Page 4 of Evergreen Desires (Wildheart Chronicles #1)
JAKE
I couldn't help but be captivated by Beau's striking appearance.
His tall, muscular frame; brown hair; and piercing green eyes were simply mesmerizing.
The deepest green I have ever seen on a person.
The scruff on his face added an extra touch of ruggedness that made my heart skip a beat.
But I had to refocus. I needed to concentrate on the task at hand.
"No problem, Jake, you can bump into me anytime," Beau said with a smile that made my cheeks flush.
Why was he paying attention to me? I needed to snap out of it and focus on getting some food.
My stomach growled in agreement. It had been a long day at the library, and now I needed sustenance to get me through another cold night in my car.
"I sincerely hope to bump into you again sometime, " Beau added, his gaze fixed on me.
"Thank you," I managed to say, realizing that I hadn't moved since our collision. I took a step back, reminding myself to keep my composure. Sidestepping to let Beau pass, I finally walked into the store .
Once the door closed behind me, I quickly surveyed the store's layout.
No visible cameras, but there were mirrors placed strategically where the ceiling and wall met.
An older man sat at the register to the left of the door.
Shoplifting was far from ideal, but I needed to eat.
It seemed to be my only option at this point, since Declan drained my bank account.
"Welcome in," the cashier said without looking up from his magazine.
"Thanks. Just looking, not sure what or if I'm craving anything," I replied, partially telling the truth. I needed a plausible reason to leave without buying anything, just in case.
"No problem, take your time," the cashier responded, his attention still engrossed in the magazine.
I started walking up and down the aisles, pretending to browse the products while discreetly glancing at the mirrors.
The cashier seemed completely unaware, giving me a small window of opportunity.
I grabbed two beef sticks from the shelf, sliding one into my hoodie pocket while casually holding the other.
Moving along, I repeated the same routine with a king-size Snickers bar.
The cashier barely glanced up, seemingly uninterested.
Continuing my pretense of browsing, I made my way to the cooler and then the ice cream case.
Time was running out, and I knew I had to act.
Taking a deep breath, I spoke loudly enough for anyone in the store to hear, but made it seem like I was talking to myself.
"Shoot, it helps if you have your wallet.
" I retraced my steps to the beef stick shelf, returning the one in my hand, and did the same with the Snickers bar.
"Sorry," I apologized to the cashier as I headed towards the door.
"Wait!" the cashier’s voice boomed, causing me to freeze in my tracks. He jumped up from his stool behind the counter. "I've been here almost 40 years; I know all the tricks." He walked around the counter towards me, and panic surged through my body.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I forgot my wallet!" My heart raced as I desperately tried to come up with an explanation. This wasn't who I was; I wasn't a criminal. The world around me started to fade, and darkness closed in on me.