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“It was nothing. He needed something for his date. That’s all.”
“A date, huh? Well, that doesn’t mean anything,” she says while closing out the register.
“Of course it means something. If he’s dating someone, why would he come here and flirt with me?”
“He was flirting with you?” she asks while spinning around, brimming with excitement.
“It was tacky and completely unwarranted.”
“Flirting with my beautiful, single sister is unwarranted? Why? Because he had a date? Are you sure it was even a date? Maybe he was buying them for his mom?”
“Oh no, they were definitely for someone special. He kept insinuating that much.”
“While he was flirting with you.” It’s a statement, not a question.
“Whatever. I’m sure I’ll never see him again,” I state matter-of-factly before turning my attention back to my job.
“Did he give you his name?”
Dropping the cutters in the bin, I turn back towards her. “You can’t help yourself, can you?”
“Well, I have to live vicariously through someone! Since you’re going to be working here with me and you’re the one getting hit on by a hot guy, it’s going to be you.”
“I’m pretty sure I’m the last sister for you to try to live through, Pay. Look at me. I’m a twenty-nine year old woman with no goals, no future, and who lives at home with her father and grandparents. Not exactly a lot of excitement here.”
“I’m proud of you, Jaime. I know it’s been a rough six months with everything with Gavin then moving home and all.”
“Just because I’m finally working doesn’t mean I’m ready to jump into a relationship again with both feet.”
“Who said anything about a relationship?” she prods.
I think about those words for several minutes while finishing up the checklist of closing tasks. It has been a horrible six months, many of those days and nights spent crying over a broken heart. I’m certain I’m nowhere near ready for a relationship, but something else? Dating? Am I ready for that?
Exhaling deeply, I face where my sister is finishing up her paperwork. Leaning my hip against the counter, I say, “He was gorgeous. Like cover model for romance novels gorgeous. He had dark brown hair and even darker eyes. He kept staring at me like he wanted to eat me, and…it was…nice. He asked me for my name,” I say, whispering that last sentence.
“Did you give it to him?”
Shaking my head, I answer. “No.”
“Well, maybe he’ll be back and maybe he won’t. The point is you felt something. It made you feel good that he flirted a little. And that is step two in Grandma’s five step system.”
Groaning, I ask the burning question. “Do I even want to know what these five steps are from the woman who still sunbathes naked on a regular basis?”
“Step one is getting out of the house, which you can check off the list, since I know how much you love lists. Step two is to find a guy and engage in a little flirting and conversation.”
“What’s step three?” I ask, unable to hide my smile. My grandma is the most eclectic woman I’ve ever known. She’s brash and honest and funny as hell. And when you add in my grandpa, all bets are off.
“Step three is to engage in mattress acrobatics,” Payton states before bursting out laughing, followed quickly by my own.
“Mattress acrobatics? Step three is sex? Are you kidding? What’s step four and five?”
“I have no clue. She never gets past the sex.”
Laughter fills the small shop. For seventy-year-old grandparents, ours seem to still enjoy a healthy sex life. I can’t even stomach thinking about how many times we’ve been woken up in the middle of the night by their acrobatics. Each of us girls have busted them fornicating somewhere around the house or property. And believe me, it’s not a sight you want stuck in your head if at all possible!
“Listen, it’s way past closing. Why don’t you head home and I’ll finish up?” she offers while gathering up the receipts and printouts.
I hang my apron on the hook and grab my purse. Before I reach the back door, I give her my attention once more. “Hey, thank you again for hiring me. I know you could have found someone with some experience, so I appreciate it.”
