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She glanced over at Jake and saw his look of pity. A look she’d received so frequently, she couldn’t miss it. She could feel her face redden.
“You can call me after work,” she said tightly. She didn’t want him hanging around until her lunch hour, didn’t want to deal with him on her only real break.
“No. Noon.”
“I can talkafter work.” She shook her head, swiping Jake’s item across the scanner, ignoring Troy as he continued his whiny rant. “That’ll be $12.76. Cash or credit?”
“Hannah! I need to talk to younow.”
Jake pulled out his wallet, handing her a twenty.
“It’s important!”
She counted the change into Jake’s hand, ignoring Troy. “Good luck with the farm.”
Troy growled, “You’re being such a bit–”
“Why don’t you listen to her and head out,” Jake interrupted Troy, his voice stern, forceful. He shifted his stance to face, and tower over, Troy.
Hannah froze in mortification.
“Excuse me, who are you?” Troy was scrawny compared to Mr. Marine, reminding her of a chihuahua yapping at a mastiff.
“Hannah, take care of him!” Tim scolded from across the aisle.
She nodded tightly, then whipped off her apron and tossed it behind the register, leaving her station to lead Troy out of the store. She whirled around to face him. “You need to get out of here before I get fired,” she hissed through her teeth.
“I need to talk to you.” Troy slowed, making her pull on his arm.
She shook her head. “No, not this time.”
“Hannah, please, I really need some money.”
“You need togo.” She could see Tim holding up his wrist and pointing to his watch. “I have to get back to work.”
“You’re not even going to talk to me?”
“If you want money, ask your mother,” she said, turning around to head back to her station.
Jake stood with Tim at the end of the register as she returned.
“Next time he comes around, you’ll be the one walking out,” Tim warned, then walked away, leaving her standing alone with Jake.
Flustered, she could feel the lump forming in her throat as this guy just stood there. “Did I mess something up with your order?”
He looked at her for a moment before asking quietly, “Are you going to be okay?”
Before she could control herself, tears stung the backs of her eyes. She could hear the sincerity in his voice, and all the anger inside of her shifted to humiliation. She pushed back the wisps of hair that hung in her eyes. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
He gave her a hard look. “He shouldn’t be talking to you like that.”
She waved vaguely in the direction of the departed Troy and faked a smile. She didn’t need his advice. “He’s just an idiot.”
His eyes smoldered as he gazed at Troy, just visible as he slouched toward his car. He returned his attention to her. “Your name is Hannah Destin, right?”
So, he did know her after all, and just like the rest of the town, probably by reputation. “Yeah.”
He nodded. “Hopefully I’ll see you around.”
