SugarCOAT

59. Significant Other 💋

I saw when A.B. went back to the counter. Before he could spot me, I pretended to be in deep concentration as I loaded the cart with items. I was glad for it, because I actually got some work done. As I pushed the full cart to the inventory room, I looked at my phone to see that it was 11:30 a.m. It did not feel like two and half hours had passed, but I was ready to clock-out. As therapeutic as it was, I do not miss working a 9-to-5.

I heard the sound of rolling wheels behind me, but I continued to look at my phone.

"Excuse me," A.B. said.

I quickly stepped aside with my eyes still on my phone. Once A.B. passed me with his cart, I glanced at him. He parked the cart in an empty corner. 

"All done?" I asked him.

He look at me. "With scrapping and pulling? Yes. I think we had more books than anything else. The instruments and music will always sell here. I'm glad you taught me the efficient way to do this, because I was thinking about ways to increase sales."

"Since we have about 30 minutes left, I can show you how to reprice and list," I suggested.

A.B. agreed, "Yeah. That's actually perfect, because Nyeira just left for her lunch break. We can go to the manager's office." He led the way out the inventory room.

I followed A.B. "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything," he replied.

"I have been here for almost three hours, and I still haven't seen one customer or employee. And the sign says 'Open.'"

A.B. smirked as he sat behind the desk in front of the desktop computer. "Jamie, the sign is turned off. How long did you work here, again?"

I folded my arms. "Seven years."

"I'm sorry. I should've asked how long have you lived in East Grove?" A.B. smiled.

I arched a brow. Why is he asking me this? Then, I palmed my forehead. How could I forget about East Grove's Annual Anniversary? 

I said, "That means there's going to be a Gala tonight, too. How could I forget? Wait, how do you know about it?"

"There are signs and decorations everywhere: Celebrating East Grove's 90th Anniversary. I thought you came back, partly, for that reason."

I shook my head, "I've been gone way too long."

"Just a few hours ago, you said the opposite."

"Shhh," I hushed A.B.

He stood up from the chair. "It's all yours."

"Thanks." I sat down in front of the computer. "Okay. Looks like we're still using the same system, but the scrapping is done in the CX portal. To reprice the items we pulled, we need the Merchant Portal." I double clicked on the icon on the screen.

"My uncle had this and Amazon open," A.B. told me.

I pointed at him. "You were paying attention." I clicked on the internet icon and went to Amazon. "Perfect. You're already logged in. Okay. Now that the Merchant Portal is open. Oh, no."

"What is it?" A.B. asked me. 

"I left the print-out of the products I pulled in the inventory room on top of the cart."

"I left mine, too. Hold on. I'll be back." He left the office.

I smiled as I thought about working with A.B. How much fun would it be if this was our daily lives? We could be a power couple on the rise. Before I could finish daydreaming, A.B. returned with the print-outs and handed them to me.