AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Well, yes. He did deserve it. He was the owner’s only son, and never let anyone forget it. And never let her forget who she was, either.
“You’re all set, Betty.” He flipped the flasher off and stood next to Hannah as she continued with the groceries, close enough that she could smell the mint he was flipping around in his mouth.
“Hey, that’s Jake Malloy,” he said suddenly.
Hannah looked up and saw a tall, dark, and handsome man striding into the grocery store.
“Jake’s back home?” Mrs. Nyberg seemed surprised. She turned to Hannah. “He was in the Marines you know, overseas.”
Tim left her station and headed toward the dairy section, where Jake was headed.
“Um, Hannah? I think you made another mistake.” The woman pointed at the bread. “It’s supposed to be two for one.”
Hannah let out a tiny sigh and flipped the switch again. Then she realized she’d have to make an announcement, because Tim was no longer in sight.
“Mr. Hooley, register five needs your assistance,” she said over the loudspeaker.
She smiled at Mrs. Nyberg and finished ringing up the rest of the groceries, bagged them, and waited. And waited.
“Maybe you should page him again.”
Hannah suppressed an eye roll and spoke into the receiver, more loudly this time. “Mr. Hooley, register five needs your assistance, please.”
The senior Mr. Hooley shuffled his way over to her station. She could tell just by his gait that he was angry.
“If you need assistance, Hannah, just ask.”
She squeezed the handles of the grocery bags as she placed them inside Mrs. Nyberg’s cart. “Yes, Mr. Hooley.”
Turning the corner, Tim and the handsome stranger walked toward the register. The store owner didn’t berate his son for not staying at his post, just grumbled something about Hannah not screaming over the speakers.
Mrs. Nyberg thanked them and left as Tim ushered Jake into her line.
“So, where are you living, now that you’re back in town?”
Jake placed his last item on the belt and stowed the basket underneath, and Hannah couldn’t help but notice his toned forearms. “I’m leasing the old Wilson farm.”
“Really?” Hannah didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but the Wilson place was close by the Boudreau farm. She hadn’t noticed a For Sale sign.
“They’ve decided to retire up to their cabin and winter in Florida.” He didn’t seem to mind her intrusion. In fact, he flashed her a smile. “Don’t I know you?”
She shook her head. “No, I don’t think so.”
“Hannah would’ve been a couple years behind us, if she graduated,” Tim said condescendingly, while Jake kept his smile focused on her.
“I did graduate.”
“Right, with a GED. I forgot.”
She was sure Tim hadnotforgotten and would soon bring up her being an essentially single mother, or her daddy, or worse, Troy.
But he didn’t have to, because there, coming through the sliding doors, was Troy himself. Her stomach dropped like a boulder falling off the river cliffs. She looked down, pretending not to notice him. She was positive he wasn’t there to buy groceries.
“Hey, Hannah. Do you think we could talk?”
Tim made a grand gesture of huffing out a breath, then turned sharply on Troy. “Hannah doesn’t get a break until noon. Why don’t you come back another time… when she’s notworking?”
Tim scowled at Troy, then left to help another cashier.
