Page 18 of Cold Foot Croc

She didn’t want to leave the register unattended, so she just waited, if a little impatiently.

“You have lots of good stuff in here,” he said as he appeared out of the last aisle.

“Yeah, and I get a discount for working here. I get a lot of my stuff here.”

He lifted the brown bag onto the counter, and God, his excited grin was so damn cute. She could feel his anticipation.

“Want me to open it now?”

“Yes.”

Her body was settling so fast around him. She peeked inside, and her face went slack with realization.

She glanced up at him in shock, just to see if this was some kind of joke. Was he serious?

She slowly pulled the little baby Carhartt jacket out, and then the matching woman’s jacket.

They were the same kind as the one she’d borrowed from him. It was the same baby jacket she’d been looking at in Murdoch’s, but hadn’t been able to afford. She knew exactly how much these cost.

“This is too much,” she whispered, hugging them to her chest.

“Nah. I just got my paycheck. I had already bought the little one the other day, but I rushed over and picked up the one for you before I came here. We match now. I got it in a bigger size so you can zip it over your stomach.”

“Yeah?” she asked, touched to her soul.

“Try it on.”

She looked down at the little baby one again, completely in love with it.

“The baby is going to be warm,” she said softly, trying not to tear up.

“Yeah, and you can get him those little onesies that are fleece-lined, and little baby boots, and a little beanie. I internet-searched it. They got all that stuff for babies.”

“You internet-searched clothes for him?”

“It’s weird, huh? Just ignore I said that. Try on the jacket,” he encouraged her again.

She slid it over her arms and snuggled into it, zipped it over her belly, and held her arms out. “I look like a bowling ball, don’t I?”

He laughed. “I promise you don’t. You look so fucking cute. Do you have a mirror here?”

“Yeah, but I can’t leave the register.”

“Oh, right. It would be bad to get robbed your first day as cashier. Here, stand back a little. I’ll take a picture and you can see it.” He held his phone up.

She backed up, struck a pose, and grinned big.

He checked the picture and his face went all soft, and the smile faded a little. “You look really pretty today.”

Oooh, what was this feeling? What was this hint of confidence she was feeling? “Thank you, Garret.”

His smile turned crooked, and so handsome. “I like when you say my name with your accent.”

“Accent?”

“I like that you’re from Louisiana, because your accent is sexy, but I don’t like that you get cold easily. You definitely need a good jacket. Do you like them?” he asked suddenly.

“Ilovethem. I thought about this little jacket so much,” she admitted, fingering the little cuff on the miniature sleeve. “Best baby-shower gift ever.”

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