Succulents on the Window Sill

Chapter 5

The phone passed from Corinne's right hand to her left, before back again. The bakery was quiet. The rush of morning customers had eased, and the crowds for lunch had yet to start. 

Lisa and Sara both were in the front of the shop. They didn't need her with only two tills to man and just a few customers to serve. Corinne, therefore, told herself it was okay to jot in and out to the back room, sneaking moments to grab her phone from her bag and check it. 

It buzzed, and she almost dropped it trying to flick open the lock screen as quickly as possible. 

Have you heard from Zach? He's hasn't rung me yet. 

With a small sigh, Corinne sent a quick reply to Fiona, Zach's mum. She had thought the text was likely from Zach, but no. She still hadn't heard from him.

They had viewed a house just over two weeks ago, and Zach had put in an offer for it the next morning. Brian the owner that had shown them around had accepted it, and today was the day when Zach was to sign the contract. 

He had wanted Corinne to take the morning off work go with him, to be there for that moment when pen hit paper, and they secured their home. She had thought that she would feel more comfortable at the bakery though, earning the money she would soon need for the redecorating and furniture they'd have to buy. She had been wrong, for Corinne's whole body had been itching for Zach's text to confirm that it was their's, from the moment she had reversed her car out of the driveway that morning. 

Her phone vibrated in her hands, buzzing, and Corinne jumped. Her heart sank when Fiona Dubois' name popped up again instead of Zach's. She had told her that no, Zach hadn't gotten in touch yet, but when he did, she'd make sure he remembered to call his mum. Fiona's text was just a simple thanks. 

"Corinne, come here!" Lisa called her over, and Corinne pushed her phone back into her bag before coming to stand in the doorway between the back room and the shop. 

Lisa shuffled back to stand just in front of her, facing the same direction, but close enough so that Corinne could hear her every word. She nodded towards a customer that Sara was serving. 

"Isn't he super hot?"

"Lisa!" Lisa hadn't the quietest of voices, but Corinne was impressed with how well she was keeping it down low right now. Even so, she hoped she wouldn't slip up and shout her attraction for the poor guy. 

"What? He is!" 

Corinne shrugged. He was tall, with a slender frame, and had a youthful laid-back look about him. His blond hair was a little long over his eyes, skin so pale it almost took on a blue hue. He had the sharpest cheekbones she had ever seen, and the only colour on his face, his pink lips, were moving as he silently counted out the change in his palm before passing it to Sara. 

Corinne studied him up and down, only able to see what was above the waist with the counter in the way. He was in a simple dark red t-shirt, the sort that fitted enough to suggest how the body beneath looked. It just hung on him though, not clinging to the muscles on his arms or chest how Zach's t-shirts did. A tattoo peeked out from beneath one sleeve, and as he moved his head, Corinne noticed the silver industrial piercing in his ear as it caught the light. 

"He looks like a teenager." Late teens, but still a teenager. With the frown of his thick brows, he had the moody teen expression on point.

"A hot one. I bet he's in a rock band." 

"Nah, he looks more the orchestra kind to me." Corinne snorted at her joke, turning to go back to check her phone for the hundredth time that morning.