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Authors: Kathryn Cushman
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over a week now. It was time to heat things back up.
“Hey, Paige, I’m going to check on the work upstairs—find out when they’re going to stop making all that noise. It’s driving me crazy.”
Paige looked up from the computer screen. She glanced pointedly at the line of prescriptions waiting on the counter, then back at Clarissa. “Do you think now is the best time for that?”
“I’ll be right back.” Honestly, it was only three prescriptions.
Maybe Paige would move a little faster if she didn’t always have someone there to carry the load for her.
Besides, the noise was annoying, and it served her patients’ best interest to check on progress. Of course, the fact that the supervising carpenter was such a premium specimen of manhood would make the fact-finding mission less painful.
She went up the steps to what had been the theater balcony. It was now the staging area for all the work going on in the building— the travel agency next door was almost complete, then they were putting in a boutique up here.
When she reached the top of the stairs, she could see the men busy at work. Unfortunately, Cory was not among them.
An electrician leered down from his ladder. “Can I help you, or’d you come up here to see me?”
Disgusting.
“Just checking progress.” She wasn’t about to ask for Cory.
She walked back down the stairs, resigned to her fate of boredom. But when she opened the door to the pharmacy, she saw him. At the counter. Stuck talking to the Dull One. Better mobilize a rescue.
She smoothed her hair with her fingers and walked up beside him. “Hello, Cory. What brings you here?” She smiled at him, tilting her head just enough so that she knew her upturned eyes produced maximum effect.
“I heard a rumor there was another beautiful girl working down here, and thought maybe this was changing from a pharmacy to a modeling agency. Decided I better get down here and see what all the fuss was about.” He spoke loud enough for Paige to hear, and he grinned back and forth between Clarissa and Paige, his dimples working their effect. “Of course, Ken always exaggerates about these things, but this particular time, I’d say he got it right.”
Paige’s cheeks turned pink, but she never looked up from the computer when she said, “Cory, will you cut it out and let us get back to work? You do want your mom’s medicine today, right?”
Cory looked at Clarissa, cleared his throat, and sobered just a little. “Turns out, my mom needs a refill. Paige said she can call the pharmacy in Sledge and get it transferred over here.”
“I told you I could do that three months ago.”
“Did you? Must have slipped my mind. Of course, no surprise there. Lots of things slip my mind when there’s something more interesting to think about.”
Clarissa did not like the way Cory grinned at Paige. Obviously he was trying not to be rude, but still, if he didn’t watch out, he would give Paige the impression he liked her or something. That’s all we need, to have the Dull One mooning over Cory. It would make her even slower than she already is.
“Well, I’ll leave you ladies to your work.” He tapped once on the counter. “Thanks, Paige.” He winked at Clarissa as he walked past, but somehow it felt dismissive. Condescending even. The way a jock in high school would wink at the homely-but-smart girl who had just done his homework for him.
Clarissa watched him walk away, wishing she could think of an excuse to follow. When he reached the door, he stopped and turned. Of course, it had all been an act. A macho act. He’d give her a knowing smile now, to let her know they’d hook up later.
Instead, he waved toward Paige and disappeared out the door. Was that a blush on his cheeks as he turned away?
Clarissa licked her lips and walked up beside Paige. “So, you’ve met Cory now.”
Paige continued to count pills with her spatula and didn’t answer until she was done. “Actually, I met him
“Hey, Paige, I’m going to check on the work upstairs—find out when they’re going to stop making all that noise. It’s driving me crazy.”
Paige looked up from the computer screen. She glanced pointedly at the line of prescriptions waiting on the counter, then back at Clarissa. “Do you think now is the best time for that?”
“I’ll be right back.” Honestly, it was only three prescriptions.
Maybe Paige would move a little faster if she didn’t always have someone there to carry the load for her.
Besides, the noise was annoying, and it served her patients’ best interest to check on progress. Of course, the fact that the supervising carpenter was such a premium specimen of manhood would make the fact-finding mission less painful.
She went up the steps to what had been the theater balcony. It was now the staging area for all the work going on in the building— the travel agency next door was almost complete, then they were putting in a boutique up here.
When she reached the top of the stairs, she could see the men busy at work. Unfortunately, Cory was not among them.
An electrician leered down from his ladder. “Can I help you, or’d you come up here to see me?”
Disgusting.
“Just checking progress.” She wasn’t about to ask for Cory.
She walked back down the stairs, resigned to her fate of boredom. But when she opened the door to the pharmacy, she saw him. At the counter. Stuck talking to the Dull One. Better mobilize a rescue.
She smoothed her hair with her fingers and walked up beside him. “Hello, Cory. What brings you here?” She smiled at him, tilting her head just enough so that she knew her upturned eyes produced maximum effect.
“I heard a rumor there was another beautiful girl working down here, and thought maybe this was changing from a pharmacy to a modeling agency. Decided I better get down here and see what all the fuss was about.” He spoke loud enough for Paige to hear, and he grinned back and forth between Clarissa and Paige, his dimples working their effect. “Of course, Ken always exaggerates about these things, but this particular time, I’d say he got it right.”
Paige’s cheeks turned pink, but she never looked up from the computer when she said, “Cory, will you cut it out and let us get back to work? You do want your mom’s medicine today, right?”
Cory looked at Clarissa, cleared his throat, and sobered just a little. “Turns out, my mom needs a refill. Paige said she can call the pharmacy in Sledge and get it transferred over here.”
“I told you I could do that three months ago.”
“Did you? Must have slipped my mind. Of course, no surprise there. Lots of things slip my mind when there’s something more interesting to think about.”
Clarissa did not like the way Cory grinned at Paige. Obviously he was trying not to be rude, but still, if he didn’t watch out, he would give Paige the impression he liked her or something. That’s all we need, to have the Dull One mooning over Cory. It would make her even slower than she already is.
“Well, I’ll leave you ladies to your work.” He tapped once on the counter. “Thanks, Paige.” He winked at Clarissa as he walked past, but somehow it felt dismissive. Condescending even. The way a jock in high school would wink at the homely-but-smart girl who had just done his homework for him.
Clarissa watched him walk away, wishing she could think of an excuse to follow. When he reached the door, he stopped and turned. Of course, it had all been an act. A macho act. He’d give her a knowing smile now, to let her know they’d hook up later.
Instead, he waved toward Paige and disappeared out the door. Was that a blush on his cheeks as he turned away?
Clarissa licked her lips and walked up beside Paige. “So, you’ve met Cory now.”
Paige continued to count pills with her spatula and didn’t answer until she was done. “Actually, I met him
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