Read Online Carol Cox by Trouble in Store - Free Book Online Page A

prices for each item. You’ll need to know all of those before you can write up orders. And here is where I keep track of any purchases made on credit. Later, those need to be entered in the journal in the office under each customer’s account.”
    Melanie listened, trying to absorb everything he said as he went on talking about which customers could be trusted to pay bills and which ones he didn’t extend credit to. “That’s important to remember,” he emphasized.
    She nodded, wondering if she would ever be able to retain it all. Was that the point? She narrowed her eyes and studied him closely. Maybe he was purposely trying to overwhelm her with the flood of information.
    “Some customers require special handling,” he went on. “Ophelia Pike, for instance. She is the mayor’s wife, so make sure she’s treated well. I can’t afford to lose her business.”
    “Speaking of our women customers,” Melanie interjected, “I wanted to talk to you about rearranging some of the merchandise a bit. For instance, if we—”
    The mantel clock bonged the hour. “We’ll have to talk about that later,” Caleb told her, seeming relieved by the interruption. “It’s time to open, and I’m already running behind.” He reached inside the storeroom door and retrieved a broom.
    Melanie snatched it out of his hand. “At least I can help you by sweeping.” She started toward the front door, but Caleb caught her by the elbow.
    “You always start with the back stoop first.”
    Melanie bristled. “You mean it’s one more way to keep me out of contact with the customers.”
    Caleb chuckled, and a smile creased his cheeks in a way she could have found appealing if he weren’t so hard to get along with. “Not at all. It’s simply a matter of logic. If you start by sweeping out front, everyone who sees you assumes the store is ready to open. By doing the back first, it gives you a chance to take care of that chore before things get so busy you may not have time to do it at all.” His smile deepened. “This has nothing to do with you, really. It’s something Uncle Alvin taught me when I first came here.”
    Melanie swept the back stoop as quickly as she could. By the time she put the broom away, Caleb had already tended to the boardwalk out front and was greeting their first customer of the day, a slender man dressed in a checkered shirt, denim pants, and tall-heeled boots.
    “Good morning, Slim.”
    The newcomer nodded but didn’t speak. He held his dusty hat in one hand and kept the other behind his back as he peered around the store.
    Caleb frowned and raised his voice a bit. “Slim? Can I help you?”
    The cowboy spotted Melanie just then, and his face lit up. He pulled his hand from behind his back, and she saw he held a nosegay of spring wild flowers. “Mornin’, ma’am. These are for you.”
    “Now, just a minute,” Caleb sputtered.
    “I’m Slim Applegate of the Diamond B. Some of the boys were talking about you last night, and I—”
    “Out,” Caleb ordered.
    The smile faded from Slim’s face, and he looked at Calebwith an expression that reminded Melanie of a sorrowful hound dog. “I’m not doin’ any harm. I just wanted to talk to—”
    Caleb pointed at the door. “If you don’t intend to buy anything, you need to get yourself and your flowers out of my store pronto. And tell the rest of the Diamond B crew that goes for them, too.”
    “Can’t I at least leave the flowers?”
    Caleb took them from Slim’s outstretched hand and shoved them toward Melanie. “All right, you’ve left your flowers. Now go.”
    Slim backed toward the door, holding his hat over his heart. “Just remember, ma’am. The name’s Applegate.”
    Caleb shut the door behind him with a decisive click and turned toward Melanie.
    She glanced down at the flowers in her hand, then back up at Caleb, catching his glare full on. “Don’t blame me for that. I have no idea why this is happening. These men don’t know me