Green-Eyed Monster [Harvest Moon: A New Beginning]

Eyed

Afterwards, Allen wondered how she managed to slip under everyone’s radar for so long. Even he hadn’t noticed, until one day he realized that she hadn’t been in his shop for at least half a year. Maybe even closer to a year—he couldn’t say for sure without checking his records. So when he saw them passing by one day while he was taking a stroll by the river, he’d commented on it.

“Hey, Rio, you haven’t been to my shop for ages,” he’d called out as he approached them. “You should come in, let me fix you up. Your hair could use some attention. And you should consider trying a new color—you’ve been looking really pale lately. Just stop by and let me work my magic on you!” he’d added with a wink in his usual flirtatious manner.

What had surprised him was the way she seemed to shrink into herself. “Oh! Umm, no thanks, Allen. I-I’m fine.” Then she’d glanced at Rod, as if seeking his approval, and he was even more surprised by what he saw in his friend’s eyes. Jealousy, though that was nothing new, but also something darker. A sort of superiority? Possessiveness? No, not quite either of those. He looked at Rio the way Allen imagined a baron from the Dark Ages might have eyed a pretty serving wench. The way someone in a position of power might lord it over someone completely subservient to him.

And that was all wrong, he thought as he watched them walk on up the mountain path.

************

Though he found the animal dealer’s company not at all to his taste, he nevertheless sought him out that evening. Neil opened the door, his guitar in one hand and a cigarette in the other, looking bleary-eyed with exhaustion—and perhaps more, Allen thought, spotting an open bottle of tequila on the table, next to a shot glass, a salt shaker, and a plate of lime wedges.

“Whaddya want?” Neil asked, taking a long pull on his cigarette and blowing the smoke out of the corner of his mouth.

“I need to talk to you,” Allen said, stepping past him into his house. “Something doesn’t seem right to me, and I want to know if you’ve noticed anything, too.”

With a grunt, Neil closed the door and walked back to the table. “Drink?” he asked, taking a last drag on his cigarette before smashing it into the ashtray.

Allen shrugged. “Sure. Why not?”

Neil grunted again, but grabbed a second shot glass from the cupboard. He filled both glasses, then passed one to Allen before taking his seat. He licked and salted his hand, grabbed his glass and a lime wedge, licked off the salt and tossed his drink back, sucking on the lime wedge as soon as he swallowed the liquor. He then refilled his glass before looking at his unexpected guest. “Well? What’s up?”

Allen mimicked his host’s actions, wincing at the burning sensation and the acidic bite of the lime juice. He’d never had tequila shots before—cognac was more to his taste. Ignoring Neil’s leer of amusement and declining a refill, he said, “I want to know, what do you think of Rio?”

Neil had picked up the salt shaker in preparation for his next shot, but he set it down again and looked at Allen in surprise. “Rio? I dunno. I guess… well, she’s a hard worker. And she’s good with animals,” he said, gruffly, then picked up the salt again and finished his shot.

That might not sound like much, but even Allen knew that, with Neil, that was high praise—perhaps the highest—to say she was ‘good with animals.’

“Has she seemed any… different to you lately?” Allen asked, watching his host carefully.

Neil shrugged. “I hadn’t really, but I guess now you mention it, she doesn’t come by as often. Oh, yeah, I do remember one thing. I’d stopped by one evening to let her know that a calf she was interested in would be up for sale the next week. She and Rod were goin’ at it like rabbits. It was a hot summer night, and her windows were wide open. Man, she makes a lot of noise.” He shook his head ruefully.