Page 17 of We Are the Stars

Before he opens the door, he glances back at me. “You sure you’re supposed to be here now? Bryan would have warned me if it was today.”

“I’m certain I understood his simple instruction to be here at seven on this very day.”

Carsen glowers at the sarcasm lacing my words before wrenching the door open and allowing it to slam against the wall.

“The door has feelings too, you know.”

He mutters something indistinct, but I grin anyway, knowing I won that little battle of ours.

“What size are you?”

I smirk at him, darting my eyes toward his crotch. “Now, now, I wouldn’t ask you that, so why would you ask me?”

He pins me with an irritated stare, not finding anything I say amusing. “Trust me, you’re not going to be jealous of all four inches I’m packing. Now, what sizeshirtdo you wear? Small or medium?”

“Medium, please.”

He grumbles again as he steps into the room and grabs an old-school bowling shirt from the rack. I follow behind him, barely catching the material he tosses over his shoulder. I slip my arms through the shirt—which is just like the one he’s wearing—opting to leave it unbuttoned and flowing open, as his is.

I watch him move through the small area, noting how his button-up clings to his muscles, showing off how tight he’s wound right now.

“This is the break room. You get two fifteen-minute respites a shift.”

“Every shift? No matter how long it is?”

“That’s what I said.” When I don’t argue, he continues. “I don’t know what Bryan expects me to do with you today. I can’t suitably train you on anything since we’re going to be slammed.”

“Slammed? Why?”

He raises a brow and purses his lips. “Because it’s Sunday.”

“That explains it so well.”

“Games are buy one, get one free today. Shoe rentals are half off. It’s the busiest day of the week.”

“I had no idea.”

“Of course you didn’t,” he sneers. “I’m sure you just filled out random applications anywhere you could and took the first job you were offered.”

“Actually,” I tell him, putting my hands on my hips, “this wasn’t the first job I was offered. I turned down two others. I’ve had an application in here for months.”

“Bullshit. Bryan didn’t say a word.”

“He doesn’t tell you much, huh? Guess you aren’t as trusted as you think.”

His jaw ticks and his eyes fall into slits. “Listen, girl—”

“Elliott is fine,” I interrupt.

“Elliott? That’s your name?”

“There a problem with it?”

“No. Surprisingly, it fits you,” he admits, his voice soft and quiet.

It’s the first nice thing he’s said to me since I met him, and it wasn’t all that nice.

“Now that we have that out of the way…”

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