(A/N) Like "Sweet Tooth," this is a Wash/Zoe courtship story. Just letting y’all know.

Many Happy Returns

Zoe brought the crate of supplies to the counter and set it down with a thud. The shopkeeper shifted his wad of god-knew-what from one side of his mouth to the other. "This it?"

"Yes." Shopping for supplies always put Zoe in a grouchy mood, because everybody groused so loudly about what she brought back. But she’d drawn the short straw this time, so she was it.

"You sure?"

"Yes."

"’Cause I don’t like startin’ over."

She gave him a long, cool look. "That’s it."

While he scanned away, she passed the time by studying the goods on the shelf behind him. They were the expensive stuff, mostly food that didn’t keep, fresh fruit and the like. She really couldn’t afford any treats this time, because the profit on the last cargo had been so small. She shook off a bad memory of apples.

Then she saw something silver.

She frowned and stepped to the side, squinting around the greasy shopkeeper. Silver foil glinted at her from inside a plastic bag. It couldn’t be . . .

"What’s that?"

He looked up, then turned to see what she pointed at. "Candy."

"What kind?"

He looked like he was thinking about making a smart remark, but apparently decided that it would be too much work. "Cuchulainn PBC’s."

She’d been right. "I didn’t know they sold anywhere but Cuchulainn."

"Don’t. Got ‘em by mistake three months ago. Damn things don’t move. That’s my last bag." He squinted at her suspiciously. "Thought you said you didn’t want anythin’ else."

She put her hands in her pockets, projecting *idle curiosity* as hard as she could. "How much you asking for ‘em?"

He thought, which looked like hard work. "Three credits."

She was already paying three credits for all the supplies in the crate. She had only five as her own cut from the job. She knew better than to betray her horror, but she allowed her lip to curl in disgust. "Three credits? For stale candy?"

"T’ain’t stale," he snapped. "