Kickstart My Heart (Burgers and Brew Crue #1) - Lacey Black Page 0,19

in hopes they have some. If not, I don’t know what I’m going to do today. I won’t have time to hit the second-hand stores before I need to start my shift.

I power-walk through the front entrance of the store and head straight to the clothing section. There’s a small rack of office-appropriate clothing, and fortunately, they have dress pants. Except, they’re pretty picked over. They don’t have my size. All I can find in black is a size smaller and two sizes bigger. Quickly, I grab both and head for the dressing room.

The employee is over stocking socks and takes a few minutes to stop what she’s doing to unlock the door. As soon as I’m in, I rip off my maroon and gray yoga pants and slip on the first pair. They’re the ones that are too big, and clearly, they’re just that. Lizzie could probably get in them with me. My last hope relies on a pair of pants that are too small.

Swell.

Oh, these babies are tight. Fortunately for my ass, there’s a little stretch to them. Sure, it’s difficult to button them, but desperate times, and all that. I rip the pants back off and throw them on the seat and climb back into my yoga pants. Making sure I have my purse, I grab the too-big pants and slip them on the rack and my too-small pants and head for the register.

There’s only one register open, and it already has a line, so I quickly make my way to those self-check registers. I touch the screen and scan the tag on my pants, tossing them in a plastic bag.

“Well, those pants will certainly liven up the place a little.”

I gasp, realizing the deep voice is very close behind me, yet recognizing it at the same time. Spinning, I find Walker standing directly behind me, his eyes cast downward and taking in my weird pants.

“Are those pineapples?” he asks, the hint of a smile on his full lips.

“Oh, uh, yeah,” I stammer, glancing down at the little dancing fruit all over my leggings. “Don’t worry, I’m not wearing them to work in. I got new pants.” I hold up the bag, like an idiot, as proof.

His smile is completely amused as he asks, “New pants? What happened to your old ones?”

I pull a few bills out of my purse and try to slide them in the machine to pay. “Well, apparently, someone needed them more than me. They were gone when I went down to get them from the washer last night.” The machine spits my wrinkled bill back out, so I try again.

Walker senses my growing agitation and steps up beside me, reaching for the crinkled five-dollar bill. When it slides in easily for him, he turns and catches my gaze. “Someone stole your clothes?”

I swallow hard and shrug. “It happens.”

His earlier easygoing grin gone now. “It happens? Are you kidding me, Mal? That doesn’t happen.”

I turn away, mortification creeping up my neck, as I slip the rest of my money into the machine.

“Where? At a laundromat?” Walker pushes, clearly not happy my clothes were stolen.

“At my apartment. I’ve never used the machines in the basement before, and when I went down to get them from the washer, they were gone.”

He seems completely flabbergasted by this. “What else did they take?”

“One of my work shirts, but I have four more. I’ll purchase a new one as soon as possible,” I add quickly.

“We’ll get you a new one,” he states, the agitation still very evident in his voice.

“No, please don’t. It’s my fault. I’ll let Isaac know I need to purchase a replacement.”

There’s a tick in his jaw. “No way, Mal. We have tons of those shirts. You don’t need to buy one. That’s why we order them in bulk. It’s part of your uniform, and we furnish it.” As the machine spits out my change, his features finally soften. “Listen, I don’t know where you live, but please don’t use those machines in the basement anymore. You can use my machine anytime. Or even Isaac’s.”

I slip the change into my pocket and grab my bag. “Thank you for the offer, but that’s not necessary. I can go to a laundromat.”

“You can but know the offer stands. Anytime you need it.”

I turn and find those heavenly blue eyes zeroed in on me. “Thank you, Walker. I appreciate it.” I’ll never take him up on his offer, but he doesn’t need to know that. He’s being helpful