke up. And she’s still sorta mad about it.”

Mai stifled a grin. “Guess she thinks I’m dating your mom, or something.”

Noah laughed. “Or something.”

Noah’s gaze trailed back to Chip and settled there.

Mai rested her hand on his shoulder. “You like Chip.”

Noah turned to her. “Yeah. He’s my best friend.” A blush colored his cheeks.

“You like like him.” Mai squeezed his shoulder.

Noah lowered his chin to his chest and peered at her from under his bangs. “It doesn’t matter. I don’t think he likes me the same way.”

Mai turned them toward a stall selling baked goods. “I’m not sure about that. Does anyone but me know?”

“No. I don’t want Mom to worry.” Noah lifted his gaze to Mai’s face. “Guys like me get beat up a lot here.”

Mai pursed her lips. “I won’t say anything. But at some point, you need to tell her. She’ll handle it. Better than you think, I bet. What’s the story with Chip’s mom?”

“She’s cool. Bi, I think. Why? You want to date her?”

“Good lord, Noah. I’m not interested in dating right now. Why are you such a little matchmaker?”

Noah frowned. “Because of Yvonne? Are you going to get married to her?”

“What? No! Yvonne is my sister. Why’d you think she was my girlfriend?”

“Your sister? Wow. Cool.”

Mai glared at Noah. “Why is that cool?”

Noah’s eyes gleamed. “Because it is.”

Mai rolled her eyes at him and tugged at his sleeve. “Come on, Yenta, we need to buy bread.”

“We’re not going to make it ourselves?”

“In the future, yes, but we today we have too many other things to focus on.”

They purchased a loaf of crusty olive bread and some rolls for breakfast. Mai’s stomach rumbled. They sat on a bench and opened the bag of rolls. She pulled apart a roll and offered half to Noah.

Opposite the bench was a large display of dahlias. Vivid yellow and golds mixed with magenta and rust-colored blooms as they exploded from lush greenery.

Mai stood and stretched. “Do we have everything on our list?”

Noah shoved the last of his roll in his mouth and pulled the notebook from his bag. He tapped the tip of the pen against his lip as he studied the list. “Yep.”

“I’m going to get some flowers for the table.”

Noah frowned. “I don’t think Mom would want me to spend money on flowers.”

“This is my purchase.” She picked up her bags. “Come on. Then we’ll go home and work on your knife skills.”

*

“I haven’t flown a kite in years.” Mai tugged gently on the string, thrilled by the answering pull as the kite rose on the strong wind off the lake.

Noah pointed to the small purple dot of the kite in the sky. “You’ve really got it up there. We’ve got more line in the truck if we need it.”

Mai rubbed her thumb over the custom hardwood line holder. Intricate inlays decorated the handle. It was polished smooth and had the patina time added to any well-loved bit of wood. “How much is on here?”

“Five hundred feet.” Wind gusted over the lake, stirring small white caps. Dale zipped up her hooded sweatshirt.

“Mom made it extra big.” The pride in Noah’s voice made Mai smile.

Mai let out the string as the kite rose higher. “When I was little, Yeye, my grandpa, would take us up to the kite festival in Cleveland. You ever been?”

“No. But it sounds like fun.” Dale shaded her eyes with her hand. “When is it?”

“Late summer, I think. It was always right before we went back to school, like August.”

Noah held a football up and waved it. “Go long, Mom.”

Dale turned and sprinted down the sand at the edge of the lake. Noah lobbed a wobbly spiral at her and she jumped, caught it, clutched it tight to her chest, and promptly wiped out. She lay there a second before she lifted the football in triumph and scrambled to her feet.

Mai laughed. “The Browns could use you!”

Noah pumped his fist. “Way to go, Mom!”

“Noah!” Chip’s voice carried over the wind as he jogged toward Noah.

Dale handed the football to Noah. “Go on.”

Noah ducked his head, took the football from his mom, and loped toward Chip.

