“Huh? What?” he almost shouted, his hands flailing out as if he were trying to knock off a fly or a gnat.
“Get out, George!” she hissed, standing in front of him with her hands fisted on her hips.
“Why?” and he rubbed his shirtsleeve over his flannel shirt.
“Because you’re filthy and drunk, not to mention, I don’t allow sleeping on the job. You’ll have to sober up somewhere else,” she told him firmly.
She grabbed his arm, and almost lifted him off of the stool, escorting him to the door.
“But it’s raining out there.”
Violet didn’t care. “Not my problem, George. I pay you enough to grab a cheap raincoat. Go get one.”
George brightened up with that comment. “Yeah. Money! Hey!” he looked down at her and laughed. The sound wasn’t very pleasant. “Did you have a good time last night? Was the man everything you wanted?”
Violet was even more disgusted, and couldn’t understand what her mother had seen in this man. “George, go home. Sleep it off and shower before you show up again.”
Closing the door, she wiped her hands, but that wasn’t enough this time. Whatever George had gotten into last night, he must have rolled around in it. She walked to the small bathroom off to one side of the store and scrubbed her hands until she felt clean again.
What was it about George? Why did he spend all of his money on alcohol?
She supposed she should be more concerned. He was sort of family, she thought. But then more customers came into the shop, and she banished the man from her mind. At least for now. She’d wonder about George’s alcoholism another time. Perhaps he’d had a hard childhood, or maybe he had some mental issues that he needed help with as an adult.
Right now, she needed to focus on work and not on the man who didn’t seem to want her help.
And there was no way she could help him when he was inebriated anyway.
So for the rest of the afternoon, she worked both in the front of the store and in the back, stocking shelves, and almost dancing her way through the afternoon.
“What has you so excited?” Kevin asked, when the last customer was gone for the night and he bolted the door closed.
“I have a date!” she said with a grin.
Kevin smiled right back at her, crossing his arms over his chest. “Same guy that had you so excited that you couldn’t come into the store yesterday?” he asked.
Violet gave him a secret grin. “Maybe,” she said and twirled around. The effect would have been better if she’d been in some really sassy dress and the skirt flared around her legs. Jeans and rubber boots just didn’t have the same impact. “Maybe not.”
Kevin chuckled. “Same guy.” The others had already left for the day, having cleaned up before their shift ended. “So what’s his name?”
Violet grabbed a mop, wiping up the mud that had tracked in during the day from the rain. “His name is Creek and he’s the bartender over in Winthrop.”
Kevin stopped sweeping and looked over at Violet. “Creek Jones? At The Rotten Apple?” he asked.
Violet looked up and smiled. “Yeah, do you know him?”
Kevin laughed. “Of course. Everyone knows Creek Jones. He’s a legend.”
Violet had no idea why Creek would be considered a legend, but Kevin’s approval just made her feel better. “Yeah, he’s a good guy,” she said as she continued to mop the floor.
“So what are you guys doing tonight?”
Violet laughed. “Well, I’m not cooking him a roast or apple pie! That was a disaster last night!”
“What are you making for him tonight?” he asked, and looked over at her. “Don’t make lasagna,” he warned her.
Violet looked up. “You don’t like my lasagna?”
Kevin cringed, but shook his head. “Sorry, Violet. But your lasagna…” and he shook his head again. “Something else.”
Nothing could get her down today, so she didn’t take offense at his words. “Okay, so what should I make for dinner?”
“Brownies,” he said, still looking down and getting underneath the countertop. “You make awesome brownies.”
She stopped mopping, and savored the glow of Kevin’s praise. “What else?”
Kevin swept up the debris to the dustbin and stored the broom in the closet. “How about that chicken casserole? The one with the spicy sauce?”
“Yeah,” Violet said, nodding her head as she considered the idea. “Spicy chicken. That one is easy enough to make.”
Kevin smirked as he grabbed his rain jacket and changed into his rain boots. “Good luck tonight, and I want details tomorrow!”