“Michelle.”
“It’s a lovely day,isn’tit?”
“Iguess.”
“I was running behind this afternoon. I hope you don’t mind if I eat a light snack when we don’t have any customers.” She grabbed a small container out of herpurse.
“Your dad owns the place. He signs the paychecks. I’m not going to tell you that you can’t eat.” Besides, how many times had I scarfed down food behind the counter? I was eating a pretzel the first day we workedtogether.
“Great, you’rethebest.”
She walked behind the counter, and although I was there first, I got up from my chair as she got came near. Damn my parents and their efforts to make me act like a gentleman. It was ingrained so deeply, I couldn’t even stay seated when Michelle was near. Her smile widened as she sat down and opened the plastic tub in herhands.
The girl wasunbelievable.
I hit my fingers against thecounter.
“Did you want one, Rainier?” She lifted the cherry to her lips. “I’m happy toshare.”
It wasn’t a regular cherry. Of course, it wasn’t. It was yellow and red, the telltale colors of Rainier cherries. Michelle might not be original in her teasing, but she was persistent. No joke was leftuntouched.
“No,thankyou.”
“Are you sure?” she asked, popping the fruit into her mouth. Michelle’s red lips seemed less comical all of a sudden. In fact, the way her mouth formed a perfect circle when she pulled the stem out was quite possibly the most fascinating thing I'deverseen.
Tap,tap,tap.
“Are you okay?” She chewed the cherry and grabbedanother.
“Yep.”
Michelle lifted this cherry to her mouth just like before. And just like before, I couldn’t tear my eyes away. Her lips curved into a smile as I stood there transfixed. When I finally drug my gaze up to her eyes, shewinked.
“I’m going to unpack deliveries,” I said quickly and all but ran to the back of the store. The sound of her laughter hit my ears, and I stopped. Typically, I would have ignored it. Nothing good ever came from provoking someone likeMichelle.
“Oh, don’t be mad Rainier. I’m justteasingyou.”
“I get that.But,why?”
“Why, what?” she asked closing the container ofcherries.
“I mean, why are you teasing me? We don’t know each other. We haven’t exactly gotten along. And now you’re popping cherries like we’re bestfriends.”
Michelle’s eyes widened before she burst out laughing. It took me several seconds before I understood why she thought it was so funny. At that point, I was sure I was the same color as acherry.
“I meant the teasing with the cherries andmyname.”
“Iknow.”
“I wasn’t trying to, um, suggest that we,youknow…”
She laughed again. “Rainier, believe me when I say I don’t think you were putting the moves on me in my dad’sbookstore.”
I let out a relievedbreath.
“But,” she continued, “what kind of name is Rainier anyway? No offense, but your parents were setting you up for a lot ofbullying.”
“Tell meaboutit.”
