The big Bedford truck pulled up round the back of O'Dell's Deli bright and early with the shushing sound of old brakes on their last legs. The man at the wheel, who looked like he hadn't really climbed out of bed much earlier, bounced his hand on the horn exuberantly, and climbed out to rap his knuckles on the back door. "Yo, is there a Ms Jenkins in there?"

Sadie had been busily setting up the kitchen for the morning crew. Trays of dough were wheeled out of the walk in freezer to finish proofing near the warm ovens. Racks of knives, spoons, spatulas and other utensils were brought out of the drawers and set up. Upon hearing the horn blow, then the knock to the door, Sadie made her way to the office. "Hang on a second!" She called out as she gathered invoices and requisition orders. "Coming!" Scurrying down the hall, the small woman, wearing the uniform of the deli, with her pony tail swishing along her shoulders. The door was pushed open and she smiled. "Good morning, I'm Sadie."

The young man stepped back from where he had been leaning against the doorframe and looked her up and down with a cheerful grin. "So you are," he nodded, flicking off a salute to her. "Oh, sorry, guess I misheard you ... thought you said 'sexy'." He winked at her cheekily. "Name's Matthew Marshall, hear I'm running deliveries for you for the foreseeable future. I got eggs, flour, yeast, milk, water, mollasses ... I got a whole lot of everything in my truck here."

Nonplussed by the compliment, she gave him a skeptical look. "What happened to George?" Hugging her clip board to her chest, she walked past him, to the back of the truck. "He used to bring ten extra pounds of sugar."

"Sold me the business," Matthew shrugged, following her around to the back of his old Bedford, and climbing up to release the tarp. "Don't worry, all old accounts still held as they were. You got the extra sugar, Mizz." He grinned again, flipping the tarp up. "I'd stand back, if I was you." One good kick, and the trailer thumped down, revealing the goodies within.

The boy had way too much energy for this early in the morning and too cheerful a disposition for it to sit easily on Sadie's shoulders. "Why didn't he tell me?" Stepping back when requested, she peered into the back of the truck. The labels all looked right so she nodded and turned her attention onto the cutie. Her cheeks flushed as she realized where her line of thinking was going. Clearing her throat she hurriedly looked down at the forms. "Alright, I'll show you where the walk in is." Stepping quickly, she hurried back into the deli.

"Right you are, Mizz Sexy." Chuckling - he knew he was way too energetic for most people to handle this time of day - Matthew jumped down and slammed the truck shut once again, following Sadie into the deli. And taking the opportunity to have a very good look at her when she wasn't looking, of course; he wasn't celibate. And very nice the view was too. "Ol' George said he'd sent a notice around to everyone a few weeks back, when the business changed hands. Didn't you get it?"

"My name is..." then she shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Forget it. And I guess I didn't get it." The notice must have been somewhere amongst the other junk mail that lay in a bin on her desk. "The walk in is right over there." She stood to the side and pointed out the metal doored freezer with the thermometer attached to one wall. "So why'd George sell?"

"Matt, please. I'm not beautiful or gorgeous or sexy. I'm just plain Sadie. And I asked if you'd like something to drink. So I'll sit after I get you something. Orange juice? Milk? Apple juice? Tea? Coffee?" She ticked the different beverages off on her fingers.

"All of the above?" he joked, cramming a forkful of bacon into his mouth with a wide, boyish grin. Chewing quickly, he swallowed. "Apple'd be cool, thanks. And don't put yourself down, there's nothing plain about you." He patted the stool again, and returned to shovelling food into his mouth.

"Well thank you." She grinned and went about pouring him a glass of apple juice from the freshly squeezed pitcher in the refridgerator. "There you are." she placed the glass beside his plate before setting down. Her legs stretched and her ankles popped.

His eyebrows went up at the sound. "How long have you been on your feet to make them do that?" he asked, chuckling. His own long frame was pretty much folded up at the counter, ankles crossed and shoulders hunched as he ate.

"Years." She laughed and glanced around the kitchen, determining if she missed anything as they sat there. "Been running the Deli for a couple of years now. Before that, I was Rosie's personal assistant."

