At Wick's End - Tim Myers [29]
She caught me yawning and said, “Harrison, your work here is important, but you certainly didn’t need to lose any sleep over it.”
I considered telling her about my late-night caller and my inability to get back to sleep, but decided to let her think I’d been up cramming for my new career. I gestured to one of the open books in front of me. “It’s all quite fascinating, isn’t it?”
“It certainly can be,” Eve said. “So, should we get started on that pouring lesson before the brunt of our Saturday crafters come in?”
“Is Saturday a big day for the store?” I asked.
“Normally it’s our biggest,” she admitted. “Shall we stick to our system yesterday? You did quite well on the register.”
“I should be fine as long as the prices are marked.”
“They should be, but don’t hesitate to ask. Now let’s go get some supplies so we can get a quick lesson in before the rush begins.”
Unfortunately, that lesson was going to have to wait. Before we could even collect our supplies, customers started flowing in at an amazing rate.
There was barely time to eat our lunches in hurried ten-minute shifts, and by the time we were five minutes from locking the door that evening, I was exhausted.
“Why don’t we go ahead and lock up early?” I suggested.
Eve said, “Harrison, it’s your store to do with as you wish, but Belle always believed that if the hours were posted, they should be honored.”
“Okay, I understand that.” I started straightening up the sales counter and added, “Thanks, Eve.”
“Selling candles is what I do, Harrison.”
I said, “No, I didn’t mean that. Well, I do, but what I’m really thanking you for is staying on and helping me run this place.”
“I didn’t have much choice, Belle would haunt me for the rest of my life if I deserted you in your time of need.” She patted my hand gently. “I believe we’ll make a candle-maker out of you yet.” She checked her watch and said, “Two minutes till closing. It’s been a good day.”
The warmth of her words didn’t last nearly long enough when I heard a familiar voice coming from the front.
“Is anybody here?”
It looked like Becka was following through with her threat to visit me at Wick’s End. I’d forgotten all about her promised visit, but apparently she’d meant it when she’d threatened to drop by.
Chapter 7
“I’ll take care of her,” Eve said as I finished neatening the display of tea lights on the counter.
“I wish you could,” I said.
“Pardon me?”
“It’s an old acquaintance of mine,” I admitted. “And she’s not here to shop for candles.”
“I understand,” Eve said, though clearly she didn’t. Heck, I didn’t get it myself. Why was Becka suddenly trying to get back into my life? The breakup had been final, at least from her end of things. I’d managed to get over her without too much of a problem, though I’d only dated a few times since we’d split. One thing was certain—I knew better than anyone else that it was time to move forward and not back. The last thing I needed in my life at that moment was a walk down that particular memory lane.
Becka rushed to embrace me when I walked toward her, but she must have gotten the hint when I didn’t return her enthusiasm.
“Going somewhere special this evening,” I asked as I took in her carefully coiffed blond hair, her stylish outfit with a short skirt sure to raise more than a few eyebrows of our conservative clientele, and enough Obsession to drown out the strongest scented candle we had in stock.
“I came to see you, Harrison. Surely that’s enough of a reason to get dressed up, isn’t it?”
“I’ll have to take your word for it. I guess you’re here for your tour of the shop, but we’re just about ready to close up for the day. In all honesty, I didn’t know you were that interested in candles.”
Becka frowned. “Harrison, if you had inherited an art gallery or a restaurant, I’d be just as interested in that.”
I nodded, suspecting as much. “So whatever windfall I managed to come into, you’d be more than willing to jump back into my life. I understand, it all makes perfect sense now.”
Becka frowned gently