What does working with Jared have to do with a supply closet at work?
Chapter Ten
I’m refolding a table of shirts when Liam texts that he’s here. I look up at Jared who seems entirely focused at something on the computer screen before I slip to the back room to meet Liam. He’s in street clothes, black jeans and a plain black shirt, but his hair is coiffed which makes me assume he is filming today.
“You look nice. Very princely,” I comment as he steps inside. His hair looks good all done up, but I still prefer his messy just-woke-up-like-this look. “Come on, the closet is right over here.”
I lead him to a supply closet, opening it for him. Inside is a mop with a bucket, a vacuum, and shelves filled with different cleaning products.
“Why did you want to know if we had a closet?” I peek in as he steps inside, dropping to his knees to look at the doorknob.
“You’re going to get locked in here with Jared.”
I look behind my shoulder, just to make sure Jared can’t hear us. “I’m sorry, I’m what?”
“You’re going to be locked in here with him. After, I don’t know, thirty minutes I’ll slide a key under the door. You can make it look like you somehow broke your way out. He’ll have no choice but to be impressed by your ability to remain calm in the situation as well as your brains to get you out.”
“But you’re sliding me a key.”
“He doesn’t know that.”
“Right, well just a little problem, this door doesn’t have a lock.”
“That’s why I brought a new knob to switch to.”
He holds up a knob that looks like the one already in the door, just with a lock. He’s really going to switch out the entire knob for this to happen? Wow. Okay. He’s taking helping me with Jared seriously.
Liam stands up and looks around the closet. “Is there a toolbox in here? I need a screwdriver.”
I go grab a screwdriver from the small toolbox on a stockroom shelf. I watch him at work, trying to figure out what exactly he’s doing to the door when he looks up at me.
“Go keep Jared distracted, we can’t have him coming back here. I’ll let you know when I’m finished.”
He’s right. I wouldn’t even know how to explain this to Jared if he ends up walking back here.
I hurry to the front of the store where Jared is still focused on whatever is on the computer. I go stand next to him though, abandoning the table of shirts I had been working on refolding when Liam got here.
“There you are.” He takes a step back from the computer. “My dad needs me to pick up a poster board for my little brother’s science project down the street before they close at six. Would you mind closing without me?”
He doesn’t wait for my answer before he starts gathering up his homework. My eyes dart towards the back room then back to Jared. I should say something to get him to stay. But if I do that Jared won’t be able to help his dad, which will add a lot of unnecessary stress on him.
“Yeah, of course. I’ll try to manage the crowd.” I joke, even though there’s not much emotion behind it.
“Thank you, Carter!” He doesn’t look back as he rushes out the front door.
I let out a groan as I drop my head to the counter. Seriously, is this happening again? I look at the clock and see there’s only a few minutes left until we close. That’s close enough to six for me. I lock the front door.
“Liam, bad news,” I say as I walk into the stockroom and nearly trip over a mop bucket propping the door open. I kick it away. “Liam?”
I place one foot in the closet, reaching on my tiptoes for a container of cleaning wipes so I can wipe down the front counter.
“Where’s Jared?” Liam suddenly asks behind me.
I jump at his voice and trip over the mop bucket I kicked. Liam steps in to stop my fall when the door shuts behind him with an echoing click.
We both stare at the closed door for a moment, like neither of us can believe it actually closed.
“Please tell me you weren’t finished rigging it.” I whisper.