“Chip seems like a decent kid.” Mai stepped to the left and let out some more string. The kite dipped and then rose again, the string pulling tight.

Dale shaded her eyes and watched the boys as they ran down the beach, tossing the football back and forth. “Uh huh.”

Mai chewed her lip. Does she know? See how much he’s infatuated by Chip? Get it about her son?

Dale gestured at the kite. “It’ll take a least an hour to get it down.”

“You in a hurry?” Mai tilted her head at Dale.

Dale drummed her fingers on her knee. “No.” She glanced down the beach. The boys were walking now, close to each other, their heads almost touching as they strolled along the sand.

“You worried about Noah and Chip? Not much trouble they can get into here.” Mai gestured to the shore. One other group at the far end of the beach was their only company.

“There is more than one kind of trouble.” Dale sat down where the grass gave way to the beach and lifted a hand full of sand and let it run between her fingers.

Mai carefully let out enough string to enable her to sit next to Dale. “I hear worry in your voice.”

Dale glanced at Mai. “Isn’t that what parents are supposed to do? Worry about their kids?”

“Yeah. I guess. I haven’t been a parent.” Mai shoved the bitter arguments she’d had with Charlene about having a family to the back of her mind. Too late now. At least I didn’t have to navigate an ugly divorce with a kid. “Noah’s smart. He’s one of the most mature seventeen-year-olds I’ve ever met. You’ve raised an amazing young man.”

Dale wiped her hand on her pants leg. “Thanks. But it’s not his head I’m worried about.”

Unwilling to break Noah’s confidence, Mai stayed quiet and fiddled with the kite string.

“I’m not as blind as Noah thinks I am. I know he’s interested in Chip, as more than a friend.”

“And what’s wrong with that?” Mai frowned at Dale.

“Nothing. If Chip feels the same. But in this community, all it would take would be for Noah to indicate his feelings to Chip, have Chip not feel the same, and then he would be outed. Or worse.” Dale grimaced.

“Been there done that?” Mai studied Dale’s reaction.

“I was grown when I came out. How about you?”

“I knew in high school. Never did anything about it until after graduation.”

“I’m a grown woman and when I came out it was still nasty. He’s got another year in high school. I’d like him to graduate without having to deal with the ramifications of being out in a small town.”

“Is it as bad as when we were growing up?” Mai chewed her lip. “It seems like folks accept you. I’ve gotten some hard looks, but I never know if it’s because folks are racist, or homophobic, or both.”

Dale rested her hands on her knees. “It’s better. It’s safer in some parts of town than others. Where we live, by the college, it’s pretty safe and folks are accepting. When you get away from town it can feel unsafe. I wish Noah would talk to me. He used to talk to me about everything. It’s not like I wouldn’t understand.” She picked out a small stone from the sand and flung it toward the lake.

“He’ll tell you. He’s got to work it out. Maybe he’s worried you’ll worry more.” Mai stood up and began the process of winding the kite in.

“Like a dog chasing its tail. I’m worried about him, and he’s worried about me, doesn’t talk to me about anything important in his life, and then I worry more.” Dale stood and closed the distance between them, close enough their shoulders brushed. “You’re good for him. He respects you. He likes you. I know he talks to you.”

Mai stood and unwrapped another loop of string from the winder. “Thank you. And I hope it’s okay.”

Dale rested her hand on Mai’s shoulder. “If he’s not going to talk to me, I’m more than okay he talks to you. I trust you, Mai. I wouldn’t have invited you into my home or let you be around my kid if I didn’t.”

Mai turned to look into Dale’s eyes and was stunned by the warmth of their golden-brown depths. “Thanks for listening.” Dale moved her arm and hugged Mai, a quick hug, but the fleeting contact with Dale’s body set her aflame.

Mai looped her arm around Dale’s waist and hugged her back. “Anytime.”

Raucous laughter filtered to them on the breeze. Mai glanced up the beach. Chip and Noah walked side by side. Noah had the football tucked under his arm.

