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“Okay. Did she say she was doing all right?” he asked. Despite his vow to leave her alone now that he was back home for good, he couldn’t stop thinking about her. Seeing her at the restaurant last night had brought back all sorts of memories, and he couldn’t help but notice how good she’d looked. He also couldn’t forget the sick feeling he got in the pit of his stomach every time he thought about the way he’d ended it between them.
“Yeah, she’s cool,” Rich responded. “We’re supposed to hook up before I head back to school.” When Colin looked sharply at him, he amended his statement. “I just meant that we’re going to hang out.”
Colin didn’t know how he felt about Briana and Rich being buddy-buddy. Rich was a good guy, but a real player. He didn’t want Briana getting tangled up with him.
“When?” he asked, trying to keep his tone light.
“She invited me to go to a party at the gravel pits on Saturday. You know, to catch up and stuff. Some of the people she works with and guys from school will be there. No big deal. You should come,” Rich said, as laid-back as usual.
“Yeah, right,” Colin said with a laugh. “I don’t think Bree would be too happy about that.”
“Dude, you guys broke up like a million years ago. I doubt she’ll be upset if you show up at the same party as her.”
“I’ll think about it,” Colin answered, as they pulled into the parking lot of his dad’s store. “You sure y
ou want to work here for the summer? I thought you’d be looking forward to a summer of parties and girls.”
“Oh, I am, brother, don’t you worry.” Rich said with his signature grin. “There will be plenty of parties and girls, but I need to have some extra cash. When your dad brought it up last night, I figured, why not?”
Colin turned off his truck and opened the door, ready to start the job that he’d always told himself, he’d never do. He’d always dreamed about leaving this town and making it big, whether it was in football or doing something else. He hadn’t cared, as long as it wasn’t this.
The General Store had been in this town since it was first settled, and it had always been run by Grayson’s. When he was little, he used to think it was wonderful to come in and help his dad stock the shelves and clean the store, but when he got old enough to work there every day after school, the store lost its appeal.
Colin tried to appease himself by saying that working there was only temporary, but everyone knew the truth. He was back now, His father could retire in a few years, and Colin was going to end up behind that counter for the rest of his life.
“Come on, man. You look like you’re going to a funeral,” Rich said, waiting for him at the entrance to the store. “We’re gonna have a great time.”
Colin looked up at the building he had loved as a child, then down the street at the Bar & Grill. Well, at least he’d have an excuse to see Briana, since he’d be right down the street.
With one last sigh, he followed Rich into the store, ready to begin his sentence.
“Howdy, boys,” Colin’s father boomed. “It’s been pretty slow this morning, so why don’t you show Rich the ropes, Colin? We’ll have him running the soda fountain so he can talk up the customers. With his pretty face behind the counter, I see sales a-risin’.”
Mr. Grayson let out a big laugh and then turned back to the counter as Colin ushered Rich into the back room to show him around.
“This is pretty cool, dude. I mean, I’ve been in the store a million times, but this time I’ll be serving the kids at the counter, just like Ol’e Roberta used to serve me.” Rich looked tickled at the thought and Colin just shook his head. He wished he could be as excited as Rich about being there, but he couldn’t help but think of all of the possibilities that were lost to him now.
“Come on, man,” he said. “Let’s get you set up before the customers roll in and Dad loses it because we’re not ready.”
Colin took him around the back room and showed him where they kept the inventory, specifically, everything Rich needed to run the soda fountain. They offered only shakes, malts, and ice cream sundaes, so it was a pretty easy gig for Rich.
Once they had the cart loaded with the supplies they needed, Colin took Rich out to show him how to stock the counter and make the items on the menu. Just as they finished, they heard the jingle of the door opening and saw a lady come in with her little twin girls.
“Ice cream. Ice cream, Mama, please,” the girls sang in unison, as they made their way to the back of the store.
“Okay, girls, but you have to sit there and eat it all while mommy gets her shopping done, all right?” the young mother answered.
“Okay, Mama, we promise,” they said.
As they got to the counter and boosted themselves up on the stools, Rich turned on the charm.
“Good morning, ladies, what can I get for you on this fine day?”
The twins giggled and looked back at their mother, as if asking permission to speak.
“Go ahead, girls, tell the young man what you’d like,” she coaxed with a smile.
Colin gave Rich a slight nod and then walked off to find his father. The girls’ giggles followed him, as Rich laid on the charm. He couldn’t help but laugh at the sound.
