Page 4 of Bound to Burn


Font Size:  

Before he smacks the fence to symbolize his departure, he says, “Glad you’re home, Sunshine.”

Without waiting for my response, he walks down the dirt path towards the large barn at the end of the walkway.

I turn back to the field and see Ivan slowly making his way towards me, head down, hooves scraping against the grass like a spoiled child. When he gets to the fence, he shakes his body and lets out a big breath. Dipping his head over the fence, he tries to reach my pockets, searching for the peppermints he knows are secured inside.

I move my body away from him as I touch the patch of white between his eyes and run my hand along the length of this nose. He snorts out a heavy breath and starts to push at my hand, impatient for his treat.

“Is that all you want? My treats?” I ask, and he answers by pushing my hand again.

I reach inside my pocket while laughing. With his intelligent brown eyes, he watches with rapt attention as I unwrap the mint. Pulling back his upper lip, he reveals large yellow teeth and gently uses his tongue to scoop up the sugary treat from my palm. He’s the only horse I know who sucks on a mint, making loud slurping noises before he bites into it, crunching loudly.

2

RESTOCKING FEE

CASH

I Wanna Be Sedated by Ramones

“Ihave people coming to the store just to gawk and they don’t actually buy anything,” I grumble into the phone.

The bell above the door rings and yet another young lady enters and pretends to look through the record bins while trying to covertly scope out the store.

“I thought I was helping that piece of shit record store of yours so you’d get more customers,” Jacks says, referring to the ‘plug’ he gave my store while doing a radio interview. Since then, it’s been a revolving door of women from every age group hoping to run into Jack.

“Well, you didn’t!” I bark at him and drag the palm of my hand down my face. “You made it worse.”

“I can hardly see how I made it worse,” Jack says.

“You don’t get it,” I huff. “They’re coming in here hoping to seeyou.”

Jack chuckles into the phone which grates on my last nerve.

“This situation is not funny!” I yell and one of the girls looks up from the bins curiously, so I turn away and cup the phone. “It’s not funny, Jack.”

I’m used to Jack taking up space in a room. He’s not even in my store yet he’s still depriving me of oxygen.

“Maybe it’ll help you get laid.”

“I do not need help getting laid!” I whisper shout.

“Excuse me?” A voice startles me, and I turn to see a girl standing on the other side of the counter with painted red lips and lashes way too long to be real.

I hold the phone away from my ear and look at her expectantly.

She leans on the counter, her shirt falling open just enough not to be accidental. “Does Jack O’Donnell ever come in here?” At least she has the decency to look bashful about asking.

Holding my finger up, I turn around while I place the phone back to my ear. “I hate you.” I hit the end button and slide the phone into my back pocket before turning around to face her again.

“So, does he?” she asks, expectantly.

“He doesn’t work here,” I tell her, just as the bell rings again. I’m starting to understand why Jack hates it so much. I want to walk over there, pull it from the hook, and crush it under my motorcycle.

“Can I help you with anything else?” I ask politely while surveying the scene in front of me. Several women are now giving each other the evil eye over the record bins as they pretend to shop, all of them with skin-tight dresses and of varying ages.

The girl at the counter gives me a disappointed look. “No, thanks,” she answers and then makes her way down the aisle to the exit.

When the bell rings again, I’m almost afraid to look. To my satisfaction but to the disappointment of my patrons, Angel, my neighbor who owns the thrift store down the block, walks down the aisle, looking at my ‘customers’ with a questioning gaze.

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
Articles you may like