Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 89978 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 450(@200wpm)___ 360(@250wpm)___ 300(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89978 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 450(@200wpm)___ 360(@250wpm)___ 300(@300wpm)
“So if you don’t set goals, you can’t be a quitter?”
I laugh a little. “Are you regretting the kiss? A woman in her thirties who has no goals, doesn’t own a home, has never been married, and works at a general store. Is there a voice in your head saying you can do better?”
He shrugs a shoulder. “Are you content?”
“Yes,” I say without hesitation. “I like the moment. I’m passionate about the moment. And sometimes I feel like I know a secret that everyone else is working themselves to death to figure out.”
“And what is that?” He stuffs his wrapper into the sack.
“We’re here to enjoy life. To enjoy each other. We don’t know how long we’ll be here, so why chase anything? And I’m not saying that goals are bad, that chasing something is bad if you’re passionate about it.”
Koen eyes the door and nods toward it. “Did you have passion with him?”
So much.
“Not enough.”
“No?” he asks, sliding the puzzle pieces closer to him while I continue to eat my dinner one slow bite at a time.
“At the end of that summer, we let each other go.”
“Maybe this is a second chance.”
I wait for him to look at me, but he doesn’t. “It’s not.”
“How do you know?” He gives me another glance.
“Because I just do. He’s … dealing with something.”
“Is that what he said?”
“No. I just know him.”
Koen nods. “Why are you sharing this with me?”
“Because you kissed me tonight, and I hope you do it again. But I’m not good at lying or hiding my emotions.” I check the time. “And speaking of Price, I need to close the store.”
“Do you want me to leave?”
“I want you to stay.”
His expression leaks vulnerability and maybe … pleasure? “Then I’ll be here when you get done.”
I add my wrappers to the bag and toss it in the trash. “Thank you.”
“For staying?”
“Yes. For staying.” I slide on my shoes, pausing at the door before opening it.
Koen eyes me. These two men coming into my life simultaneously might seem like bad timing. But what if it’s perfect timing? What if one of these men is here to give me more, and the other is here to give me perspective?
CHAPTER NINE
I’M RIGHT HERE, WAITING FOR YOU TO SEE ME.
Price
I’m a natural. Not to brag (okay, I’m bragging a little), but I’ve not had a hiccup the whole night. I’ve made at least twenty dollars in tips from my soda and sundae-making skills and worked the register and credit card machine like a boss.
Just as I head to the door to shut off the sign, a woman in her late fifties, maybe early sixties, slips through the door.
“Good evening,” I say.
“Sorry. Are you closed?”
I shut off the neon light. “We are now, but you take your time as the lucky last customer of the day.”
“Thanks. I won’t dilly-dally. Where’s Scottie?”
“She has the night off. I’m the new guy, Price.”
“That’s a unique name.”
“Thanks. I’ll tell my mom.”
“You do that. Also, hug her and spend time with her. I wish my kids would call me once in a while.” She disappears behind a display.
I don’t know what I’d say if I called my mom. How would I explain something that doesn’t make sense to me? How do I explain a feeling that doesn’t feel definable?
“I don’t suppose you know which one of these herbal creams works best for hemorrhoids.” She uses her index finger, which has a pointy nail, to push her glasses up her nose.
With a nervous laugh, I drag my hesitant, clueless ass to the personal care aisle. “Being as I’m the new guy who hasn’t had the pleasure of experiencing hemorrhoids yet, I can’t make any personal recommendations. But I can read some labels with you, and maybe we’ll find something worth trying.”
She gives me a great smile. “You’re a handsome man. Are you single? Do you know that Scottie’s single?”
I focus on the label. “Are you trying to play matchmaker with a stranger?”
Before she can respond, Scottie peeks her head around the corner. “Hi, Evelyn. Can I help you with anything?”
“This handsome man was just helping me find something for my hemorrhoids.”
Scottie’s eyes widen at me. “How kind of you. Would you like my help, or do you have this?” She nods to the bottle in my hand. “Because that’s a warming lubricant for her pleasure and his.”
Evelyn laughs. “Oh, dear. I’m not looking for pleasure tonight. Just something to soothe my bottom so I can sleep.”
“I’ll start mopping the floor.” I return the lubricant to the shelf.
Scottie presses her lips together and nods.
After spending fifteen minutes chatting with Evelyn and finding the right salve for her hemorrhoids, she takes her payment and locks the front door behind her while I mop the floor.
“No 9-1-1 calls. Everything seems in order. And you’re in one piece. Are you officially the newest employee?” Scottie asks, shutting down the register.