Fat Cat Takes The Cake

Then it clicked. Van Snelson? Heard as Vance Nelson. Mr. Snelson, however, was not a land broker. He was a high school principal. She would talk to Julie about all this again tonight when Jules was off work. And she must remember to mention seeing Dickie Byrd with—whoever that was. Right out there on a public sidewalk. Did the man have no sense of self-preservation, what with his election coming up? He had never gotten academic honors in high school, but he had won elections. Was there such a thing as being election-smart and not smart-smart?

Rounding the last corner to the parking lot behind the Bar None, Chase was surprised to see Eddie Heath leaning against a bright yellow Smart car. He broke into a glowing smile when he saw her coming.

He waved, so Chase returned the gesture. But she wondered what he was doing here, behind the shop. It was closed today, so he probably wouldn’t find out where she’d gone from anyone inside. Anna was still here, as evidenced by her blue Volvo. She didn’t usually answer the door when she was alone, though.

“Nobody answered your doorbell when I tried it,” he shouted. “I was about to leave when I saw you.”

When she got near, she greeted Eddie. “Hi. We’ve been on a walk. Did you need some dessert bars?”

“Nope.” He grinned again.

“That’s good, because we’re closed today. But I could get some if you’re interested.”

“I’m more interested in the shop owner right now.”

He was flirting with her! Her high school crush had come around to see her after the reunion. She was conscious of a faint blush spreading up from her neck as she recalled the tingle she’d felt when they touched that night. “Are you . . . are you here for the tour I promised you?”

“Maybe. But I thought I could buy you lunch first.”

Was he going to apologize for dumping her right before their high school prom? No, Chase, she told herself. Don’t bring that up. It’s water under the bridge.

“Have you eaten?” he asked.

“No. Sure, I’d like that. I’ll be out in a minute.”

She scooped Quincy up and ran up the stairs to deposit him in the apartment. She wet her hands and patted her hair into place, then ran a tinted gloss over her lips. Then, for good measure, even though she knew she was about to eat, she swished some mouthwash.

As she checked her teeth in the mirror, Mike Ramos’s face popped up in her mind. This wasn’t a date, she told the imaginary Mike, it was merely getting together with an old classmate. Who I bumped into when I went to the reunion without you. Because you finked out at the last minute.

Crossing her fingers, she hoped going to lunch with Eddie Heath wasn’t the wrong thing to do.

EIGHT

Chase let Eddie pick the restaurant and he drove her to an out-of-the-way place. The outside of Gourmet Leaves and Plants was interesting and even funky. When they got seated Eddie started enthusing over the menu.

“See this?” He pointed to the top of the sheet. “Organic. Vegan. Raw. Gluten-free.”

Chase suppressed a shudder. “Is there regular food, too?” The weather was chilly and she had been looking forward to some thick, creamy soup, or maybe a juicy hamburger.

Eddie flashed that grin. “This is regular food. What’s wrong with it?”

Chase saw the selection of chilled soups. Nothing hot. “Well, are there any burgers?” She flipped the menu over, searching in vain for some comfort food. There were an awful lot of juices listed.

“Let me order. I promise you’ll love it. This place serves only healthy food.”

The waiter was hovering by them now. Eddie told him they would both start with a “rejuvenator.”

Chase started to look for it on the menu, then decided not to. She would give it a chance based on the taste. When the glass arrived, she sniffed the cloudy liquid. It smelled fresh and lemony. However, when she took a sip, she barely managed to swallow it. “I think I’ll need some water, too.”

“You don’t like the fermented quinoa sprouts?” Eddie’s face fell, disappointed.

“Maybe it’s the ginger.” There was at least five times more of the stuff than she could take in the “rejuvenator.”

The waiter was still nearby. “What kind of water?” he asked.

“Just regular water, please.”

“Unflavored?”

“Tap water, please.”

The waiter sniffed. “We do not serve tap water.”

“Then please bring me whatever you have.”

She got a glass bottle of “oxygen-infused water” that tasted rather musty, but better than the fermented quinoa.

The meal went downhill from there. Eddie had ordered her a falafel wrap that tasted good, but she would have much preferred something hot and filling.

Eddie steered the conversation to the weather and the background on almost every item from the menu. Chase was relieved that he didn’t bring up anything from high school, like, the prom. She remained polite and listened to his discourse on healthy food, nodding and staying silent on the subject. After all, she was in the business of making and selling sweet treats.