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Authors: Denise McDonald
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wasn’t done yet. “If you agree, it will give you an added layer of security having
a warm body here at night. So no one can break in.”
“No one
else
can break in, you mean,” Marissa pointed out.
If Hill’s face had been red before, now it was about-to-stroke-out red. He rolled
his head back and stared up at the ceiling.
“How many times have you…” Marissa motioned to the back of the shop.
“Not that many,” Lexi said at the same time as Hill lowered his head and said, “a
dozen or so.”
Marissa pinched the bridge of her nose. A dozen times someone had broken into her
shop. A dozen times a lone, teenage boy had slept in her office, on her sofa, to keep
from sleeping under a bridge. She’d only noticed a couple of times when things seemed
off, and only once was it obvious that food had been taken.
The bell over the door clanged as a woman with three little girls came in chattering
away.
“How are y’all?” Marissa stood. “I’ll be right with you.” When they passed and made
their way up to the counter, she turned to the teens. “I’m not done talking with you
two. Sit. Finish your snack and I’ll be right back.”
She wasn’t entirely sure they’d listen to her. She half-expected them to be gone when
she finished with her customers. But Lexi and Hill were at the table. Hill had finished
his cupcake and Lexi sat picking at hers. Marissa grabbed another red velvet from
the case and headed back over to the teens. She set the cupcake in front of Hill.
He stared at it for a long moment, then peeled back the paper and took a bite.
There were so many things she could do. The least of which was nothing and tell the
kids to skedaddle. One thing that played over and again in her head was the fact that
Hill had admittedly sneaked into the shop so many times and—other than the food—he
hadn’t taken a single thing. He could have cleaned out the money from the cash register.
Not that she kept more than a few dollars in the drawer when the store was closed.
Not to mention, there were any number of pawnable items in the shop and on her desk
and he’d never once filched anything. That should count for something. And while she
did want to help him out, she wasn’t ready to invite him to her small two-bedroom
townhome. Nor was she ready to thrust him upon a system that as of yet hadn’t even
noticed he needed help.
“If I say yes, there will be some strict ground rules.”
Lexi squealed at an ear-piercing decibel, then launched herself from the stool to
give Marissa a bone-crushing bear hug.
Hill dusted the crumbs from his fingers and wiped his mouth with the napkin.
Once Marissa peeled Lexi’s arms from around her shoulders, she ticked off her rules
one finger at a time. “This is temporary while I try to figure out what to do.” When
Lexi opened her mouth to comment, Marissa held up her hand. “Let me finish. You are
not to have anyone else in the shop after hours. And no one in the back at all.” She
shifted her gaze to Lexi for a moment then back to Hill. “If I find anything missing,
I immediately go to the chief. You can work after school on the weekdays and a few
hours on the weekends. We’ll set up a schedule for your hours.” She paused and neither
spoke. “Lastly, I’d like to see your report cards.” She wasn’t entirely sure why she’d
thrown that last stipulation out there. It seemed like a parental thing to do. It
was clear no one else was giving him guidance. “How does that sound?” She held out
her hand to him.
Hill stood. For a moment he hesitated then finally shook her hand. “Sounds pretty
good.”
* * *
Marissa flopped onto the sofa in her small house. It seemed like she’d spent less
and less time there in the eight months since she’d opened her shop. She took a long
sip of a much-needed glass of red wine—her typical Friday night. Not that she’d had
a typical week. So many
a warm body here at night. So no one can break in.”
“No one
else
can break in, you mean,” Marissa pointed out.
If Hill’s face had been red before, now it was about-to-stroke-out red. He rolled
his head back and stared up at the ceiling.
“How many times have you…” Marissa motioned to the back of the shop.
“Not that many,” Lexi said at the same time as Hill lowered his head and said, “a
dozen or so.”
Marissa pinched the bridge of her nose. A dozen times someone had broken into her
shop. A dozen times a lone, teenage boy had slept in her office, on her sofa, to keep
from sleeping under a bridge. She’d only noticed a couple of times when things seemed
off, and only once was it obvious that food had been taken.
The bell over the door clanged as a woman with three little girls came in chattering
away.
“How are y’all?” Marissa stood. “I’ll be right with you.” When they passed and made
their way up to the counter, she turned to the teens. “I’m not done talking with you
two. Sit. Finish your snack and I’ll be right back.”
She wasn’t entirely sure they’d listen to her. She half-expected them to be gone when
she finished with her customers. But Lexi and Hill were at the table. Hill had finished
his cupcake and Lexi sat picking at hers. Marissa grabbed another red velvet from
the case and headed back over to the teens. She set the cupcake in front of Hill.
He stared at it for a long moment, then peeled back the paper and took a bite.
There were so many things she could do. The least of which was nothing and tell the
kids to skedaddle. One thing that played over and again in her head was the fact that
Hill had admittedly sneaked into the shop so many times and—other than the food—he
hadn’t taken a single thing. He could have cleaned out the money from the cash register.
Not that she kept more than a few dollars in the drawer when the store was closed.
Not to mention, there were any number of pawnable items in the shop and on her desk
and he’d never once filched anything. That should count for something. And while she
did want to help him out, she wasn’t ready to invite him to her small two-bedroom
townhome. Nor was she ready to thrust him upon a system that as of yet hadn’t even
noticed he needed help.
“If I say yes, there will be some strict ground rules.”
Lexi squealed at an ear-piercing decibel, then launched herself from the stool to
give Marissa a bone-crushing bear hug.
Hill dusted the crumbs from his fingers and wiped his mouth with the napkin.
Once Marissa peeled Lexi’s arms from around her shoulders, she ticked off her rules
one finger at a time. “This is temporary while I try to figure out what to do.” When
Lexi opened her mouth to comment, Marissa held up her hand. “Let me finish. You are
not to have anyone else in the shop after hours. And no one in the back at all.” She
shifted her gaze to Lexi for a moment then back to Hill. “If I find anything missing,
I immediately go to the chief. You can work after school on the weekdays and a few
hours on the weekends. We’ll set up a schedule for your hours.” She paused and neither
spoke. “Lastly, I’d like to see your report cards.” She wasn’t entirely sure why she’d
thrown that last stipulation out there. It seemed like a parental thing to do. It
was clear no one else was giving him guidance. “How does that sound?” She held out
her hand to him.
Hill stood. For a moment he hesitated then finally shook her hand. “Sounds pretty
good.”
* * *
Marissa flopped onto the sofa in her small house. It seemed like she’d spent less
and less time there in the eight months since she’d opened her shop. She took a long
sip of a much-needed glass of red wine—her typical Friday night. Not that she’d had
a typical week. So many
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