Page 39 of Must Love Lavender and Little Lies
I chuckled. “Yes. I need a new witchwood pestle. The starfire seeds have stopped obeying my old one.”
Polly chuckled, and we got to work, setting out our swap goods. The seedlings I had grown to trade that day were young sundrop flowers. The dried blossoms were good for curing the sniffles when brewed. It was an easy remedy to make. I had chosen it for its practicality, Polly and I agreeing we would trade the flower seedling to anything offered as a way to get the plant into more Moonshine Hollow homes. The healthier the citizens of the town, the better for everyone, even if that meant we might collect a few unusual items in the stuff swap. But for the most part, the citizens of Moonshine Hollow were fair in their trades, and I always loved going home with a basket of unexpected finds.
Working quickly, we readied the table just outside the white picket garden gate. Across the street on the corner, Miriam, the candlemaker, waved to us.
“Merry met and happy Greening,” she called.
“And to you,” I waved in reply.
“And congratulations, Juniper! We are all so happy to see the two of you finally making it official. I’ll happily make the candles for your wedding.”
“I… Thank you so much.”
She smiled and then went back to work.
Polly grinned. “And how were the in-laws?”
“They’re a merry lot.”
“Oh, I bet,” Polly replied, her ears twitching as she giggled, but she didn’t have a chance to ask more, because the first of many stuff-swap customers arrived.
We worked busily all morning. Tansy traded off jewelry she’d been unable to sell and stones she no longer needed, ending up with a wagon full of jarred jams, honey, a sourdough starter, and new boots for Kellen. The fact that Kellen lingered nearby virtually guaranteed that no one would try to underswap. Everyone in Moonshine Hollow revered the dryad guardian.
As for myself, I had collected soaps, lotions, fabric squares, and handmade crafts from children.
Polly had just returned with the wagon from town, having done her own swaps. In it was a golden fleece spaniel, its golden fur shimmering in the sunshine.
“Polly?” Tansy asked with a laugh. “What did you do?”
“Oh, my kids have been begging and begging for a puppy, and wouldn’t you know, Tall Paula had four of them. So, we traded for chutney and one of my crocheted shawls. Don’t worry, Juniper. I’ll set him up in the backroom where he can’t do any harm.”
I bent to pat the puppy. “Hello, little golden one. Wait until you meet Pip,” I said with a laugh. “They will terrorize the apothecary together,” I told Polly.
Polly laughed, but the sound was drowned out by the cacophony of noise coming from down the street. Granik’s entirefamily trailed behind Granik as they made their way to Thistle and Thyme. His eldest brother laughed loudly as he pulled Gree-Gree along in a rickshaw.
Where had Granik found that?
When Granik caught my eye, he smiled sheepishly.
Once more, the memory of the kiss, our firstrealkiss, bubbled up. My cheeks reddened.
“Easy, now,” Tansy whispered. “You’ve got this.”
Glad she had misread my expression, I gave her a grateful smile, then turned and waved to the family. “Merry met,” I called.
“Juniper!” they yelled in unison.
The children ran forward, their satchels already full with a variety of twinkling candy, stuffed animals, and more.
Granik smiled when he reached us. “We’ve been shopping and trading our way here,” he said, extending his hand to me. When he met my gaze, he held it. Therein, I saw something…different. Warm. He smiled softly at me.
I took his hand, giving it a squeeze.
“Juniper,” Granik’s mother, Annya, said. “Oh, look at your shop! How perfect.”
“Juniper!” Kika called. “Is the dress shop near here? Will you take us?”
“Granik,” Granik’s father called. “Is the festival ale tent near here? Will you take us?”
