“Cleanup on aisle four,” I said.
Celia scrambled around in the mess and finally managed to get to her feet. She gave the man in the wheelchair a dirty look, then stalked out the door.
“Nolan!” the woman with him said. “You did that on purpose.”
The man in the wheelchair smiled. “Can’t stand that woman. Simply odious.”
The woman put her hand over her mouth, clearly torn between propriety and hilarity. Universal dislike for Celia must have won out because she lowered her hand, exposing the smile.
Walter hurried over. “Are you all right?” he asked Nolan. “You didn’t get hit, did you?”
Nolan waved a hand in dismissal. “Perfectly fine. I’m afraid my little stunt made a bit of a mess, though. Put anything that was damaged on my bill.”
“Nonsense,” Walter said. “I’d have paid you to do it.”
The woman stepped forward and stretched out her hand. “I’m Gail Bishop and this scoundrel is my husband, Nolan.”
I shook her hand, then extended mine to her husband, who gave me a hearty shake with a firm grip. He grinned up at me. “I hope I didn’t create more trouble for you. No doubt, she’ll see it all as your fault.”
“Don’t worry about it,” I said. “Blaming me for everything has become Celia’s new pastime. Reality has never entered into her accusations.”
Gail shook her head. “I think it’s just shameful the way that woman treats people. What in the world were people thinking when they voted for her?”
“They weren’t thinking,” the woman with the stroller said. She extended her hand. “I’m Penelope Dugas, but everyone calls me Peaches.”
Gail smiled. “On account of her sweet disposition.”
Peaches grinned. “I’ve just got everyone fooled. Well, I better get home and make Brandon some dinner.” She gave us a wave and headed out of the store.
“Let me help you clean this up,” Gail said.
“Don’t worry about it,” Walter said. “I was planning on moving that shelf to the back wall anyway. Always figured someone would eventually knock it over. It was just good fortune that it was Celia.”
“Then I guess we’re ready to check out,” Gail said. “I need to get this man some dinner as well.”
They headed to the cash register, and I made my way around the mess and picked up a box of crackers and a bag of potato chips. I knew Ally would keep me supplied with sweets, but a box of cookies seemed to be calling to me, so I tossed those in as well. Gail and Nolan were just finishing checking out as I made my way back to the register.
“It was nice meeting you,” she said. “I’ve heard a lot about you. Maybe one day we can have tea and chat.”
“That would be nice,” I managed, even though it sounded reasonably horrible.
Nolan winked at me and smiled. I couldn’t help but smile back. His stunt with the wheelchair had seriously improved my afternoon.
I put my basket on the counter. “I also need two cases of diet Coke and one case of those flavored waters, blackberry if you have it.”
Walter nodded. “Got a shipment in. You in your Jeep?”
“No. I was jogging, and shopping was an afterthought. I’ll pick it up later.”
“Don’t worry about it. I can have Scooter run it over.”
Scooter was Walter’s right-hand man. He mostly took care of automobile maintenance and small repairs, but since that didn’t keep him busy full time, he was always doing whatever odd job Walter needed done. He also had a crush on me, but it was the harmless sort, and I’d been careful to never encourage him.
Walter tallied up the items and put them on my account. Then he looked up at me and narrowed his eyes. “How are you doing?”
“Fine,” I said, putting forth my best attempt at sounding perky.
He didn’t buy it for a minute.
“Uh-huh. Well, if you need anything, you let me know. I mean it.”
Because I knew he did, I smiled. If I were thirty or so years older or Walter were younger, I’d totally fall for him. Heck, I was a little in love with him already. He and Carter shared the same strong facial features that seemed to run in their family, and Walter’s quiet way of looking after those he cared about was so endearing it was impossible not to love him. When I’d first arrived in Sinful, I wondered why he wasn’t taken, but I’d soon found out that Walter had been helplessly and hopelessly in love with Ida Belle since they were kids.
“I appreciate it,” I said.
He nodded and I headed out of the store, shaking my head. Ida Belle was one of the smartest women I’d ever met, but I couldn’t help wondering if she’d missed the boat on this one. Surely, if there was ever a man that was a catch, it was Walter.
Like uncle, like nephew.
I frowned and pushed that thought out of my mind.
It had no place there.