pressed against the counter. Feeling Darrin’s intense stare, Sara willed herself not to appear as meek as she felt right now. It was unnerving how a display of dominance made her feel all tingly, and gooey inside, like a spineless jellyfish.
After a few tense minutes, Darrin relaxed his hold, pulling her into his embrace instead. Sara slumped against him, snuggling deep into his chest, rubbing her cheek on the smooth cotton fabric of his shirt. After resting his chin on the top of Sara’s head, Darrin questioned her again. “I’m not mad, Sara. Please, honey. What’s going on?”
Tears had started to fall as soon as Sara could hear the compassion in his voice. Sniffling, she pulled back from his embrace to look him in the eyes as she answered, “Mr. Ferguson cut my hours when I missed a few days after the fourth of July when I was helping Bryn. He said that he needed someone he could rely on, and since I had other things on my plate, he was going to have me job share with someone else. I’ve only been working two days a week at the pharmacy.”
Darrin’s normally light brown eyes were getting darker the longer she waited for him to speak. Not able to stand the silence any longer, Sara quietly spoke again, “I have filled out countless job applications, and talked with pretty much every business in town. Not a soul is hiring right now, Darrin. I’m so sorry.”
His jaw clench and his nostrils flared before he spoke, “I don’t mean to pry, Sara, but can you afford to not work full-time?”
She barely shook her head from side to side, before leaning back in to bury her face in his chest. Speaking into his shirt, she answered, “I did work at the bar on Friday night and made good money, so I’ll be ok for a while. Something will come up, Darrin. Don’t worry.”
Darrin clutched her upper arms again, pushing her back so that she was no longer hiding in his chest. His face was flushed, his eyes narrowed on her, “Did you think that I wouldn’t pay you for all the work you did for me?”
“God no, Darrin! I told you that I was trying to keep busy. You didn’t ask me for my help, anyway. I’m sorry that I was in your shop without permission.”
Darrin took a deep breath before, gritting out, “How many hours did you work in the shop, Sara?”
“I don’t know, Darrin. Please, just drop it.”
Darrin practically growled at her before he spun on his heels and walked out the door of the house, stomping the whole way. Sara turned back to the dishes, happy to have something to keep her hands busy while Darrin was outside. As soon as she had things cleaned up, she would pack up her things and head for home. Bryn had asked that they have a day each week that was reserved just for the two girls anyway…maybe they could make Sunday laundry day or something.
Once all the dishes were cleaned and in the dry rack, Sara took the dish cloth over to the small kitchen table to wipe it down. The front door flew open as she had her back to it, almost knocking her over as it hit her in the ass. She squeaked as Darrin fumbled for the door handle, carefully pulling it shut.
Darrin started to walk towards her, but Sara took a step back. He paused as he furrowed his eyebrows together, assessing her with his eyes. A sigh full of remorse left his mouth as he looked down at the dish cloth she was holding in her hand. Holding a piece of paper in one hand, he reached out with his other hand, leaving it palm open. Sara wasn’t sure what he wanted, so she carefully dropped the wet and dirty cloth into his hand. Lifting one eyebrow at her, Darrin cocked his head to the side as he dropped the cloth back onto the table, again holding his hand out palm up.
This time, she giggled as she placed her hand into his, before stifling her laughter. The look on Darrin’s face was blank, and she wasn’t sure how to read him right now. He gripped her hand tightly, and slapped a piece of paper into her palm, leaving his hand resting on top
After a few tense minutes, Darrin relaxed his hold, pulling her into his embrace instead. Sara slumped against him, snuggling deep into his chest, rubbing her cheek on the smooth cotton fabric of his shirt. After resting his chin on the top of Sara’s head, Darrin questioned her again. “I’m not mad, Sara. Please, honey. What’s going on?”
Tears had started to fall as soon as Sara could hear the compassion in his voice. Sniffling, she pulled back from his embrace to look him in the eyes as she answered, “Mr. Ferguson cut my hours when I missed a few days after the fourth of July when I was helping Bryn. He said that he needed someone he could rely on, and since I had other things on my plate, he was going to have me job share with someone else. I’ve only been working two days a week at the pharmacy.”
Darrin’s normally light brown eyes were getting darker the longer she waited for him to speak. Not able to stand the silence any longer, Sara quietly spoke again, “I have filled out countless job applications, and talked with pretty much every business in town. Not a soul is hiring right now, Darrin. I’m so sorry.”
His jaw clench and his nostrils flared before he spoke, “I don’t mean to pry, Sara, but can you afford to not work full-time?”
She barely shook her head from side to side, before leaning back in to bury her face in his chest. Speaking into his shirt, she answered, “I did work at the bar on Friday night and made good money, so I’ll be ok for a while. Something will come up, Darrin. Don’t worry.”
Darrin clutched her upper arms again, pushing her back so that she was no longer hiding in his chest. His face was flushed, his eyes narrowed on her, “Did you think that I wouldn’t pay you for all the work you did for me?”
“God no, Darrin! I told you that I was trying to keep busy. You didn’t ask me for my help, anyway. I’m sorry that I was in your shop without permission.”
Darrin took a deep breath before, gritting out, “How many hours did you work in the shop, Sara?”
“I don’t know, Darrin. Please, just drop it.”
Darrin practically growled at her before he spun on his heels and walked out the door of the house, stomping the whole way. Sara turned back to the dishes, happy to have something to keep her hands busy while Darrin was outside. As soon as she had things cleaned up, she would pack up her things and head for home. Bryn had asked that they have a day each week that was reserved just for the two girls anyway…maybe they could make Sunday laundry day or something.
Once all the dishes were cleaned and in the dry rack, Sara took the dish cloth over to the small kitchen table to wipe it down. The front door flew open as she had her back to it, almost knocking her over as it hit her in the ass. She squeaked as Darrin fumbled for the door handle, carefully pulling it shut.
Darrin started to walk towards her, but Sara took a step back. He paused as he furrowed his eyebrows together, assessing her with his eyes. A sigh full of remorse left his mouth as he looked down at the dish cloth she was holding in her hand. Holding a piece of paper in one hand, he reached out with his other hand, leaving it palm open. Sara wasn’t sure what he wanted, so she carefully dropped the wet and dirty cloth into his hand. Lifting one eyebrow at her, Darrin cocked his head to the side as he dropped the cloth back onto the table, again holding his hand out palm up.
This time, she giggled as she placed her hand into his, before stifling her laughter. The look on Darrin’s face was blank, and she wasn’t sure how to read him right now. He gripped her hand tightly, and slapped a piece of paper into her palm, leaving his hand resting on top
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