Page 54 of Not Looking
The burls were pretty picked over as I browsed. I found one about the size of a cantaloupe that looked good for a small lidded jar or a couple of trinket trays, but otherwise I struck out.
I’d let somebody else waste their Cactus Juice.
The line had dwindled as I made my way back to the main showroom, but Craig was still helping another customer. I headed to the short cuts and found several pieces that could easily be turned into trivets.
“I was worried I wouldn’t see you,” came a soft voice from behind me.
I turned to see Craig sporting a nervous smile.
Heat crawled up my neck into my cheeks. “Sorry, the week sorta got away from me.”
His smile turned sincere. “You got busy, that sounds like a good thing.”
“Sometimes.”
“I am glad, though,” he stated. “I’m going to do some afternoon training in the field starting next week. I didn’t want to miss you.”
“Training?”
He nodded. “Remember how Joey told you I used to be a faller?”
“Yeah?”
“They hired me to be able to go out and do quotes when people want to sell their trees to us during thinning,” he paused. “Or… like when you want to have us process your wood.”
I froze.
Craig was going to visit my home? Why wasn’t Jim…
My memory caught up. Jim had retired. Of course, they needed somebody new. And Craig’s background made him the ideal person for it.
I swallowed and nodded. “So… it’ll be you?”
He returned the nod. “Yeah.
I scrambled. What was I supposed to say to that? “It-it’ll probably be next month.”
“Ok.”
There was an awkward pause, then he glanced at the counter. “I’ll be over there when you’re ready.”
“Ok.”
I turned back to the shorts as he strode off, but I couldn’t focus. It was only a minute or two later when I headed the same direction.
Craig wore a nervous smile as I approached—and as Harrison conveniently disappeared to the back.
“So… umm…” he started. “Part of me thinks the guys in the back are fucking with me. They set this on my pile for you. But Harrison says you’ll want it.”
I blinked. “Ummm… ok?”
He pulled out a piece that should have been on the shorts shelf rather than the scrap bin and handed it over.
My breath caught in my throat as soon as I saw the telltale streaking, then my eyes snapped to the constellation of bug holes.
“Wow…” I breathed.
“Good?” Craig asked with an unsure tone.
