Fairy Tales and Cappuccinos (Everyday Love #1) - Taylor Rylan Page 0,19

you is okay.” I had no idea where I was going and wasn’t yet familiar with the roads around here. Besides, if I rode with Hudson, I’d get to talk to him more.

“Great. Let me go start the truck so it can warm up. Will you close out the register?” Hudson asked.

“Sure,” I said. I pocketed my phone as I walked behind the front counter. I pulled up the end of day report in the register and sent it to Hudson’s laptop before I opened the register and pulled out the drawer. I wasn’t sure there was any new cash in it from this morning, but it was still something that needed to be done.

I met Hudson as I was rounding the counter and handed him the cash drawer. “I’ll get the lights,” I told him.

“Sounds good. See you in the office.” Hudson turned and was gone in no time. I went back to the front door and locked the upper and lower security locks and then followed. I hit the light switches on the way by, leaving only the small light on that was over the entry to the hallway.

“There was nothing but card transactions today,” Hudson said when I entered the office. I sat down on the chair that was on the opposite side of the room and put my left foot up on my right knee.

“I remember doing only card transactions. I think there were four?” I thought about it and shook my head. “No, five. Lunchtime was busy.” It had been busier than I’d seen it in the week I’d been here.

“Yeah, we have spurts like that. Tomorrow might be busy again. Or it could be dead.”

“It’s not like I don’t have things to do while it’s slow. I’m still working on getting the older inventory added to your website.”

Hudson sighed. “It’s been on my need to-do list for months.”

“And now it’s on mine. It would be faster, but I have to make sure when something is sold in the store, it’s removed from the online inventory. It’s not difficult, just tedious.”

I watched as Hudson counted the drawer. It didn’t take long as he didn’t keep much in it. Once it was counted, he covered it, locked the lid, and placed it in the safe that was in the corner of the office. It was a nightly routine, but one that was both understandable as well as necessary.

“All set. You ready to go?”

“Sure.” I stood up and remembered I forgot to text Chris. “Crud. Give me a sec,” I said. I stepped into the hallway and leaned against the wall. I sent a quick text to Chris, letting him know I would be late and why.

Chris: So it’s a date? Or working late?

Me: Working late. Not a date. I’ll let you know when I’m on the way there.

Chris: Okay.

“Do you have your laptop?”

“Drat. No. let me go grab it,” I said. I rushed to the front and pulled my laptop out from under the front counter. I smiled at Hudson and held it up, showing him I now had it. I had no life and would probably work on inputting more books into online inventory after Chris and I had supper.

“I know it’s early still, but did you want to grab something to eat on the way? My treat since I’m the one pulling you away from going home early,” Hudson asked as he held the exterior door open for me.

I nodded as I reminded myself that it wasn’t a date. We were working, and my boss was buying dinner since we were going to be working late. “Sure. You’ll have to pick though because I only know the diner.”

“Oh. Yeah, we’re going to River Forge. It’s the next town over. It’s a bit bigger and has more stores. And it definitely has more places to eat.”

Hmm, that was something I’d have to look into. Chris hadn’t mentioned the place, or the fact that it was bigger with more stuff. Maybe I’d have better luck finding a rental over there. I made a mental note to check into it tomorrow during the day.

“Sounds good. I’m the new guy here. Umm, can we not have spicy?” I rubbed my stomach, thinking about anything spicy right now. Not pretty.

“I was thinking burgers and fries? That okay? There’s nothing too fancy around here really,” Hudson said.

“Sounds good to me.” I smiled. Hudson opened the truck door, and I climbed in. He closed it and started around the front of