Addicted

Chapter 11.

I started work at Last Words early. Owen never mentioned anything about a work uniform, and I noticed Zari only wore casual clothes. I dressed in comfortable clothes and walked to the bookstore. I was ten minutes early so when I arrived Owen gave me another run through of the store and then left me to defend for myself

This job wasn't hard to do. All I had to do was ensure everything was neat and tidy with all the new books at the front of the store. Put through the books that people wanted and put the receipt in the book cover. It was simple. He taught me briefly how to do returns, but after he showed me I instantly forgot.

I served a couple people before it went quiet a little in the middle of the day. There wasn't anything else to do apart from putting away the stock that recently came in. the shelves were in alphabetical order from the authors last name, but it felt as if it was a maze in here. Every now and then the door would chime and I would serve a customer but it wasn't happening very often. I was putting away a couple books, using the ladder to get to one of the higher shelves, when the bell at the door chimed.

"Coming!" I shouted and stepped down from the latter allowing me to get to the top shelves. When I walked around the corner, I could smell him before I saw him. Mint and something else... Coffee?

I stood frozen for a moment, looking at this beautiful boy in a bookstore. Zac wore a light blue button up shirt and black khaki pants with black boots. On his left side pocket was a badge that read 'Zac' with a could pens and a lanyard that looked important. A sewed in label of his workplace was displayed over his heart. His work uniform suited him. The light blue brought out his light eyes.

He held two coffee cups in either of his hands.

"Zari told me you got the job," Zac said. His pants were in his pockets and he was looking at his feet.

"You talk to Zari?" I questioned. I wondered how many women he had on the side beside me that he kissed, and a jealous feeling washed over me. Was Zari one of them?

"Yeah, she's a good friend." He emphasised the word 'friend', possibly because he heard the tone in my voice that questioned their relationship.

"Congratulations on getting the job."

"Thank you for getting me the job," I smiled at him.

"No worries," He smiled back at me. For a moment we were just two strangers in a bookstore, smiling while starring at each other. Zac broke the stare first.

"I got you a coffee." He held out his hand and handed me the coffee.

"Thank you!" I said, enthusiastically. I took a tentative sip and enjoyed the hot liquid going down my throat and was surprised that it was my normal coffee order. "You know my coffee order?"

"I just assumed it's how you have it at home... almond milk and two sugars?"

"Well aren't you perceptive," I teased. In all honesty, I knew his coffee order too... if it was the same that he has at the house. "Thank you, I appreciate it," I smiled up at him and took another sip.

Abruptly, as if he didn't think another second about it, his hand came to my face, cupping my cheek and his thumb smoothed over the corner of my bruised eye. It didn't look as bad today. It was faded but deepening into a shade of purple.

"Does it hurt?" He asked. His mouth was hard set.

I shook my head in response and his hand moved away and rested at his side.

"How was work?" I asked, trying to keep the conversation going.

"It went quickly." He nodded. "Can I help you with anything?" he asked after a moment when he started looking around.