falsely bright tone, with a falsely bright smile, Austin waved. “Well, gotta book. Got shit to do.”
“Thank you. For last night. It was….”
“Oh, yeah, that was a blast. We should do it again sometime.” Austin was proud of himself for keeping his voice from cracking.
He walked to the front door, Ben padding quietly in his wake. Austin paused with his hand on the knob but didn’t turn around. “So, uh. I’ll see ya around. Tell Sam hi for me.” He wasn’t going to look at Ben. Didn’t want to see the expression on his face. Sure as hell didn’t want Ben to see his.
“Austin….”
Austin opened the door and walked out into the glaring morning sun.
Chapter Eight
“A USTIN , CAN you see if we have any more bacon body wash in the back?”
After picking a plastic frog off the floor and tossing it into its bin, Austin nodded. “Sure, Tabby.” He liked the smell of bacon well enough, but he wouldn’t want to go around smelling like it all day. Hell, if customers really wanted to smell like bacon, maybe they should work the breakfast shift at Rosenberg’s.
He dug around in the stockroom, but the body wash supply was depleted. He did discover bacon soap and toothpaste, however, so he grabbed one of each and took them out front. But Tabby’s customer—a tan bleached blonde in her forties—wasn’t satisfied. “Soap isn’t the same as body wash,” she complained.
Austin tried to look sympathetic. “I know. But functionally, they’re almost equivalent. Who’s the gift for?”
“My brother. He’s turning fifty and he’s feeling traumatized.”
“Sure, I understand. How about if I help you put together a really fun gift basket for him?”
The woman perked up. “You can do that?”
“Of course. We can even package it in something like a retro lunchbox.”
“Okay,” she said, smiling broadly.
It took over twenty minutes, but eventually he helped her choose a variety of toys, candies, novelty socks, and other small items. She didn’t even blink at the total. He wrapped her purchase up prettily with colored cellophane, and she practically danced out of the store.
The store was quiet, so Tabby had observed the entire transaction. After the lady left, Tabby approached Austin. “That was pretty amazing. Instead of losing a ten-dollar sale, we rang up over a hundred bucks. And I’m sure she’ll be back next time she needs a gift.”
“I’m glad I made her happy.” He reached over to straighten a display of shell necklaces on a rack.
Tabby watched him for a moment or two. “You’ve been here almost five weeks now.”
“Um, yeah, that sounds right.”
“You’ve been on time every day and you’ve worked really hard. And you’re great with the customers.”
He preened a little under the praise. “Thanks. I enjoy working here.”
“Would you enjoy it even more with a raise and benefits?”
“I sure would!”
“Good,” she said with a grin. “And I’m thinking you need a title too. How about Assistant Manager?”
“Seriously? That’s fantastic! Thank you!” He bounced up and down a little, which made her laugh.
“It’s a slow day and Kit will be in soon. Take the afternoon off to celebrate, Austin. I’ll pay you for the whole shift.”
He didn’t need to be given that offer twice. After a few more words of gratitude, he zoomed out the door. Only to be brought up short when he hit the sidewalk. Here he had some great news—the kind of news that needed to be shared. But who could he tell? His roommates didn’t give a shit where he worked or what his title was as long as he paid the bills on time. Randy, Colton, and his other friends wouldn’t care either.
Ben.
But Austin hadn’t talked to Ben since the night they had sex. Hadn’t even texted him. Not that he hadn’t wanted to. God, he’d pulled out his phone and started tapping about a thousand times over the past couple of weeks, but he’d always hit Delete instead of Send. He didn’t want to be
“Thank you. For last night. It was….”
“Oh, yeah, that was a blast. We should do it again sometime.” Austin was proud of himself for keeping his voice from cracking.
He walked to the front door, Ben padding quietly in his wake. Austin paused with his hand on the knob but didn’t turn around. “So, uh. I’ll see ya around. Tell Sam hi for me.” He wasn’t going to look at Ben. Didn’t want to see the expression on his face. Sure as hell didn’t want Ben to see his.
“Austin….”
Austin opened the door and walked out into the glaring morning sun.
Chapter Eight
“A USTIN , CAN you see if we have any more bacon body wash in the back?”
After picking a plastic frog off the floor and tossing it into its bin, Austin nodded. “Sure, Tabby.” He liked the smell of bacon well enough, but he wouldn’t want to go around smelling like it all day. Hell, if customers really wanted to smell like bacon, maybe they should work the breakfast shift at Rosenberg’s.
He dug around in the stockroom, but the body wash supply was depleted. He did discover bacon soap and toothpaste, however, so he grabbed one of each and took them out front. But Tabby’s customer—a tan bleached blonde in her forties—wasn’t satisfied. “Soap isn’t the same as body wash,” she complained.
Austin tried to look sympathetic. “I know. But functionally, they’re almost equivalent. Who’s the gift for?”
“My brother. He’s turning fifty and he’s feeling traumatized.”
“Sure, I understand. How about if I help you put together a really fun gift basket for him?”
The woman perked up. “You can do that?”
“Of course. We can even package it in something like a retro lunchbox.”
“Okay,” she said, smiling broadly.
It took over twenty minutes, but eventually he helped her choose a variety of toys, candies, novelty socks, and other small items. She didn’t even blink at the total. He wrapped her purchase up prettily with colored cellophane, and she practically danced out of the store.
The store was quiet, so Tabby had observed the entire transaction. After the lady left, Tabby approached Austin. “That was pretty amazing. Instead of losing a ten-dollar sale, we rang up over a hundred bucks. And I’m sure she’ll be back next time she needs a gift.”
“I’m glad I made her happy.” He reached over to straighten a display of shell necklaces on a rack.
Tabby watched him for a moment or two. “You’ve been here almost five weeks now.”
“Um, yeah, that sounds right.”
“You’ve been on time every day and you’ve worked really hard. And you’re great with the customers.”
He preened a little under the praise. “Thanks. I enjoy working here.”
“Would you enjoy it even more with a raise and benefits?”
“I sure would!”
“Good,” she said with a grin. “And I’m thinking you need a title too. How about Assistant Manager?”
“Seriously? That’s fantastic! Thank you!” He bounced up and down a little, which made her laugh.
“It’s a slow day and Kit will be in soon. Take the afternoon off to celebrate, Austin. I’ll pay you for the whole shift.”
He didn’t need to be given that offer twice. After a few more words of gratitude, he zoomed out the door. Only to be brought up short when he hit the sidewalk. Here he had some great news—the kind of news that needed to be shared. But who could he tell? His roommates didn’t give a shit where he worked or what his title was as long as he paid the bills on time. Randy, Colton, and his other friends wouldn’t care either.
Ben.
But Austin hadn’t talked to Ben since the night they had sex. Hadn’t even texted him. Not that he hadn’t wanted to. God, he’d pulled out his phone and started tapping about a thousand times over the past couple of weeks, but he’d always hit Delete instead of Send. He didn’t want to be
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