Forgotten

Chapter 15

            I GIVE HAYLEY A QUICK HUG JUST BEFORE she heads out the door for school. "Remember, not a word about our little secret," I whisper. Hayley nods, and I hold the door open for her. She hurries down the street to the bus stop, where a crowd of little kids are already waiting.

            When I get back into the house, Liana is at the back door, lacing up her work boots. "You're going to the marketplace, right?" she asks.

            "Yeah." I watch her as she finishes one boot, then starts on the next. "You sure you're okay with taking care of all the chores again? I feel like I hardly ever do them anymore."

            She waves me away. "Don't worry about it. Besides, what you're doing is far more important."

            Within ten minutes, I'm fully dressed and out the door. I have to stop by the storage house to get goods to sell—if I'm walking all that way to the marketplace, I might as well get some work done.

            Once I've gotten the storage cart, I walk as fast as I possibly can to get to the square. I get antsier and antsier with every minute that passes by, and nearly trip on a number of occasions when the toes of my boots catch on the cracks in the road.

            It feels like forever before I finally enter into the hustle and bustle of the busy marketplace. As soon as I get in, it takes all my self-control not to immediately make a beeline for Rowan's stand.

            It's important to act normal, I tell myself. You have business to do. Do it.

            Unfortunately, today turns out not to be the best day for selling eggs and milk. I have to ask four different people before I find one who will buy even one carton of eggs. The rest of the job is laborious, and it takes a few hours before my cart is finally empty. Even then, I know I should probably mill around the stalls, looking at things as if I were an interested buyer. I only have patience for a few minutes of this, though, and finally speed-walk, almost running, towards Rowan's stand.

            I breathe a silent prayer of thanks that he is alone at the stand, none of his homestead brothers there to eavesdrop on our conversation. He looks up from organizing antiques at the front table and smiles. "Well, look who we have here."

            I place my palms on the table and lean forward. "We need to talk."

            "Whoa, whoa, princess." Rowan gestures towards the crowds of people in the square. "Maybe you've noticed, but we're not exactly alone."

            I grit my teeth in frustration. Why won't he just listen?

            Rowan seems to read my thoughts. He shrugs. "Okay, just give me a second."

            I nearly jump with shock as he cups his hand to his mouth and yells, "I'm sorry, miss, but I can't possibly take that kind of price. I'll give you my lowest, and we'll go from there."

            I look around, shocked, and see a couple of kids behind us giving us dirty looks.

            "What are you doing?" I hiss at him.

            "Giving us an excuse to have a long, somewhat intense conversation in a public place." He grins. "You'd be surprised at how long bartering takes with some people."

            I set my lips in a thin line. It was stupid, but clever at the same time. I don't understand this boy.

            "All right, Stella." Rowan says, folding his arms in front of him. "What is it?"