Page 19 of We Are the Stars

“I could ask the same of you in this moment.”

Carsen scoffs. “Whatever. Just…pipe down. I need to get this done before we open in ten minutes.”

He ambles away, muttering the entire time.

Ten minutes later, he emerges from the back, his scowl still in place, and unlocks the door. He’s not even halfway back to the front counter before the first customer comes waltzing in.

“Hey, kid.” An older man, maybe mid-fifties, decked out in cargo shorts and a loose, unbuttoned Hawaiian-style shirt claps Carsen on the shoulder and gives him a shake. “Bryan here?”

“Not yet, Cal. Anything I can help you with?”

“Nah. Was wanting to discuss the league with him, bullshit a little.” Cal spots me. “Well, hell. Who do we have here? You new?”

I give a small wave. “Yes, sir. Name’s Elliott.”

“I’m no sir; that was my father.” He winks. “It’s nice to meet you Elliott. I’m Cal. I virtually live here, have a cot in the back and everything. Better get used to seeing my handsome mug.”

His smile his easygoing and warm; I decide then that I like him. “Nice to meet you, Cal. I’ll be working here a few days a week so I’m sure we’ll get to know each other in no time.”

Carsen rounds the counter and not so subtly pushes his way in front of me at the register as our first customer says, “Hook me up with shoes and five games to start. I’m working on my five-bagger today so I’ll need the time.”

“But that’s…”

“Ten games,” Carsen finishes for me. “Yeah, he knows. He can do math.”

Cal tsks at Carsen’s cranky tone. “Now, kid, that’s no way to treat a lady. You’ll never get her to agree to go out with you if you keep that up.”

“I don’t want to date her, Cal.”

“And why not?” The older man meets my eyes and winks. “She’s awfully pretty.”

“She’s alsoawfullyrude.”

“I flip you off one time…” I mutter.

“Literally the first time our gazes connected. That’s insolent and uncouth.”

“Insolent and uncouth? Do you like to throw out random fancy words to make yourself look like evenmoreof a jackass?”

“Speaking English makes me a jackass?”

“No, your attitude makes you one.”

“Right, and your attitude doesn’t play into it at all.”

“Myattitude? What are you talking about?”

Carsen huffs. “Are you forgetting that you flipped me off?”

“Oh my god. Get over it already.”

“You say that like it happened years ago. It wasyesterday.”

“You scowled at me, for no reason.”

“You were staring, for no reason.”

“Iwavedat you!”

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