Page 33 of Fake Dark Vows
“I don’t think we’re going to find it in this store,” Rose’s voice is low, keeping the conversation personal. “I think we should skip straight to the artisan stores at the back of the village.”
I swallow. Focus on the game rather than the faint scent of Rose’s perfume.
“We’ll save time if we can find something in here.” I peer around at the souvenir key rings, fridge magnets, and baseball caps.
“But we’re looking for something unusual,” she says, in case I’ve forgotten the challenge.
While Georgie is busy touching everything she can see, and Rose is following her around straightening stuff behind her, I scan the ware for something the other players might not spot. My gaze settles on a rack of wide-brimmed sombreros, and I pick one up—one half of challenge number three solved. Then I spot some snow globes tucked away on a shelf behind a sales assistant.
She catches my eye and asks what I’m looking for. “Something unusual,” I say, aiming a well-practiced smile her way. “It’s for a treasure hunt.”
“Ooh, exciting,” she squeals. “Let me show you something.”
She arches a thick, dark eyebrow at the intended innuendo, and I keep my face a mask. She’s attractive, potentially even my type, but my mind is elsewhere this week.
The assistant crouches in front of some cartons waiting to be unpacked, making sure I get an unobstructed view of the small expanse of exposed flesh between her pants and her top, and stands up with a wide smile and a snow globe in her hand. “New in,” she says, giving the small globe a shake.
I’ve already spotted the miniature shack preserved inside the glass bubble complete with Betsy the lobster and shake my head. “I need something original.” I already know this will cost me the challenge.
“Wait for it,” she says.
And then I spot the ‘snow’ which is actually tiny slices of key lime pie. I take the snow globe from her and give it another shake. “Can you wrap it up for me?” I hesitate. “I need a special favor from you: can you hide this carton and unpack it later so that no one else from the treasure hunt finds it?” I slide my Amex Centurion card from my wallet and flash it at her.
“Sure thing.”
“I’ll take a sombrero too.”
The assistant swaddles the globe in bubble wrap and stuffs it inside a small box, then fetches a sombrero from the hanging rack which she sets on the counter while she checks the items through the register.
“What are you buying?” Rose appears from nowhere, Georgie attached to her hip holding a rag-doll wearing a Betsy print T-shirt. Her eyes narrow when she spots the sombrero.
“The winning item,” I say.
“A sombrero?”
“That’s for the next challenge.”
Rose shakes her head. In one fluid movement, she whips the hat from the counter and replaces it with the rag-doll and a small plastic container. “Nu-huh. I’m not letting you do that.”
“There’s nothing in the rules to say I can’t buy a sombrero.”
But she’s already walking away. She replaces the hat on the stand and then waits outside for me to join them.
I pay for her items simply because she dumped them on the counter, and I’ll look like an ass if I try to return them. The way the assistant grinned at her when she stole the sombrero, I already know that she’ll take Rose’s side in an argument.
Outside, she stares at the brown paper bag in my hand. “So, what’s this winning object you found then?” I recognize the accusation in her tone and wonder if she took my teamwork comment to Damon literally and expected to have a say in what we bought.
I unpack the snow globe and give it a shake to disturb the key lime pie slices.
Frown lines appear between her eyebrows.
“What?” I ask, finding myself on the defensive.
She shrugs. “It’s a snow globe.”
I blink at the object in my hand. “Have you ever seen key lime pie snow?”
“No, but I bet thousands of other tourists have.”