Page 5 of The One Who Got Away
“Really? Saves me a trip. Thanks.” He took off to the back of the shop and my heart stopped thundering in my ears.
Jessie gave me a hip bump and disappeared into the back. She was one of the few people that had figured out I was stupid in love with Gus. Thankfully, I was pretty sure she was the only one.
I lost myself in the building of sandwiches. It wasn’t that dissimilar to code. I had a system and knew a few short cuts. The familiar scents of spicy meats, the sizzle of hamburger and the sharpness of onions settled me along with the emo bands blasting out of the speakers.
Gus strong armed two sleeves of ice to the front.
I couldn’t help notice the way his triceps flexed under his Murdock Brothers T-shirt on his way out. I nearly burned one of the patty melts, rescuing it just in time. I wrapped them all up and labeled the deli paper as the stacks of sandwiches grew. When Gus returned, I was loading them up into a box for him.
I met him at the registers. “Did you download the app? I can make sure you get your points.”
He grinned, that dimple flashing again. “Appreciate it. The animals aren’t always good about paying into our lunch fund until paydays.”
I quickly rang him out as we finalized his new account.
“So, you do app design now?”
I shrugged. “I do a bit of everything. Helps Jessie out and slowly but surely Indigo Valley is coming into the information age.”
“Slowly being the operative word. Sully’s fiancée definitely dragged my brother into the here and now.”
“With abs?”
Gus glanced down at the box. “Yeah. Sully always brought in the attention.”
“And you didn’t? Please. I remember how many girlfriends you had in high school and after.” I tucked a stack of napkins and plastic silverware into the box.
So many girlfriends.
None ever stuck around long, but I’d been hella jealous of the girls who got to wear Gus’s baseball jacket and hoodies. I did get one at Homecoming and I sure as hell wasn’t giving it back.
I didn’t care if that made me a creeper.
Gus rolled his eyes. “Not all of them were girlfriends, El.”
My chest tightened at the rumble in his voice and the shortened version of my name that rolled off his tongue so easily. As if no time at all had passed. I pushed the box forward and our fingers tangled for a second. His familiar calloused palms made my blood buzz.
I pulled back and hid my fisted fingers in my apron. “Hope your crew enjoys.”
“They will.”
Two bankers from down the street and a salesman from the furniture store across the street came through the door. I gave Gus a distracted smile. “See you.”
He backed away and around the customers. He stopped at the door. “When’s your next day off?”
I liked my lips. “Uh, Thursday.”
The corner of his lips tipped up in the familiar half grin. “I’ll text you.”
Then he was gone and my system short-circuited.
I bent at the waist, feigning a stretch as my heart bounced all over the place.
“Breathe, girlfriend.” Jessie’s singsong voice made me groan. “Eloise and Gus k-i-s-s-i-n-g.”
“Shut up.”
“Get a water before the rush.” Jessie murmured, then cackled on her way to the counter. “Gentlemen, what can I get for you?”