He shrugged, taking a long gulp of apple juice from his cup. "I haven't been in RhyDin all that long, but even I can tell you that ankles like that, they're not normal," he nodded to her feet. "Seriously, cute legs like that should not be making that noise."

She wondered idly how he could determine how cute her legs were when they were shrouded by her slacks. Quickly she moved her legs away from him, afraid that he may have some x-ray vision power. Everybody in Rhydin has some sort of power it seemed. "It's alright, they don't hurt. Really."

"Sugarplum, you should get someone to rub them for you." He nodded, chewing thoughtfully for a long moment before swallowing and looking over at her as though the thought had just occurred to him. "I'd be honoured to do the honours." His grin was impish and merry, and hardly to be taken seriously.

"Oh really? Aren't you the fresh one?" She got up from the stool and walked to the broom closet. "That's awfully sweet of you, but we're opening in a couple of hours and there's a lot of work to be done. I've not even started the cinnamon rolls yet."

He wasn't one to be deterred, though, wiping his mouth quickly and scrambling off the seat to follow her. "How 'bout I come by tonight, pick you up, show you how to relax M&M style?" he suggested, leaning over her shoulder.

"M&M style?" She pulled a broom from the closet and held it across her chest like a soldier would hold a rifle. "I, uh.. " she fought to find a reason why she shouldn't, but couldn't come up with a single one. "Oh, alright."

"Yeah, Matthew Marshall, M&M," he grinned. "I know, I know, it's been done, but hey, if it works ..." He shrugged, gently chucking her about the chin with his loose fist. "Don't look so scared, I'm not gonna jump you. Unless you ask me to." He waggled his eyebrows cheekily, backing up in a hurry in case she decided to use that broom on him.

She laughed with a slow shake of her head. And use that broom, she did. Pointing the bristles at his feet, she poked. "You're awful, Matt. And it's not a date tonight. You're just going to rub my feet. That's it. Right?"

"Maaaaybe." He smirked, jumping back from the broom with a loud laugh. "Depends what else of you needs rubbing." He chuckled teasingly, batting the broom out of the way, and dropping down onto one knee, Jolson style. "Sadie, Sadie, be my married lady; let me rub your feet forever, 'til you have my baby!"

She gave him a wary look, then stepped back when he dropped to his knee. Her hand went to her throat and she glanced around nervously to see if anybody was about. "Oh now you're just being a silly boy."

"And not even a little smile cracks the lady's face." He sighed, shrugging. "I'm staying right here until you give me a big smile, Mizz. I'll follow you around on my knees all day if I have to. Mind you, that puts me in the perfect place to get started with that ankle rubbing, baby-making ..." He laughed, waggling his fingers threateningly towards her feet.

She jumped back from his waggling fingers and eyed him suspiciously. Something told her that he'd do what he'd threatened to do. So she turned and leaned over, giving the biggest, cheesiest grin of her life.

His grin matched hers, and he shot forward and gave her the cheekiest kiss of his life. "Much better." Rising to his feet, matt brushed off his knees and winked at Sadie. "I'll see ya tonight, then, Mizz Sexy."

She was shocked and gasped as he kissed her. She just stood there, trying to digest it. It felt good, and she was surprised to find that she wasn't upset by it in the slightest. Blinking slowly, she put her hand to her mouth and nodded. "Yes, see you tonight." Her voice soft, thoughtful.

Smiling in his own charmingly boyish way, he winked at her once more, flipped off a salute, and strolled out through the back door, shutting up his truck loudly. He was whistling merrily as he climbed behind the wheel and drove off, feeling pretty good about his morning so far.

Sadie just stood there, the whirlwind that had been Matt still setting her mind whirling. She didn't realize how long she'd been standing there, clutching that broom until Dirk walked in to find her there. "You alright, Sadie?" He gently nudged her shoulder. She snapped to and nodded. "Yes, yes. Fine. Everything's ready, Matt.. I mean Dirk." She shook her head and went into the office. It'd be a long day. Dirk just watched after in confusion. "Matt?" he mouthed the name silently, ammunition with which to tease his boss, as he went about his daily morning routine. Indeed, it was going to be a good day.