Page 63 of Ordinary Girl

“I was just passing. Thought I’d stop by and see how things were going.”

“Things are going just fine, as you can see. And now that Ana’s here we can get this place stocked twice as quickly, three times if you feel like giving us a hand? There are some heavier boxes out back that need moving in here, it’d be a real help if you could get them for me.”

“Sure.”

I hear him stride past me, into the back of the shop, and I spin around and look at Cady. “You can move those boxes yourself. You’ve already brought two of them in.”

She shrugs. Again. “I wanted to make him feel useful. I wanted to make sure he hung around, for a little while. I thought you’d be pleased.”

“Why would I be pleased, Cady?”

“Because you like him, Ana. You can’t fool me, kiddo, I can see it all over your face. Which probably means he can see it, too.”

“Alright, I’m done here. I’m going.”

“What are you running from, Ana?”

I stop: turn around to face her. “You told me to steer clear of these men. You said Joel was no saint.”

“I also said he wasn’t a bad man.”

“They’re all bad men. Aren’t they?”

“When it matters. When they need to be. They’re also nothing but good to those people they care about. And Joel, he cares aboutyou.”

“Where do you want these?” Joel comes back out onto the shop floor, carrying two large boxes of stock.

“Just stick them down there. Thanks,” Cady replies.

“Anything else?” he asks.

Cady shakes her head. “No. We’re good. You’re welcome to hang around, though, if you want. In fact, you could make yourself useful and go make some fresh coffee.”

He smiles, at Cady, not at me, and disappears into the back room.

“Come on, Ana. Stop running, okay?”

I sit down on a purple couch next to a shelving unit full of incense sticks, burners, crystals and candles. The smell is heady and intoxicating.

“I don’t know what to do, Cady. I don’t even know what it is I’m feeling. It’s confusing, all of this, it’s so fucking confusing.”

Cady pulls herself up onto the counter and crosses her legs up underneath herself. “Do you know what I’m gonna tell you now, Ana? It’s a bit clichéd, but, you know, probably necessary. Just go with your heart. Fuck your head, god knows I made enough mistakes doing what I thought was right when it was so far from what I really wanted to do, so, just do what feels right. For you. Trust your gut. You only get one life, kiddo, and I know yours has turned a corner you could never have dreamed it was going to take, but you need to make the most of that. Fighting it won’t help anything.” Her phone rings out and she slides it from her pocket, jumping down from the counter. “Gotta take this. Won’t be a sec.”

She heads outside and I sit back, glancing around this store that’s now mine, the smell of freshly brewed coffee wafting in from the back room.

“I’ve gotta run, kiddo.” Cady comes back inside. “Somewhere I need to be. You gonna stick around here for a bit?”

I feel panic rise. That means I’m alone, with him. With Joel.

“You’ll be fine.” Cady winks. “I’ll catch up with you later, okay?” And she smiles before disappearing back out onto the street.

I get up and lift a box up onto the counter and start unpacking it, ignoring every stab of anxiety I’m feeling right now.

“Where’s Cady?”

I spin around, and he’s standing there, leaning against the door frame, arms crossed, eyes fixed on mine.

“She had to go.”