Page 5

Ha. ha. I’m still trying to air out the kitchen area. How’s work for you?

She sprayed another round of her favourite lime and mandarin air freshener.

So. Much. Better.

Alex 2:02pm:

Busy. Vanessa spent the morning asking me how to save an Excel spreadsheet again… You’re the manager, Vanessa, YOU figure it out.

Why am I so competent sometimes? I swear it’s actually a disservice to getting your own shit done. I did get my reports sent off on time, so there’s that.

Anything exciting happening in the life of Sam today? No more emergency coffee spills?

Sam 2:06pm:

No, but funny story.

Got woken up by loud music in the yard, went to tell them off, and turns out it was coffee spill girl from yesterday.

Her name’s Taylor btw. We ended up chatting for a bit and she was nice. Even if I was in my PJs at the time - awkward!

Alex 2:07pm:

Ha! That’s gold. Well don’t befriend her too much. I’m still firmly in Best Friend position #1!

Sam 2:07pm:

Never!

Sam slipped her phone back in her pocket and headed up to the counter. The buzzer had already gone off a few times, so there had to be a few people milling about the shop. Sure enough there were already customers at the front, and her dad was giving her “help” eyes.

“Hi, are you looking for anything in particular?” she said to a couple over by the ropes. “Yes, we’re wanting to get some Spectra. Around twenty metres, please,” the woman replied, while the man continued to look around.

“Good timing! We’ve just got some new reels in this week. Are you after the 6mm or 8mm?”

“Gary, was it the 8mm Spectra?” the woman asked her husband.

“Yep!” came the call down the other end of the aisle. Sam could see he was now hunched over the navigational lights, completely in his own world. She reached up to the 8mm and started pulling the rope down the middle of the shop to measure it out. Just as she got to the five metre line by the anchors, she whacked her elbow on something hard.

“Oof!”

“Ow!”

Sam turned around and came face to face with Taylor.Again. Okay, seriously, this was getting to be some kind of joke. How many times could she run into someone within a twenty-four-hour period? Taylor was looking much more relaxed than this morning, even after just getting jabbed in the back with an elbow. Sam looked down, she was also now sporting a tool belt. Very cool. If only she could rock a tool belt and look half as good. At least she had a toolbox on her boat. That was something, right? Okay, now she was staring. She shook her head.

“Okay, now it’s my turn to apologise; I didnotsee you there.” Sam laughed, trying (and failing) to play it cool as she fumbled with the rope. What was going on with her?

“And here I thought our third time meeting would be a charm.” Taylor flashed her a grin.

“It’s certainly been… something. Beats my usual drudgery at the shop,” Sam smiled back. “So, what brings you back here this time?”

“Well, now I know your shop exists, I thought I’d see if you guys sell silicone here?”

“We sure do. Just down that aisle at the bottom, on the right.”

“Great, thanks.”

Sam finished up with the rope sale and was popping the last few coins in the till when Taylor came up to the counter with an armful of gear.