Indigo (For The Love of Purple #1) - Audrey Faye Page 0,26

I wander aimlessly up and down the aisles and hope the right things jump off the shelves into my basket is really weird.”

Even his dimples quirk this time. “They run deliveries for a few people here in town. Seniors and new parents, mostly.”

I help a really yummy-looking bag of brownie bites into the basket. “Violet says I need to figure out how small towns work by actually participating instead of watching from a safe distance.”

He takes a baguette out of a tall basket at the end of the aisle. “She sent me a lunch order from the deli yesterday. It arrived just as I forgot what day it was. I think she and Mabel are in cahoots.”

I snicker. “She sent me one, too. Pastrami on rye with extra spicy mustard.” Food for my urban soul. “It was really good.”

He smiles and loads up on the fancy sliced cheese that adults put in their sandwiches. “The three of you take good care of each other.”

I lean across him and grab some of Blue’s favorite salami. “We do. Although that might not be obvious on movie night.”

He reaches around me for a package of bacon and drops a kiss on the back of my head as he goes. “So long as I get togarashi popcorn and kissing, I’m good.”

I’m not entirely sure how either of those ended up on the menu, but they both feel good there. Which is a strangely comfortable feeling in a topsy-turvy couple of weeks—and an unnerving one. I know so very little about him.

I grab some shredded cheese and a bag of bubbly, squishy pizza dough.

Dinner, solved. The guy beside me might not be so easy.

Chapter Fifteen

DREW

The noise coming through the door is something I associate with frat houses, not Violet. She isn’t as ethereal as she looks, but her front door is currently vibrating. Or her side door. I’m not sure which this is. Her apartment has two ways in, and neither of them look like they were particularly hoping for visitors.

The person who opens the door as the noise behind her abruptly shuts down is, however. Violet’s eyes shine as she looks past my left shoulder. “You came. I’m so glad.”

The sigh that comes out of Mabel is one I’ve only heard a few times in my life. The first was when I left a construction-paper heart, painstakingly cut out in school, on her pillow.

Pure-spring-water eyes shift to me and gladden a second time. “Sorry for the noise. Blue decided that I needed a new faucet right this minute, and the old one needed a lot of convincing to come out.”

Blue’s head pokes into the hallway. “I’m done with that, but we’ll have to get water from the bathroom tonight.” She waves. “Hey, Drew. Hey, Mabel.”

Violet’s lips quirk. “Welcome to chaos.”

Mabel cackles beside me.

I hold up the basket that I bought from the thrift shop this afternoon, because apparently my duffle bags don’t pass muster for this job. “A nice bottle of Hamish’s newest cider, cinnamon buns that look like piglet butts, and the ingredients for drinks that are acquiring more ridiculous names by the minute.”

Two beats of silence and Violet cracks up laughing.

I turn to glare at the air beside me. “You can talk to her on a channel I can’t hear?”

Mabel snorts. “Of course I can, dear.”

I wince. That’s really going to suck.

Violet takes the basket, her eyes full of mirth. “Indi will be up in a minute. She’s down in the shop with Jeannie’s nephew.”

“She’s here.” The voice from behind me huffs out a breath. “I’m not sure I’m skinny enough to fit through the door, though.”

I turn and hide a grin, which likely isn’t necessary. I don’t think she can see over the enormous hanging planter in her arms.

INDIGO

Drew manages not to laugh at me as he takes the load out of my arms. Which is much appreciated. The planter is really heavy and I already carried it for three blocks. “Mars called just as Julian was leaving and said this was ready. I didn’t realize you ordered an elephant-sized hanging garden, so I went to pick it up. Which means I deserve some of whatever smells so good.”

Violet grins. “Piglet butts, I hear.”

I shoot Drew a look as I herd all of us in the front door. Everyone that I can see, anyhow. Invisible guests need to fend for themselves. “Were those Mabel’s idea, or yours?”

His lips quirk. “I’m really boring. I stole cider from Hamish’s fridge.”

Of course he did.