Dale left her arm around Mai’s shoulder for a moment before she stepped away. Her face was flushed red. “I’m going to get—I’ll get the cooler. They’ll be hungry when they get back.”

She stepped back and stumbled. Mai took a step toward her and caught her arm, righting her. A flash of desire swept over Mai as her fingers closed around Dale’s forearm.

“Thank you.” Dale stared into Mai’s eyes and Mai lost herself in her golden-brown gaze. She slipped her arm free of Mai’s grip, turned, and quickstepped toward the parking lot.

The kite string jerked, and Mai tightened her hold on the winder, fighting a gust of wind and her own desires.

*

Dale unzipped her sweatshirt and stripped it off. The cold spring wind bit into the skin on her bare arms and she trudged on with her head down. Her body burned everywhere she had pressed against Mai’s lithe body.

After reaching the safety of the truck, she fished the keys from her pocket and opened the rear door. The cooler with the lunch Mai had prepared sat on the floor behind the driver’s seat. Her body ached with need. How long has it been since I was drawn to someone like I’m drawn to Mai? Which is stupid. And wrong. And why does she have to look so damn sexy in her jeans and sweatshirt?

Dale yanked the lid off the cooler. She dug around for a small piece of ice and rubbed it over her forehead and down her throat over her flushed skin. Her nipples peaked against the lace of her bra, responding to the chill. “Great, now I’m on high-beams.” She tossed the small bit of ice aside and pressed her hands to her breasts in an attempt to warm them.

Stirred by her hug with Mai, the warmth of her palms had the opposite effect. She gasped as her nipples hardened even more. Want, low and hungry, stirred in her belly.

She closed her eyes, confident the massive truck door and her position blocked her from anyone’s view, and gave her nipples a tweak. Her body responded and a gush of wet soaked her jeans. Would they miss me if I climbed into the back of the crew cab and took care of myself? It would take Mai at least an hour for her to wind in the kite and the boys were occupied. Dale bit her lip to stifle her groan of frustration as she rolled her nipples.

“Need help?”

Mai’s voice behind her startled Dale and she yipped and yanked her hands away from her chest. “Um, what?” Heat rose in her face. Did she see me? Oh no. She must think I’m a perv. Fuck. And she wants to help?

“With the cooler? I packed it pretty heavy.” Mai’s voice was even.

“Oh well, um, sure.” Dale wiped a hand over her brow, catching a stray drop of sweat before it rolled into her eye. “Who’s minding your kite?”

“Noah and Chip.”

Dale stepped away from the truck. Keeping her back toward Mai she pulled her sweatshirt on and zipped it up to her neck. “That’d be great.” She leaned over the cooler and pulled a blanket from the backseat of the truck and draped it over the top of the cooler. Lifting up on the handle, she dragged the cooler to the edge of the door.

Mai reached back to grab the other handle. “Back in the day I’d have thrown this up on my shoulder and strutted down the beach with it to impress women.”

Dale laughed. “What happened? You don’t feel the need to impress me?”

“I blew out my shoulder playing volleyball. Now I impress women with my cooking.”

Dale pushed aside the wave of jealousy nipping at her. So what? So what if she cooked for other people? She’s a chef. It’s what she does. It’s not like we’re dating or anything. What would it look like if she were trying to impress me? Her everyday cooking is divine. Let it go. Not going there. I need to get some action. I’m thirsty that’s all.

They carried the cooler between them until they reached the spot where Noah and Chip were winding the kite in. They placed it on the sand. With a quick snap of her wrists Mai opened the blanket. Dale caught the edge as it flapped in the wind and they spread it out over the sand.

Mai drew a small bottle of hand sanitizer from her jacket pocket and used it. She tossed it to Dale. Dale caught it and squirted a dollop in her hands.

The kite fluttered to the sand. Noah trotted to it, unclipped the string, and rolled it up.

“Can I help, Ms. Miller?” Chip knelt on the blanket.

Dale passed the sanitizer to him. “Take this one to Noah. And use some yourself.”

