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“Something hit me. You remember the guy, Asher? The one with the long hair?” I added to remind her.
“Did this happen because you knocked him down by accident?” Kim jumped to conclusions.
“No! It was accidental and partly my fault, but his cell phone smacked me in the eye,” I chuckled. “If it wasn’t for my eye looking like this, I’d be laughing about it.”
“Why don’t you go home?” Kim went behind her counter. “I know you won’t go home, so let me look for meds.”
“I need the money and there’s no one else to run the workshop,” I said. “Sherry is staying late for me. I’m gonna take meds and go lay my head back on the couch by the fire.”
“Then I’m glad I have these meds. Get going, I’ll come see you in a few.” Kim pushed me out the door.
I waved to Sherry that I was going to sit by the fire. My eye was throbbing, and I wished I could go home and just close it, but there was no home to go to and my car was too cold. I sat on the end of the couch and leaned my head to the side on the arm and immediately fell asleep.
I woke to someone shaking my shoulder. “Are you alright?’ the big guy, Charlie, asked. “Do you mind if I check your eye?”
I felt woozy and my head was pounding. It seemed to pound in unison with the throbbing of my eye. I couldn’t open my eye all the way.
“Asher asked me to check on you.” Charlie handed me an ice bag. “You better put this ice on that. Can I give you a ride home?”
“No thanks, I have to stay at work.” I took the bag of ice. “I was just taking a little break. Tell him I’m fine.”
“If you’re sure.” Charlie put his hands in his pockets. “I’ll get back to what I was doing.”
“What is it you were doing? I asked. “As a matter of fact, it seems you work with Asher, so what do you guys do?”
“A little of this and a little of that,” Charlie shrugged. “Why don’t you wanna go home?”
“Charlie, I already told you, I have to work.” I stood and held the couch. “Thanks for the ice. I’ll let you get back to this, or was it that?”
Charlie nodded and walked off without a response. I looked to the camera and waved. I had a feeling Gunner, Charlie, and the others were the ones behind the cameras. I felt like they were the ones that were going to ruin my cozy warm hiding place.
“Sherry, thanks for covering for me.” I put my purse behind the counter. “I better stay behind the camera until your shift ends.”
“I’m fine with that. That wig covers most of the eye.” Sherry turned to welcome the next group. “Who’s ready for a picture with Santa?”
The next two hours felt more like four hours. I’d gone for a new bag of ice once and Toby had brought me one another time. Once again, I looked to the camera and smiled. I only had a few hours left to figure out where I was going to sleep tonight and how I was getting in the workshop without the camera catching me.
Maybe I can stay with Kim?
“Sherry, I need to go to the restroom before you leave.” I grabbed my purse and hurried over to the jewelry store. “Hey Kim, would your roommate get mad if I stayed with you tonight, because of my eye?”
“Hey, that eye looks worse instead of better,” Kim frowned. “I wanna help you but my roommate isn’t very nice about overnight guests.”
“How do you live with someone like that?” I asked. “It’s no big deal. It was just an idea.”
“Will your roommate help you, or do you want me to come stay at your place?” Kim offered.
“She’ll probably help me. Come sit by the fire with me when you lock up.” I waved and left the store.
Alright then, Plan B. But what is Plan B?
Chapter 35
Asher
Icould smell the apple pies before I even got inside the building. The owner of the orchard came over with samples.
“My mother would be over the moon for one of these fresh pies.” I took the offered napkin. “Would you be able to make a bunch of pies for a charity ball?”
