Nordic Heroes: In the Market and a Wholesale Arrangement Read Free Page B

out over the constant noise of the busy marketplace faded away. Men in jeans and flannel shirts who normally bustled around the loading area stood in small knots, their attention on the players. Silence reigned.
    Steeling her nerves, Jordan stuck a hand into her right pocket and pulled out a nickel. In a practiced move, she flicked it high into the air. All eyes watched the silver coin spinning in the early morning light. It tumbled to earth and landed with a ping. After two bounces, the coin lay flat on the cement dock.
    “Heads,” she announced, not displaying the least bit of surprise at the outcome.
    Rainer lifted an eyebrow. “Congratulations. I believe that’s the first time I’ve ever been beaten.” He frowned. “In fact, I’m certain it’s the first time I’ve ever been beaten.” His frown deepened. “I’m not sure I like it.”
    Jordan smiled. “Get used to it, Mr. Thorsen. I can be pretty resourceful when necessary.” She bent down with studied indifference, picked up the coin, and pocketed it. Curling her pinkie fingers into her mouth, she gave a high shrill whistle. As though by magic, Terry appeared at her side.
    “Please put my bananas on the truck, Terry,” Jordan instructed briskly. She glanced up at Rainer and smiled again. “Nice doing business with you, Mr. Thorsen.” She hesitated. “Our business is completed, isn’t it?”
    He folded his arms across his chest and shook his head, staring at her with narrowed eyes. “Not quite. But it’ll keep, Ms. Roberts. It’ll keep.” He offered a large callused hand. “Until next time.”
    Faltering, but only for a moment, she slipped her hand into his. The man’s handshake was as strong and firm as the man. He tightened his grip, refusing to release her. Her gaze flashed to his and she nearly flinched. She couldn’t mistake the fierce determination in his expression.
    “I’m accustomed to getting what I want, Ms. Roberts. You’d do well to remember that.”
    Not trusting her voice, she nodded. Carefully, she tugged her hand away and retreated across the loading dock. The distance seemed even longer than before, especially with every eye on her. She touched the double-headed coin in her right pocket. How long would it take for Thorsen to learn how she’d tricked him?
    She reached her end of the dock and Terry scurried over to her. “You know who that is?” he demanded in a nervous whisper.
    “Yeah, I know.”
    “And still you pulled that little stunt with one of your double-sided coins?”
    She turned on him. “They were my bananas. I told you I’d get them back one way or the other. Unfortunately it had to be the other.” She glanced at the salesman, not hiding her concern. “Do you think Marco will tell him what I did?”
    Terry shook his head. “Not likely. He used to work for the Thorsens a few years back, so he has a certain loyalty to them. But he’s crazy about you. We all are. If anyone tells Thorsen, it’ll be Mr. Constantine. Once he gets wind of it he’ll spill the beans, if only because he thinks it’s such a huge joke.”
    “Nuts.”
    “You got that right.” Terry leaned toward her, lowering his voice. “I’d hoped to avoid a confrontation with him, get you to forget about those bananas. It’s too late for that now. You’d better know, Jordan, the Thorsens have always bought their produce from houses closer to Boeing Field. I hear Marco convinced them to try us. You realize what that means, don’t you?”
    “Another showdown tomorrow?”
    “That and more.” Terry’s expression turned unusually serious. “Thorsen buys big, real big, and he always, always gets what he wants. If he decides to buy from Constantine, he’ll keep two of our salesmen hustling and more importantly, he’ll pay same as everyone but you, cash on the barrelhead. None of this line-of-credit stuff the boss gives Cornucopia. And that’s a lot of bucks.”
    “Nick must be jumping through hoops,” she muttered.
    “He