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The men in the truck had off-loaded crate after crate, and I’d caved the second they started on the seventh one.
Joe huffed as he jogged towards me. “Cold room?” he asked, and I nodded in thanks.
“Sign here, please,” one of the men said gruffly, handing me a clipboard and pen. I signed for the delivery and he marched off, hopping into the truck and driving off without another word.
“They’re new,” Joe noted.
“Yeah, I think they’re Phil’s son’s friends,” I mumbled, preoccupied with how we were going to get the crates inside and out of the heat before they spoiled. “Okay, let’s get the fruits and veggies out of the heat,” I suggested. “The meat is stored in the sealed coolers so it should be fine but the greens will spoil faster.”
“Aye aye, cap,” Joe said, rolling up the sleeve of his plaid shirt.
It took the better part of fifteen minutes and no less than six trips between the loading bay out back and the cold room. But we finally closed both doors, sweat sticking to our foreheads.
“Thanks,” I huffed, trying to slow my breathing. God, I was unfit.
Joe wasn’t huffing and puffing though, and he nodded in response before he disappeared into the back.
“Iced coffee?” Vanessa offered, sliding one across the counter to me as I approached.
“You’re literally the best,” I breathed, hopping onto one of the stools and taking a long, icy sip. “It tastes likeheaven, thank you.”
Vanessa smiled and brushed it off, turning back to her coffee machine.
“How’s your mom doing?”
“Pretty much the same.” I sighed, fidgeting with the straw between my thumb and forefinger. “The doctor says she’s not likely to make progress very quickly but he’s confident she’ll get there.”
“At least that’s some good news,” she said gently. “I know it’s hard, but your mom is as strong as an ox. She’ll get through this.”
Vanessa said it with so much confidence that I believed her, and I hadn’t realized how much I’d needed someone to tell me that.
“Thanks, Vee.”
Vanessa smiled at me for a moment. “Now, how are things between you and the boss?”
“Vanessa,” I groaned, dragging out the last syllable of her name in protest. “Can’t I just enjoy my wonderful iced coffee in peace?”
“Consider this payment,” she said with a wink.
I grumbled under my breath.
“Frankie?”
Saved by the bell.I turned around, so relieved at my escape that I hadn’t recognized the voice. I came face to face with Hayden.
Wrong bell.
“Hi,” I said, fumbling for my composure.
She smiled at me before looking at Vanessa. “Morning, Vanessa,” she said, her voice smooth and soft. Deadly, somehow.
Maybe I was overthinking it.
“Mornin’, Hayden.”
She turned back to me, those piercing eyes pinning me to the spot. “Are you free for lunch?” she asked, and I almost choked on my own spit.
I definitely wasn’t overthinking anything, not when her voice was an echo of pleasure and I bit the inside of my cheekhard.
