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"Whoa, sister My position on dating has not changed"

I didn’t one-night-stand per se More likeenough nights to get to know the guy’s body and what he liked, and to et into anything serious Easy Si to have soood co her eyebrows

"Who knows? My career is still e off, I’ll get a guy on standby No strings, no attachments Just easy breezy fun tiuy would set things up"

"Yeah, if a guy bangs chicks all over town, he’s just being a guy But if a girl does it, she’s slutty, right?"

That’s probably how Bailey Falls people would react I wondered again if this was a huge mistake But as usual, Natalie knehat I needed

"I think it’s kind of brilliant, actually," she said "You’ll ain"

"This is silly to even talk about--it’s hardly the focus of my life Nohat’s up with you? Break anyone’s heart lately?"

We chatted for over an hour, until I began to feelevery ure out the diner before my mother headed off into the sunset I pros under control, and we hung up

Chapter 5

I spent the next few days reacquainting myself with the fa I needed to know to keep things afloat Who her vendors were, when she placed her orders, who had keys and could lock up, when deliveries were made, and was she absolutely, positively married to the idea of a blue-plate special? Married she was But she didn’t say I couldn’t try out so new if I was so inclined Excellent!

As I headed toward the prep table, I heard someone say Leo’s name There was a small een the kitchen and the station where the waitresses tended to hang, where they kept all the side items for their tables, like lemons for iced tea, extra napkins, etc I sidled closer, staying out of sight ninja style Sandy and Maxine were always good for local gossip, and I wanted to hear as much about Leo as I could I was deter on an actual conversation

"He’s just--da

Maxine agreed "I know, I hear what you’re saying Did you see that cucuht last week? Gave , you think I’d have left hih, you know that"

"I do I also know that I’ve never seen Leo around toith anyone Maybe he’s just waiting for the right gal"

"And you think the right gal for him is a fifty-seven-year-old waitress from Bailey Falls?"

"Point taken But if I were thirty years younger, I’d be throwing myself at hier A cucuo!"

No girlfriend in the picture HmmmI definitely needed to be on the lookout every tih the back door Strictly for redeht also be why I found

Ito see as in season, who had the freshest produce After all, excellence isto see if a certain so and capable hands was there So I could speak to him as an adult this tiest line of all the vendors Of course

I also noticed how different the far up Back thenthe local-food thing way back before it was hip It was literally a few tables with giant tomatoes and the Ja in so lot behind the Methodist church; there were neverthe far in the back of a truck, eating all the leftover cara! The e of town, in an old barn that was older than the town itself, fro in the Hudson Valley had been farh hite oak beaoodness barn dances And it was now home to the Bailey Falls farmers’ market, with permanent vendor booths set up inside the old stalls

Each booth had the farm’s name proudly displayed over its table, which displayed whatever they were producing Late spring greens were everywhere, turnip and reens the most prominent Lettuce of all varieties Carrots in a riot of colors, not just orange--ruby red, purple, and vibrant yellow carrots spilled over their baskets and into custo hands One farmer had plates of sliced fresh radish set out, with piles of coarse salt and soft butter ready for dipping Root vegetables, spring onion, garlic, and garlic scapes, that wonderful delectable that was only available in the late spring Asparagus stalks, thin and tender, begged to be barely blanched and then tossed with the greenest olive oil Early strawberries, still with their vines attached And rhubarb for days