Page 105 of Trailer Trash

Killian approaches, hands in his pockets. My heart leaps from my chest and runs away, afraid he’ll stab it for a second time.

“Killian?” I say, confused.

“What?”

“You are at Wal-Mart. You... shop here.”

“Mm-hm. I saw you and swung over to say hi.”

“Oh.” I squint, skeptical. “What are you buying here, Killian?”

“Why’s it so surprising I can shop at normal places?”

“Because your family doesn’t even buy groceries! Your chef does.”

Charlotte steps forward. “Your family is rich? I didn’t know that.”

He must’ve not seen her. He grins, surprised.

“What up, Piggy?”

“Don’t call me that. I’m not one of the guys anymore.”

“Sure.” Then he ignores her.

“What are you shopping for?” he asks me.

“Uh, work clothes.”

He notices the sign over the rack. “In clearance?”

“They’re affordable clothes,” I whisper, and stare in confusion.

How can he even be talking to me? I thought he’d avoid me like the plague.

He glances at the other racks.

“Those look nicer.” Casually, he retrieves a credit card from his wallet. “Charge them to this.”

“Mmm.” Keysha holds her fist over her mouth, stifling her words. She faces me, concealing her stunned expression from him.

It takes everything in me not to laugh at the way she is eyeing me right now.

I pluck the card from Killian’s hand, holding it like it’s radioactive. “You want me to charge my clothes to your card.”

“It’s a work expense.”

This man is going to put me in a mental institution.

I can’t.

I gesture for him to take his card back.

“I don’t need it. I saved for new scrubs. I plan to buy some new shoes too, and—”

“Shoes? Finally,” he says with a smirk. Early on, he left a new pair in my car — my size. I couldn’t bring myself to wear them. It felt insulting. Like a butler having to wear a suit in an employer’s home.

But now, this feels… different.