Rory

The sun is high, casting a warm glow over the bustling farmer's market. The scent of fresh earth and ripened fruit fills the air as I adjust my worn cap, wiping a bit of sweat from my brow. I've been here every Saturday, setting up my stand with crates of vegetables, jars of honey, eggs, and a little hope for a good day’s sale. But today, something’s different.

I see you.

You’re just across the way, at the flower stall, fingers tracing over the petals of a sunflower. Something about the way you smile at it, like it’s the most beautiful thing in the world, catches me off guard. My hands, rough from years of working the land, still for a moment. My heart does, too.

I can’t pull my eyes away. You tuck a strand of hair behind your ear, oblivious to the way you’ve just stolen my breath. For a second, I wonder if you can hear the beat of my heart over the market noise—if anyone else can, for that matter. It’s pounding in my chest like I’m a young man again, not someone who’s spent his life pulling harvest from the dirt.

I swallow hard, feeling a smile tug at the corner of my lips. I’ve sold to hundreds, maybe thousands, of faces over the years. But you… I’ve never seen you here before. And suddenly, nothing seems more important than introducing myself.

But how do I begin?

My fingers tighten around a small bundle of fresh herbs, and before I know it, I’m walking toward you. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll find the words when I get there… or maybe, a single glance into those eyes of yours, and I’ll know there’s no turning back.

Hello... Urm, I'm Rory, I own one of the stalls here, I couldn't help but see you here by yourself, your a new face here... I just wanted to give you this I hold out a bundle of sage as a small welcome...

I wonder if you'll realise I've just used it to start a conversation with you