I’d met and trained ten high school kids before we opened and was instantly made their floor manager, fielding questions from “Can they pay by check?” to “When do we close today?” Another favorite seemed to be “Is there a layaway plan?” Fortunately, the questions were all ones I’d been answering since the beginning of December when I first walked into Cuttings.
By noon, the hoard had moved into the greenhouses, scooping up the leftover Christmas ivies and miniature trees.
At the end of the day, the gift area and the greenhouse drooped, their festive air eliminated by the vacuum of the after-Christmas sale.
The high school kids had been paid and told us they were racing to the mall to spend their money. As they were leaving, we, the full-time staff, were sequestered, groaning and sighing that we had to stay longer. Even Ricky looked exhausted, something I thought impossible.
“We have a bunch of odds and ends in the storage area,” Beth told us. “What do you want to do with them?”
She and Kate shared one of the silent-communication looks that used to bug me when I lived with them. Now I didn’t care, but thought it was kind of cool they could do it.
Kate turned to us.
“We’ll be closed tomorrow,” she said. “Everyone’s off with pay. We made a lot more this year than we’ve ever done. All of you made it happen. Consider this your Christmas bonus.”
We would have cheered if we’d had the energy. Instead, we looked around at the decimated shelves and let out a communal sigh. Yay, us. Good for us. Yeah.
What Kate hadn’t told us was that we also got an actual cash bonus in the paychecks she handed out. I got excited beyond words because what I really wanted to do with my extra money was take John out for a really nice meal. But since he cooked at the town’s gourmet restaurant, that wasn’t going to happen.
I ended up asking Beth for ideas where she’d take John. I’d heard about this old vineyard that had a restaurant, but she nixed it right away.
“It’s too expensive for the mediocre food they serve.” She’d shaken her head and frowned, then almost instantly grinned. “Take him to Monique’s.”
“Nah. You said it’s only a bakery in a strip mall. I want something more than a bunch of pastries.”
Her grin grew. “Oh, my sprout, it’s so much more than a bakery, and it’s perfect for you two. Their lunch is incredible. They have a chicken salad made with grapes and almonds served on one of their fresh croissants that’s to die for. I’ll bet lunch is probably the only meal he’d feel like going out to eat since he helps fix dinner four times a week at the Star.”
Although I hate it when she calls me “sprout,” I let it pass since I thought she had the perfect suggestion—lunch. Monique’s was outside downtown, so I hoped John hadn’t been there too often.
When I asked him, his answer was quick and decisive: “No.”
“What? Why not? I want to take you out.”
“You don’t have to take me out to lunch.”
“No, I don’t. Especially if you’re going to be grumpy about it.” He hated when I agreed so easily with him.
“Nobody should have to pay for someone else to make food for me.” His frown looked adamant.
“You have to eat.”
“I can feed myself. And you.”
“That’s not the point. I want to take you out.”
He just shook his head. He was past grumpy and downright angry, and I had no clue why. It hit me that it might be something I’d said or done, but I couldn’t remember anything that had set him off. Then a worse thought hopped into my mind. Maybe he didn’t want to be seen with me other than at the saloon.
“Is it the hair, the piercing, or the tat?” I countered this time.
“What?”
I’d caught him off guard. He looked completely nonplussed.
“The reason why you don’t want to go out to eat with me. What do I need to change to get you to walk into a restaurant with me?” I wiggled my brows at him. “I can take out the ring, you know. Cut the hair. Cover the tat.”
“No! Nothing. I’m proud to be seen with you.”
I shook my head. Yeah, right. He didn’t act like he was proud to be with me.
My mom had given me a haircut before she left and helped me tip the ends on top a vivid turquoise. Still, I’d be happy to dye the ends to match the beaver brown of the rest of my hair. I wasn’t wed to the hair or the piercing since I wasn’t really making a statement now. If they annoyed him, I’d be happy to get rid of them.
“Okay, then, we’re going somewhere called Monique’s Bakery for lunch tomorrow. I have the day off. You want me to pick you up at the Star, or do you want to meet there?”
He gave me a pissed-off scowl. He looked so kissable, I gave him a buss on the cheek.
“Oh stop!” He pushed me away, and I pouted. With a sigh, he moved toward me and gave me a kiss. “You are so maddening.” He sighed. “I’ll meet you there at eleven thirty.”
I beamed and winked at him. “Now see? That wasn’t so hard, was it?”
“Fuck off.”
I laughed, delighted that his answer sounded like a caress and not a curse.
Still I was worried about him. Something was bothering him, and whatever it was angered him. I hadn’t seen Leo lurking around, and Ricky was happy and chirpy again. It had to be something else. Me? The fact that after my mother left, we’d given Ricky my floor and I had moved downstairs? We’d been sleeping together, literally and euphemistically. Should I
