Too Close

Chapter 1

Olivia's P.O.V

September

"If you don't put the candy back I'll have to get your parents," I said, leaning over the counter toward the little girl standing on the other side.

"But I have money to pay for it," she said while slowly creeping the bar into the pocket of her shorts as if I couldn't see.

"I'm sorry sweetie. You don't have enough," I stopped, then sighed. Tired of going back and forth with her, especially since it was my last day anyway. "You know what, just take it, I'll cover the difference."

"Really? Wow, thanks!" The little girl's face lit up before she ran out of the store. An older woman who had been in line behind her shook her head at me but I ignored it. "Next?" As I rang up her items Mr. Doer, the store owner, came up behind me.

"Time's up?"

"Yeah, I'll be gone as soon as the new guy gets here." The woman took out her credit card and ran it through the card reader. I bagged her items then handed her the receipt.

"Oh, there's Greg!" Mr. Doer called cheerfully as my replacement, who I recognized from school, came out of the employee break room and made his way toward us, ducking behind the counter.

"Olivia, here's your last check." Mr. Doer put his hand in his pocket and produced a folded white envelope. "I'm not happy to see you go but I do wish you the best. Thank you for your time here." I smiled, taking the check from him and picked up my jacket from behind the counter. I dug in the pocket and handed a dollar and enough change for the little girl's candy bar. He looked confused but took it.

"It's for a candy bar," I explained. "Thank you again, for everything," I headed for the exit, waving. "Bye!"

"Excuse me," a voice called after me just as I reached the sliding doors. I turned my head at the voice and noticed a hooded guy standing in the personal care aisle with a bottle of shave cream in hand. When I reached him, he lifted a hand and dropped the hood.

I was taken aback by his soft yet precise features. His freckled face was framed by his dark hair, which was cut short and laid slightly tousled on top of his head. Sideburns stopped right above his jawline and a scruffy shadow caressed his chin. His features sat almost too perfectly on his symmetrical face: light amber colored eyes nestled beneath thick brows, shielded by dark lashes, and those freckles were evenly spaced across a pointy nose. His gorgeous lips were moving.

"Do you guys have it?" His husky delivery broke into my thoughts.

"I—I'm sorry, what was the question?" I stumbled over my words, realizing that while I was staring at him, he was expecting me to say something.

"Any more of these?" He asked again, this time lifting the bottle of shave cream so I could read its label.

I finally blinked. "Yeah, yeah. I'll um—go and get that for you." I stood there a moment too long before leaving to find the new associate who could unlock the storage room. A few minutes later, with another bottle of the same product in hand, I found the guy squatting in the same aisle, reaching for something in the far back of one of the bottom shelves.

"Here you go," I extended the new bottle.

"Thank you," he took it from me and observed it. "This is not the same."

"It's not?" I peered at the label on the front of the small can and realized it was the unscented version for people with sensitive skin, where the one he asked for was citrus scented.

"I'm so sorry, I must've grabbed the wrong one—."

"Obviously," his tone was dry, cutting me off then. "I don't have all day." Mr. Doer appeared at my side.

"Everything ok here? Olivia, I thought you left already." He looked back and forth between me and the customer.

"Uh...yeah, he asked for my help so I stuck around."

"Well, she wasn't doing a very good job at it so maybe you can help me, sir. I'm looking for this in 'Citrus and Mint Leaf'," the guy turned to him.

"Let me have a look," Mr. Doer took the bottle and pushed up his thin reading glasses to assess the label. "I'll bring that right out for you." He smiled at him then disappeared down the aisle, leaving us alone.

"Okay, you can go now," the guy turned back to me and waved a dismissive hand.

Astounded at his rudeness and at a lack of a response, I turned on my heels and left the store.