Page 41 of Feverburn

She flipped some hair off her shoulder.“It’s a safety hazard.”

I shrugged.“Honestmistake.”

She pointed at the sign behind my shoulder that read No Cell Phones,“What in the Luke Danes shit is that?”

“You’re not the first person to say that,” I replied dryly, putting my hands on my hips. “You try helping someone find a specific part for a water pump while the dumbass is having an entirely separate conversation on the phone and get back to me on how enjoyable it is.”

Her eyes darted to the counter, finally falling into mytrap: a box of Bear’s reject geodes in a small wooden treasure chest. I grabbed chunks of gravel to put in with it and a purposefullypatheticsign that read Rocks $1 in Sharpie. I knew calling them rocks would get a rise out of her. They were stones to her, not rocks.

Her nostrils flared as she walked to the display, picking up a piece of a yellow and white geode that looked brittle. She grunted, examining it, causing Hank to chuckle. She whipped her head to glare at me, holding up the rock like evidence in a court case.“Fucker, this is baked amethyst! It’s not even real citrine! What thehell, man?”

“We are just keeping up with the competition, ma’am,”I said with saccharine innocence.

She picked up a stone that looked like bubbly, blistered turquoise.“With what? Fake shit?”

“A rock is a rock,”I said, approaching her at the counter.

“They are stones. Not rocks!”she said with a harsh squint before bolting to the back of the store, swinging the doors open to make her way to the vestibule. The area was quickly becoming our battleground. Our crossroads of chaos.

“What thefuck are you doing, Carson?”

“What do you mean?”

She flung her purse on the stairs and pulled at the four large boxes blocking the exit. They were heavy, so I was impressed when she shoved them, almost like you would push start a car in neutral to get it moving. I stood watching her, not hating the view of her bending over and heaving, knowing if I offered to help, she’d cut my arm off.

Once they were pushed to the sales floor and deemed my problem, she turned back to me, her eyes seething seas of green.“Don’t you ever block the door again! I can make your life a livinghell. I just choose not to!”

I swallowed hard and whispered,“You already have.”

Her face twitched. “Good!” she said before continuing upstairs.

The next day, she had Hank page me to the front desk. As I approached her, she held out her hand and plopped three tumbled stones in my palm one at a time.

I snorted,“What are these?”

“Kunzite helps with emotional stability and empathy. Rhodonite helps you with forgiveness and emotional wounding. And blue lace agate helps one simplytalk. Maybe together, they will magically turn you into less of a cranky asshole.”She shared ahappyglance with Hank while tossing her hair as she turned to walk out the door.

“She got you good!”Hank said as we both watched her crossing the street to Silver Springs.

I had toripmy gaze away from herperfectass.“Not for long.”

I followed her across the street, almost catching up to her. When I opened the door, I realized it was jam-packed with what felt like every woman within a hundred-mile radius. They all eyeballed me as I stood, taking in the confusing sight.

Someone pinched my ass. Before turning around, I already knew it was Viv. “Hey, Carsyboy, I’m so glad you decided to join us!”

“What is this?” I asked, stepping to the side to let her through the door, putting my arm around her frail shoulders to guard her from the crowd.

“Scornful Saturday!” she replied with a gleeful ring to her trembling voice. “Think of it as an open mic night to share dating stories. Dating men isn’t for the weak of heart, you know.”

We shifted ahead in line. I scanned the room once more, realizing I was the only guy. “Yeesh. Well, I don’t want to interrupt anything.”

“Don’t be silly!” Viv said, then yelled, “Excuse me! Senior citizen coming through!” butting everyone else in line, earning me even more side-eyed glances.

Andrea was at the register taking orders as Rosie and Poe frantically made drinks behind her. Upon seeing us, she beamed, “Hey Viv, the usual?”

“No, I have cotton mouth. I need my iced tea, please. Oh, and I’m paying for my hot date,” Viv said, winking at me before digging around in her purse.

Andrea giggled, tapping the screen. “And for you?” she asked.

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