Wisteria Cottage

Cobbler

Carter

Ten minutes later there's a very hesitant knock on the door. Definitely not Cowboy, I watched him pedal past. So that only leaves... "Yes, Finn?"

He smiles at me like I just hung the moon. "So you DO know my name! I was wondering about yours the other day and now that you know mine, it's only fair that you tell me yours."

My response is a stare. He's cute. I knew that the first time I laid eyes on him but I actually haven't seen him up close and personal for more than ten or fifteen seconds at a time at the cafe. I'd thought he was young but maybe he's closer to my age. He's clean shaven and has a tight, lithe body. It's probably from all the gardening; that can't be easy work. I doubt he or Cowboy ever need to hit the gym. "Did you need something?"

Even that doesn't make his smile falter. He lifts the bag of sneaky peaches I'd put on the trash. "Are you really throwing these out?"

"Yes."

"Is there something wrong with them?" he asks, spinning the bag slowly and peering at each one through the cellophane.

"I don't know. They're peaches and I don't do peaches." His smirk makes me realize what I said. "To be clear I do peaches, but I don't eat them." Uh, shit. "I mean... never mind." I run my hand through my hair and my stunning personality slips back into place. "Take them if you want them, I don't care." Then I shut the door, pretty much in his face. What is it about this guy that makes me crazy?

Another knock. Seriously??!?!! "What?"

"Do you not like the taste? I'm confused because why would you buy them if you don't?"

Why does he CARE? "I... fine. Peaches are fine. I don't like the damn skin. Who wants to bite into fuzz?"

"You're funny. I've never met anyone with so many feelings about peach fuzz. It's natural. I mean, heck, you're fuzzier than me and I'm not holding it against you." He backs up a step, like he's afraid he's offended me or something. "I uh, I could make you a cobbler. Would you eat that? No fuzz involved, I promise. Or a pie, if you prefer pie? But it'll have to be a crumb top because my pie crusts always end up ripping into shreds and I can patch the bottoms together but the tops are hopeless and then they look like crap even if they're delicious and apparently you're a guy who cares about appearances. Or, uh, feelings? I mean... uh I'll just make you something. Okay bye!"

So he does have to breathe. I wasn't sure for a minute. I watch him turn and walk towards his bike as quickly as those lean legs can carry him. What a strange guy. Very strange.

Two days later there's a cobbler on my porch. With a bow on it. And a note. The note says that he used most of the peaches for the cobbler but kept the extras and hopes that's okay and that I enjoy it. Oh, and PS, I can give him back the dish whenever. And he signed it with a smiley face and then wrote 'Give peach a chance', I shit you not. I take it inside because it looks amazing and the first bite has me groaning. It's sweet but also a tad tangy somehow. The topping is crunchy and the whole thing is perfection. I decide that I'm going to be bad and stop by one of the half million ice cream places on the island on my way home from the cafe later and bring some vanilla ice cream to put on top of a nuked piece of this. It has to happen. Has to.

At the cafe, Finn asks if I'd like my regular. "Please.  And thanks for the cobbler.  It's really good."

"You're welcome, peach. Coming right up."

Hold on. "Peach?"

"Well I can't just call you Wisteria man forever, can I? So until you tell me your name I'll just have to keep improvising." Someone laughs behind me and I turn to see Cowboy Jack. "Do you know his name, boss?" Finn asks hopefully.

"I do but it's his to tell. Besides, I think 'peach' fits him perfectly.

That earns them both a scowl but I'm pretty sure they both just find it funny. That's alright, I have better things to do than hang around here; I have ice cream to procure and cobbler to eat.  I should have just made coffee at the cottage; I can't for the life of me figure out why I keep hoofing it down here.