Mai placed a thick dishcloth on the blanket and arranged covered dishes of various sizes around a cutting board. In minutes, she had arranged three different cheeses, all perfectly sliced, on the board along with various types of crackers.

With a flourish Mai pointed at a cluster of three dishes. “Black olive tapenade, sun-dried tomato spread, and sweet pepper jelly.” She uncovered a sectioned tray of sliced apples, toasted nuts, and dates and placed it next to the cheese board.

Noah and Chip sat on the edge of the blanket with their shoes off to the side. Mai held up a dark-green bottle with gold foil around the top. “Cider?”

“Non-alcoholic, right?” Dale inclined her head toward the boys.

“Of course.” Mai passed four glasses out.

With practiced motions she opened the cider and poured them each a serving of the bubbling golden liquid. After wedging the bottle into the sand to keep it upright, she lifted her glass. “To sunny days and good friends.”

Dale lifted her glass and sipped her cider. Friends. That’s how she sees me. Friends. And that’s all it can be. Damn it.

Chip and Noah plowed through the food like they had not eaten in a week. Dale nibbled the offerings, her stomach in knots with the realization of her feelings for Mai. She studied her from under her lashes. Mai talked and joked with Chip and Noah about gaming and sports and things Dale could only imagine what the hell they were talking about.

When had it happened? When had she become so disconnected from her son? From everything that didn’t have to do with her business. Molly had been happy for Dale to work. Her hobby had been spending money as fast as Dale made it. And Dale had been too willing to work. A slave to Molly’s charms, she had worked so much she had lost touch with her kids.

“What or who is a LARP?” Dale rolled the plastic tumbler between her hands.

“Live action role-play, Mom. And it’s role-playing games where you dress up and act like your character. There’s different themes and games and stuff.”

Dale turned to Mai. “Do you do that?”

Mai grinned. “I haven’t but it sounds like fun. I loved tabletop role-playing games as a kid.”

Dale shook her head. “I missed so much getting married when I did.”

Noah frowned. “Do you regret it, Mom?”

Dale cupped his face. “Not for a minute.”

Noah blushed and leaned back from Dale’s touch. Chip looked away for the tender moment.

Dale crossed her legs and leaned back on her hands. “Chip, do you do LARPing?”

Chip looked down at his hands. “No. But my mom is big into it.”

“No kidding?” Mai sat forward. “Where does your mom play?”

Dale sipped from her glass, stung by Mai’s interest in Chip’s mom, Sally.

“She has a group in Cleveland she plays with.” Chip hid his face in his hands. “It’s so embarrassing.”

Mai laughed. “But why? She’s having fun. What’s the problem?” She took a bite of an apple and chewed slowly.

“Last time it was a fairy tale theme and she left our house dressed as Red Riding Hood in fishnet stockings, thigh high boots, and a red corset.” Chip rolled his eyes.

Dale squeezed Chip’s shoulder. “You do know we parents sit up at night trying to think of ways to embarrass our kids, right?”

Mai picked up the bottle of cider and waggled it. “Who wants refills?” She topped up Noah’s glass and then emptied the rest into Dale’s cup. She raised an eyebrow. “Who would you go as if you were to role-play?”

Dale smoothed her hand over her jeans. “Not much for fairy tales. And I haven’t put a costume on in years.”

Mai trailed a finger over Dale’s forearm. “Have you read The Lord of the Rings? You’d make a great Galadriel. ‘Instead of a Dark Lord, you would have a queen, not dark but beautiful and terrible as the dawn. Tempestuous as the sea, and stronger than the foundations of the earth. All shall love me and despair.’”

Dale stilled, captured by Mai’s dark gaze as she spoke. Her eyes held mischief and an invitation.

Noah coughed loudly and Dale snapped her gaze to him. “Mom, is it okay if I ride back with Chip?”

“Sure.” Dale busied herself with clearing up their picnic, desperate to ignore the blaze of desire burning through her soul.