AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Hey May! Perfect timing. I was going to call you tomorrow, but since you’re here now, I have a little surprise for you. I just received a box of books for the book drive, and the series you've been looking for was inside.”
“Oh Cass, that’s great!!” she sang as she grabbed two other books from the romance shelf and returned to the counter. “How much do I owe you for the series?”
“Those were in a box for the book drive, so whatever you would like to donate. That’s where the money is going. I think I'm going to dedicate a shelf or two in here for the fundraiser. That way if the weather gets bad, the donations will still come in. Plus, the back storage area is almost full,” I giggled.
“That’s great! I, of course, will drop in a couple donations for you as well. My ladies are knitting up a storm.” May was such a sweet lady, we had become good friends over the last couple of years. She owned the knitting shop down the road. I had wandered into her shop when I first moved here and was desperately looking for a hobby. I took a couple beginners how-to-knit classes with her until I concluded I was better at knotting the yarn as opposed to making those nice knitted designs. She pulled a fifty from her purse and handed it to me. “For the charity love.”
“Thanks, May, it means so much to me.”
“I know it does, dear. I know you're going to do very well. Now, how much do I owe you for the other two?” I rang up her purchase and was just finishing bagging her books when Ray came out front.
“Did you want me to close up tonight, Cass?” he asked, leaning against the doorway, shoving the remainder of a muffin in his mouth. “Let you get out of here a little early tonight?”
“Thanks, but I'm good, Ray. You may as well head home.” Ray had worked all day at his garage, and he looked tired.
“Alright, I won't argue. Are you coming by tonight then?”
“Somewhere between seven and seven thirty?”
Ray nodded at May. “See you then, Cass.” He leaned in to give me a warm kiss goodbye and headed out the front door, leaving May and me alone.
May gave me a knowing smile as I passed her the debit machine. “What's that look for?” I asked.
“He really likes you.”
I could feel the heat rise to my cheeks. Ray and I had been dating for a little over a year. We started out as friends—he had helped me out greatly since I had moved here and started the store. He was my neighbor and had started coming around the first summer I moved into the little cottage Jackson and I had owned together. He spent a lot of time helping me clean up the property, and I had been grateful for the help. We started to spend time together, and finally, he had asked me out. I wasn't sure how far things would go between us, but I was choosing to take things as they came. He was quite a bit older than me which normally wouldn't have bothered me, but twenty years apart got you some strange looks.
“Really, May? You think so?”
She nodded and passed me back the debit machine. “Yes.”
“He’s a great guy. He’s been super helpful around here, and well, whatever happens between us happens. We’ll see.”
“I've known Ray a long time, and I've never seen him so happy. I would even say, judging from the look on his face before he left, he may want to get a little more serious with you,” May winked.
I didn't know what to say, I wasn't sure I would be capable of dealing with anything more than what we already had.
“Alright, lovely, I'll let you get closed up. It's going to be a busy few weeks with all the tourists arriving next week for the Christmas season, then the book drive. Get yourself home and get some rest.”
May grabbed her bag and headed out the front door. I waited the last five minutes, right until the clock read five before I locked up. I shut off the sign in the front window and started my nightly closing routine. It took me another half hour to count the till, quickly mop the floors, put the money in the safe, and make a shopping list for the store before I could leave.
* * *
The clockon the dashboardread seven as I pulled into the supermarket parking lot. I had already sent Ray a quick text as I was leaving the store to let him know I was running late. I grabbed my purse and headed across the parking lot to the front of the store.
I was wandering up and down every aisle, occasionally stopping to check out items, my buggy getting fuller every aisle I walked down. I rounded the corner to the next aisle and ran into Maggie.
“Hey, Cass! You're in town late tonight. Everything okay?” she asked smiling.
“Yes, I just had to pick up a few things,” I said, looking into my buggy. “Well, more than a few I guess. You were pretty busy today.”
“Yes, I was planning to run over a coffee and fresh donut to you today, but I couldn't seem to get away. Maddy called in sick.”
“Ah, that’s okay. Thank you though. I hope it wasn't anything too serious.”
“No, I don't think so.”
“Well, I really should get going, I'm supposed to be having dinner with Ray tonight.”
