He burst into laughter. “Yes. There isn’t a man here who isn’t waiting to watch you trip over your own feet around him.”
“Glad to be everyone’s amusement,” I grumbled.
He laughed again, then clapped me on the shoulder. “Enjoy it. Means you’re one of us.”
I somehow managed not to flip him off as I strode away.
The front was still quiet as I made my way back to the register. I’d already swept and done any other busywork I could think of, so I sat on a high stool, elbows on the counter, spinning one of the scraps I’d saved for Randy.
“Save your little surprise for the last trip,” Oscar said, walking up and leaning on the other side of the counter.
“Hmm?”
“He’s going to be thinking logistics for the first two,” he explained. “How much more weight can the truck handle? How long will it take to unload? The last trip is when he has the freedom to pick up extras.”
“Thanks,” I mumbled as I stared at the small piece of wood in my hand. The grain was pretty, the scrap cut from where the tree had twisted to withstand mountain winds.
I wondered what Randy would see in it.
“Too bad he won’t have Spud with him,” Oscar continued. “No chance for you to show off that jar of treats.”
“He won’t bring his dog?” I asked, finally glancing up.
Oscar shook his head. “Not for a pickup this size. I think Spud would behave and stay close. But Randy’s attention will be on the wood and the truck. He’s not going to take the chance.”
“Responsible dog owner,” I murmured.
“Damn straight.” Oscar laughed. “Now, try to stop pining before he gets here. You’re starting to stink up the place.”
“Ass,” I chuckled.
“Real talk?” he asked.
I cocked my head to the side. “Sure?”
“All us front guys. We all know Randy. He’s been coming here for years. But in all the time I’ve worked here, there’s not been as much as a whiff of alpha on him. Maybe Emmett knows if he had one at some point, but anybody else who might know is long retired.”
“Ok?” I asked, wondering where he was going.
He sighed. “Look. Some people want to live a life of solitude, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But I never got that vibe from Randy. He was always so lonely before he got Spud. That dog helps, but…”
He paused and ran a hand through his hair. “People who have been alone that long… they put up walls. They tell the world they’re ok with being single until they have to believe it themselves. Being single becomes the choice, because the other option is to wonder why.”
“What are you saying?”
He shrugged. “Like I said, I never got the vibe that he wanted a solitary life, but he had to embrace it. For what reason, I don’t know.”
Another paused. “We all want to see him happy, however that looks. But it’s not going to be easy. You’re not trying to convince him to go on a date. You’re trying to convince him to step out from behind a carefully crafted lie.”
He straightened and studied me. “You need to ask yourself if you’re serious about him. If this is just a crush, or wanting to get into his pants….” He shook his head. “Once those walls come down—if they come down—you need to be prepared to catch the man on the other side. Understood?”
I swallowed and nodded. “Understood.”
He rapped his knuckles on the counter a couple of times. “Good chat. Lemme know when he gets here, and I’ll cover the counter so you can help him load.”
“Did Carlos call you?”
He laughed. “No, but I had a feeling.”
