“Don’t get the bruised apples this time, Hughie!” she called, cupping her hands around her mouth as Hughie disappeared behind the crates at the front of O’Malley’s grocery.

He stuck his shaggy head back out a second later, eyebrows scrunched dramatically. “Bruised apples build character!”

She laughed, rolling her eyes, and went back to weighing oranges for his ma’s famous marmalade. A minute later, she felt a warm rush of air and the faint smell of strawberries before Hughie plopped a punnet into her basket.

“Perfect ones this time?” she teased, inspecting the fruit.

“Perfect ones,” he grumbled, wiping his hands on his jeans. He was pouting — a big, broad-shouldered sulk that made her want to pinch his cheeks.

“What’s that face for?” she asked, nudging his hip with hers as she shifted the basket to her other arm.

Hughie made a strangled sound. “O’Malley asked if I was getting the fancy strawberries for me girlfriend.” He did a terrible impression of Mr. O’Malley’s voice, adding extra rasp and an exaggerated wink.

She snorted so loud a passing old lady gave them a look. “Oh no, not the fancy ones. Scandalous.”

“‘S’not funny!” Hughie hissed, though his lips twitched. He raked a hand through his messy hair. “Every time, swear to God. Mrs. Finn last week, now O’Malley. Everyone thinks we’re—” He stopped, waving a hand between them, eyes wide.

“—A pair of scandalous fruit-buying sinners?” she teased, fighting a grin.

He groaned, hiding his face behind his hands. “You know what I mean! Town’s got nothin’ better to do than marry me off to you in their heads.”

She reached up and tugged his wrist down so she could see his red ears. “Let ’em think what they want. They’re gonna talk anyway.”

Hughie blinked down at her, close enough that she could see the faint freckles dotting his nose, the way he smelled faintly of soap and sunshine. His mouth twitched like he wanted to say something smart — but instead, he just muttered, “Yeah, well. Next time you’re buying the strawberries.”

She laughed, looping her arm through his to drag him to the register. Neither of them mentioned the way O’Malley watched them walk out, smiling like he already knew the ending to a story they were both too shy to read aloud yet.