Page 7 of Don't Scare Me, My Love

“And not risk blowing up my car.” He laughed. “That would be awesome.”

We stared at each other for another second before I motioned to the back. “Just follow me.”

When I gotthe canister out of the little shed behind the building, I tried to explain how to use it.

So many people get it wrong. They either forget to open the vent cap, don’t make sure that the pump nozzle is touching the side of the canister to prevent static electricity from building up, or somehow knock the entire thing over when they pull the nozzle out.

But before I could explain all that, he said it wasn’t the first time he’d used one and that he’d be careful not to set anything on fire.

I watched him from my window, ready to jump out in case he was one of those big mouths afraid of looking bad in front of other men. Not that he’d given that impression yet, but I couldn’t be too careful. To my surprise, heactuallyknew how to handle the canister safely. He even opened the spill-proof spout on the first try, something even my employees sometimes have trouble with.

Five minutes later, his minivan slowly rolled up to the pump farthest from the entrance.

After pumping gas, he strolled back to the store but stopped in the doorway, only sticking his head in. “I’d walk around the building and give it to you in the back?”

Damn.He even thought far enough to realize that it might not be a good idea to carry a canister with some gasoline left in it through a store.

Without waiting for my answer, he made his way around the building. I hurried through the small hallway and pushed open the back door as he turned around the corner.

“Thanks. You’re a lifesaver,” he said, handing me the canister.

As I grabbed the handle, our hands touched briefly, and the smile on his face as it happened was to die for.

“Just doing my job,” I replied.

He kept his eyes on me. I wanted to look away, but after all the flirting this morning, I just couldn’t.What if Jack was right? Should I ask him to meet me later? It’s not like anything bad could come of it.

He took a deep breath. “I know. I’ve asked a lot of questions already, but I have one more.” The wind blew some strands out of his hair and onto his forehead.

Damn. I’ll eat a broomstick if he asks me out now.

“Not to add to my account of weirdness, but…” He sighed. “There’s aHelp Wantedsign by the front door. Do you think I could apply?”

TWO

THE NEW HIRE

NICHOLAS

If there wasone thing I’ve learned in my life, it was this: When you have a gut feeling, trust it.

Without it, I wouldn’t have left Indiana for good a week ago. I wouldn’t still be traveling the country sixteen years after leaving my hometown. If I hadn’t trusted my gut, I wouldn’t have a MyTube channel and about a thousand videos to remember my journey by. I wouldn’t have headed east yesterday instead of south.

Hell, I certainly wouldn’t have ended up at this gas station when I followed the signs for Seastone—simply because it was such an inherently strange name for a town surrounded by mountains about four hundred miles away from anything remotely resembling an ocean.

There was no way I would not trust my gut on this job.

The cute gas station attendant I was talking to didn’t seem to be so sure about it, though. He stared at me as if I had just asked him to help me bury my ex-boyfriend. The eye patch he wore made him look like a pirate, though his blue jeans and red company shirt should have been a clue that this wasn’t an early Halloween costume.

“Can you introduce me to the manager?” I asked, putting on the friendliest smile I could muster.

His uncovered eye didn’t move for five seconds, glued to my face. “Whydo you want to workhere?”

His question sounded like he was asking whyanyonewould want to work in this place. He didn’t give it enough credit. The forest and mountains around it were just beautiful and made it seem like no one was around for hundreds of miles. The store was surprisingly tidy, smelled of fresh coffee, and the food counter and restrooms were clean. That was more than I could say for most gas stations I’ve been to. Not to mention the cute and very gay attendant who flirted with me like a true pirate would.

“This place looks like fun,” I answered his question.

His eyebrows raised as he looked around the empty, wet parking lot. “You’re weird.”

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