Page 13 of Don't Scare Me, My Love

An hour later,the faucet was fixed, and the break room door no longer sounded like a dying cat when someone opened it.

Three hours later, the shelves were fully stocked, and the coffee station was as clean and organized as if we had bought a whole new one.

And after five hours, I was completely in love with him. By then, he had already learned to work the register by himself, had somehow become best friends with three of our regulars, and was smiling at me whenever he saw me as if I were his best friend and we were seeing each other again for the first time in years.

“Nicholas,” I said after the fourth of my regulars left, giving me a thumbs up as if to say I had hit the jackpot with him. “Where have you been my whole life?”

I wanted to pat him on the shoulders, wrap my arms around him, and kiss him on the cheek—which I didn’t do because it would have been unprofessional. However, I had figured out how to smile again, and giving him one seemed to do the trick as he blushed and waved it off.

“I’ve worked a similar register before. So, this wasn’t that hard,” he said.

“Don’t play it down. If you keep this up, I might soon take my first vacation in years.”And maybe even think about dating again after years of being married to my work.

He closed the register. “Just trying my best.” His head hung lower than it had this morning, as if all my praise had humbled him.

“No, really,” I said, looking down at the floor for a moment, searching for the right words. “I just want you to know that you’re doing well. And I hadn’t had this much fun at work in years.”

I lifted my head again, and our gazes met. His eyes were soft and filled with an inner glow.

Another ring announced the next customer. A woman in her forties held the door handle with a handkerchief. Her eyebrowsknitted together as she took in the store. She paused in the doorway, stepping only her right foot inside, and fixed her eyes on Nicholas.

“Good morning, ma’am,” Nicholas said with the same smile he used to greet everyone who came in.

As with the other customers before her, I stayed in the back but watched their interaction, ready to jump in if he needed help. With her, it was probably only a matter of minutes before she asked for the manager. After years of dealing with the bad side of this job, I developed a sixth sense for people who would cause trouble.

She clicked her tongue. “I need you to fill up my tank.”

“Sure, ma’am. How much money do you want me to put on the meter?” He spoke to her much more calmly than I would have—as if it wasn’t rude for her to refuse to put both her feet in the store.

She rolled her eyes. “Do you understand what I’m saying? I needyouto fill up my tank. All of it. Until it’s full.”

Nicholas kept his smile. “I’m sorry, ma’am. I can only put a fixed amount on the meter. If you want to fill it up completely and have a credit or debit card, you can just swipe it at the pump?—“

“Are you stupid? I’m not touchinganythingout there. I’m askingyouto come outside andfill up my tank.” She gave me a disdainful look. “God, and what areyoulooking at?”

I puffed out my chest and took a deep breath, ready to tell her to get out of my store.

“Ma’am, I’m happy to help you,” Nicholas said before I could reprimand her. “But I will need you to speak to me and my colleague more respectfully.”

“Do you even know who I am?”

“No matter who you are, you can still be a decent human being,” he replied with a smile that sent shivers down my spine.

The woman's head snapped back as she searched for words. “What is this? Am I in the wrong movie? Don’t think you’re going to get a tip with that attitude.” She looked at me again as if considering trying her luck with me but shook her head as soon as she laid eyes on my eye patch. “You,” she waved at me. “Take off that stupid Halloween costume and do your job?—”

“Ma’am,” Nicholas interrupted her, his voice raised now, though he somehow managed to keep his smile. “I won’t let you talk to him like that. He’s wearing the eye patch for medical reasons.”

“Sure, he does,” she scoffed.

“It’s not his fault that he slipped as a kid with a lollipop in his mouth, and the stick went through the back of his head and into his eyeball. He’s lucky to be alive today. So would youpleasebe so kind and shut up?”

I stared at Nicholas, who was glaring at the woman. Her eyes darted back and forth between him and me. “Is this a joke?” The muscles in her face stiffened.

My heart beat faster. I couldn’t believe he stood up for me like this. For years, it had been just me dealing with people like her. I would’ve said similar things to her. But hearing them from Nicholas made me realize what it was like not to have to put up with that bullshit on my own.

“Do you need to see his empty eye socket?” Nicholas kept a straight face, though his fingers curled around the countertop. “I’m sure he’s more than willing to show it to you if you don’t believe me.” He looked at me, and I raised my arms to take the eye patch off. This was too funny not to play along.

She raised her hand in a defensive posture. “There’s no need for that.” She grunted in disgust and turned away. “Thanks for your help,” she mumbled and walked back to her car.

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