Read Online Handful of Heaven by Jillian Hart - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jillian Hart
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pitched her voice over the chink and clang of the dishes as she unloaded the bin. “But I really need the hours. Like super bad.”
“Then how do you feel about managing the front tonight?”
“You mean it?” A cup crashed into the top rack as Brandilyn spun around, forgetting what she was doing, excitement lighting her up. “That’d be so sweet! Like, I can do it. I know I can. Well, except for the cash register. But I’m catching on. Really, I am.”
“I know, sweetie. You’re doing great. You get better every week.”
“Ya think so?”
The girl brightened so much, Paige saw all of Brandilyn’s potential. The teenager was so bright, when she applied herself. She only had to figure that out. “I do. Did you get your registration notice from the community college yet?”
“It came and now Bree and I have to figure out what to take. It’s totally weird.”
“Did you want to bring your stuff by and we can go over it?”
“That’d be so awesome.” Brandilyn put all her youthful energy into stacking the dishes into the industrial washer. “So, like, are you gonna go out with him?”
The fryer-basket handle slipped from Paige’s fingers and plunged back into the sizzling hot oil. She jumped back in time to avoid getting burned, but she had the distinct impression she wasn’t going to avoid getting burned in a metaphorical sense. The twins had overheard Evan. How many others had?
As if thinking of him had made him materialize before her eyes, her gaze found him. A six-foot-plus flesh-and-blood man, solid and substantial and everything that could possibly be good in a male human being, and something deep within her sighed at the sight of him standing in the threshold. That sigh was absolutely something she did not want to admit she felt, especially to herself.
“You’re busy.” His molasses-dark gaze roamed over her like a touch. “I’ll just leave this on the counter by the till, okay?”
Her gaze slid to the ticket and the twenty-dollar bill in his hand. In his big, strong-looking hands that made her wonder what it would be like to feel that hand enclosed over hers. What would it be like to feel his wide palm against hers and his thick, tapered fingers twined through hers. Would she feel safe? Sheltered? Cherished?
There I go again, wishing for fairy tales. What was it about certain men that could affect a woman so foolishly? “I’ll ring that up for you right now.”
It was surprisingly hard to meet his gaze, and the moment their eyes connected he jerked away as if she’d slapped him. “I’ll wait out here then.”
And he was gone, big athletic strides that took him from her sight. That settled it. She had hurt his feelings. That was so far from what she’d intended. The surprise of his proposition still rocked her. Date? Her?
It was preposterous to think of dating at her age anyway. Ridiculous. Who would be interested in a woman with too much responsibility, too much work, and too many people to take care of? And no interests, no time for hobbies, let alone letting a man woo her into believing he loved her.
Hold it, your bitterness is showing. She cast a quick prayer of forgiveness heavenward. It was not easy trying to keep a clear heart in this world where men existed.
Oops, there it was again. In truth, she was a little bitter toward the male gender and although it had significantly faded over the years, as she’d gotten a better handle on it, it had not vanished completely.
She vowed to work harder on it as she caught sight of Evan waiting for her at the front counter.
He looked out the window. Gazed down the aisle. He looked at the award plaques from the local Better Business Bureau on the wall behind her. He looked everywhere but at her.
Lord, I have hurt him. She hadn’t meant to, but what did she do now to fix this? She rang up the sale, counted back his change. But he held up his hand.
“Keep it.” He looked straight ahead as he turned away. “See ya.”
“Have
“Then how do you feel about managing the front tonight?”
“You mean it?” A cup crashed into the top rack as Brandilyn spun around, forgetting what she was doing, excitement lighting her up. “That’d be so sweet! Like, I can do it. I know I can. Well, except for the cash register. But I’m catching on. Really, I am.”
“I know, sweetie. You’re doing great. You get better every week.”
“Ya think so?”
The girl brightened so much, Paige saw all of Brandilyn’s potential. The teenager was so bright, when she applied herself. She only had to figure that out. “I do. Did you get your registration notice from the community college yet?”
“It came and now Bree and I have to figure out what to take. It’s totally weird.”
“Did you want to bring your stuff by and we can go over it?”
“That’d be so awesome.” Brandilyn put all her youthful energy into stacking the dishes into the industrial washer. “So, like, are you gonna go out with him?”
The fryer-basket handle slipped from Paige’s fingers and plunged back into the sizzling hot oil. She jumped back in time to avoid getting burned, but she had the distinct impression she wasn’t going to avoid getting burned in a metaphorical sense. The twins had overheard Evan. How many others had?
As if thinking of him had made him materialize before her eyes, her gaze found him. A six-foot-plus flesh-and-blood man, solid and substantial and everything that could possibly be good in a male human being, and something deep within her sighed at the sight of him standing in the threshold. That sigh was absolutely something she did not want to admit she felt, especially to herself.
“You’re busy.” His molasses-dark gaze roamed over her like a touch. “I’ll just leave this on the counter by the till, okay?”
Her gaze slid to the ticket and the twenty-dollar bill in his hand. In his big, strong-looking hands that made her wonder what it would be like to feel that hand enclosed over hers. What would it be like to feel his wide palm against hers and his thick, tapered fingers twined through hers. Would she feel safe? Sheltered? Cherished?
There I go again, wishing for fairy tales. What was it about certain men that could affect a woman so foolishly? “I’ll ring that up for you right now.”
It was surprisingly hard to meet his gaze, and the moment their eyes connected he jerked away as if she’d slapped him. “I’ll wait out here then.”
And he was gone, big athletic strides that took him from her sight. That settled it. She had hurt his feelings. That was so far from what she’d intended. The surprise of his proposition still rocked her. Date? Her?
It was preposterous to think of dating at her age anyway. Ridiculous. Who would be interested in a woman with too much responsibility, too much work, and too many people to take care of? And no interests, no time for hobbies, let alone letting a man woo her into believing he loved her.
Hold it, your bitterness is showing. She cast a quick prayer of forgiveness heavenward. It was not easy trying to keep a clear heart in this world where men existed.
Oops, there it was again. In truth, she was a little bitter toward the male gender and although it had significantly faded over the years, as she’d gotten a better handle on it, it had not vanished completely.
She vowed to work harder on it as she caught sight of Evan waiting for her at the front counter.
He looked out the window. Gazed down the aisle. He looked at the award plaques from the local Better Business Bureau on the wall behind her. He looked everywhere but at her.
Lord, I have hurt him. She hadn’t meant to, but what did she do now to fix this? She rang up the sale, counted back his change. But he held up his hand.
“Keep it.” He looked straight ahead as he turned away. “See ya.”
“Have
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