My eyes widen when Shane chuckles, now realizing that he most likely knew she was there from the start but is nice enough not to have mentioned it.
I put the book back in the gift bag with a sigh. “You can come up now.”
She gingerly climbs to her feet at my side, waving her hand in a dramatic way with a way-too-wide grin on her face. “Hi, I’m Octavia.” She reaches out a hand to him that he shakes immediately. “It’s so nice to meet you, Shane. I’ve heard so,SOmuch about you!”
I flush all over once more as my ears burn. “Oh my God, Octavia!” I bury my face in my hands.
“What? It’s true! You talk about him all the time. We were actually just talking about you when you ca—”
I quickly cover her mouth with my hand. “Okay, that’s enough. You can head out now if you want.” I smile at her, nodding my head with enthusiasm to get the message across.Get out before you embarrass me further!
She frowns. “Are you sure? I haven’t wrapped tomorrow’s discount goods yet.”
“It’s fine, Tavie. I’ll take care of it and close up. Go home to your mom, I’m sure she’ll be happy to have you back earlier. I know how much she worries when you’re out so late.” I touch her arm, squeezing it lightly with a tender smile. Octavia’s mother has Alzheimer’s disease, and she often gets worried when her daughter isn’t home at night because she forgets that Tavie works the evening shifts.
“Okay, yeah, thanks, boss. See you tomorrow.” She squeezes my hand when I let go of her arm, then turns to Shane. “Bye, Shane. I hope to see you around here again.” She brings herhand up to her mouth, cupping it like she has a secret to tell. “I know someone would like that.”
“Out!” I push her back, forcing her to the storage room where all employees keep their belongings.
She laughs and finally goes off on her own. “I’m going, I’m going,” she says with her hands in the air.
When I turn back to Shane, I find him smiling as he shrugs off his jacket, his thick muscles pressing against his black sweatshirt deliciously. My cheeks heat up as my lips part slightly, my body warming at the sight unfolding before me.
“What… what are you doing?”
I rest my fingers at the base of my neck, the need to fan myself once more growing with every second that passes, but I refrain from doing it.I’ve already embarrassed myself enough in one night.
“Helping you. Where do you need me?” He smirks as he sets his jacket down on a small round table at the front, then comes around the counter without permission just as Octavia comes back out from the storage room and waves goodnight.
I’m too shocked to respond immediately. Instead, I stand there with my mouth hanging open as I watch him pull his sleeves up. “You-you’re staying?”
“There’s no way in my right mind that I could leave you here alone this late into the night.” He pushes a strand of my hair that had fallen forward back behind my ear.
I shiver at his touch, tiny pebbles coating my arms, my lips parting as a shuddered breath leaves me, and I instantly blush. His gaze drops to my lips momentarily before he forces it away and juts his chin toward the displays.
“What do you need me to do?”
“Um…” I blink a few times, vanishing the fog from my mind. “We have to wrap everything up as airtight as possible. Thenlabel them with that machine right there and add the discount stickers to them,” I finally manage to say as I point to everything.
He nods. “Okay, show me how to wrap one first. Then I’ll do that while you do the labels and stickers.”
We get to work right away after I show him how to do the first one. And surprisingly, he does the rest perfectly as if he’s been doing this in his spare time for years. Forty-five minutes later, I’ve counted the register, put the excess in the safe, and prepared for tomorrow’s opening shift. All while Shane mopped the floor and put the chairs up, as well as cleaned the display windows and counters.
I thought it would have taken me longer to close up, but thanks to Shane’s help, I set the alarm and lock up the front door only two minutes later than usual. When I turn to face Shane, I find him standing right behind me, barely a foot away.
I blush immediately and clear my throat before speaking. “Thank you for helping me close the bakery. You really didn’t have to do that.”
“I wanted to help you, Aubrey.” He pushes his hands into his coat pockets and rocks back on his heels. “Now tell me where your car is parked so I can be a gentleman and walk you to it,” he finishes with a smirk.
My cheeks heat even more as I push my hair behind my ear. “Oh, I don’t drive to work. I only live five minutes away on foot.”
His smirk instantly drops, a frown replacing it. “You walk home this late at night? Alone?”
My eyes widen at his tone, the sudden feeling that I’ve done something wrong creeping up my skin. “Well, yes. It’s not far, and there’s never anyone out at this time.”
“That’s not safe, Aubrey.” He stares me down with a stern expression I’ve never seen on him before. Even with his players, I’ve never seen him use this face.
“I…”
