If looks could kill, I would be dead where I stood. As she stormed through the shop, she made sure to knock a few shirts off the tables along the way, creating a mess I’d have to clean up.
Keeping things tidy was important to me. I hated to walk into shops and find the clothes in disarray. Now, I’d have to refoldthose shirts and waste time doing that when I could be trying to set up my online shop, which was proving difficult since I knew next to nothing about using such tools.
If it was socially acceptable to drink while on the job, I’d have a bottle of wine open right now, but as it was, someone would probably come in and purposely spill alcohol all over my clothes just to spite me.
The next person who walked in was thankfully a friend. Delaney glowered out the door, then scowled at me. “Please tell me you didn’t sell anything to that skank.”
“She’s still a customer,” I said, picking up the clothes.
“She did this, didn’t she?”
I didn’t bother responding. What was the point?
“I bet she threw that rock through your window, too.”
My eyes drifted to the new storefront glass, thankful no one else had done something so mean-spirited.
“So, how’s your day going?” I asked, changing the subject before she could go on another tirade.
“Not bad. I asked River to watch my shop for a while.”
“River Ainsley?”
“Do you know another River in town?” she deadpanned.
“No, I’m just surprised you’d ask her to watch things.”
Delaney grabbed the folding board and got to work, helping me out as she spun her tale.
“This guy came in yesterday, searching for rocks from the creek up at Tripper’s Peak. He says it’s a gold mine up there, and he’s certain I have a stash in the back.”
“Which you don’t.”
“Of course not. If I had a stash of gold, don’t you think I’d be doing something with my life other than running a rock and gem shop?”
I smirked at her. For as much as she dreamed of jetting off to faraway places, she was a nerd at heart, and that shop meanteverything to her. Plus, from the spring through the fall, she had a ton of business, with tourists looking for special items they could take home as souvenirs.
A lot of the stuff, she found herself. She’d even asked me to go with her a few times, but scavenging for rocks was not my idea of a good time.
Neither was hiking.
“So, anyway, he’s insistent that I have these rocks that he’s looking for. And when I told him I didn’t have them, he started throwing a fit. I had to call Maverick to haul him out of the store. I thought he was going to tear the place apart.”
“That’s crazy. You do attract all the best customers,” I smirked.
“Right now, there’s a woman in the store who is asking a million questions. And after yesterday, I needed a break. So, when I saw River walking by, I snagged her and told her I’d pay her fifty dollars to watch the store for an hour.”
I winced, hoping she didn’t lose half the store in that time. “She’s just so…”
“Idiotic?”
“I was going to say trusting.”
“Which is the same thing. River is one of the kindest people I know, and that’s going to get her in trouble one day. But I think she can handle the shop for an hour. I gave her very strict instructions.”
“Well, you know she worked with Josie for a while.”
“I know,” she sighed. “But since I don’t have any herbs that can be mixed up and potentially kill someone, I figure I’m okay.”
