Page 5 of The Disasters of Dating (Love Connections #6)

I look at my phone as the lady heads out of the store. Twenty minutes more and Kendra comes to relieve me for my dinner break. Then only four more hours and I can go home and go to bed—ending this colossally sucktastic day.

Kendra saunters into the shop and smiles. “Hey, Pops. How’s it going?” She moves next to me as I finish restocking the nut packages. I like Kendra. While we don’t know each other much more than Sheila and I do, Kendra is at least nice. And she doesn’t rain on my crystal and horoscope parade.

I look over my shoulder and smile back at her.

She is also always happy. Which is what people usually say about me.

Except for today. I think people are trying to stay far enough away that they don’t catch my bad juju.

Tauruses had a good horoscope today. Why couldn’t I have been born in May?

“It’s been a rocky day, but tomorrow will be better, I’m sure. ”

I move over behind the checkout counter and flip off the essential oil diffuser that I have going (also not officially authorized).

While Kendra isn’t super uptight about the oils like Sheila is, she has a sensitive nose, and some smells get to her.

I sometimes wonder why she applied to work in the airport because it has all the smells. And not in a good way.

She gives me a commiserating smile. “Oh, I’m sorry.” She looks around. “It can’t be that bad, right?”

I tip my head slightly and give her a bland look. “Yes, it actually can.” I look at my phone. “If you have a minute after I get back, we can talk about it.”

She nods and smiles. “Oh, yeah. I’d like that. I haven’t talked to you in forever. But I shouldn’t make you late for your break.” She glances at Keaton’s luggage behind the counter. “What is this?”

“Oh…” I start. “It’s part of the long story. The short version is that I said a guy could keep his stuff here while we went to dinner.”

Kendra’s brows shoot up. “You have a dinner date with a traveler? Doesn’t that go against your policy?”

“Yes, yes, it does. But there are extenuating circumstances.” I justify to Kendra. And only Kendra.

Kendra puts her elbows on the counter and drops her chin into her palms. “Oh, now I really have to hear this.”

I roll my eyes. “It’s part of the long story. I’ll fill you in when I get back, okay?”

She releases a heavy sigh and stands back up. “I can hardly wait.”

I grab my bag from under the counter and sling it over my shoulder.

A crash sounds, and my legs are suddenly wet.

I look down to see my diffuser lying in pieces on the floor.

Well, crappyola. The only upside is that this was my plastic one, so at least it isn’t shattered…

at least not externally. I can’t vouch for the mechanics inside.

I sigh and shake my head. When the universe is out to get you, it means business. Scooping up all the pieces, I deposit them on the counter. I’ll deal with reassembly when I get back. “I’m going to dinner…unless I’m run over by a shuttle cart. And with the day I’m having, it’s totally feasible.”

Kendra smiles. “Come on, Poppy. What’s up with you? You are usually such a look-on-the-bright-side kind of person.”

I roll my shoulders. “I know. It’s just been one of those kinds of days.

I need a reset.” Maybe I should do a hot yoga session after work.

I frown. There are no studios open at midnight when I get off.

And my mom will not be happy if I turn up the heat in the house.

I mean, it’s August. Maybe I can do yoga outside?

Kendra motions me out of the shop. “Maybe you’ll get it at dinner. Now shoo.”

“That’s unlikely.” I open my phone screen and find Keaton’s number. I wave at Kendra over my head as I type out a text.

Hey, I’m ready. Do you want me to meet you at the restaurant?

I stand against the wall next to The Wandering Reader and stare down at my phone. I probably should have texted him as soon as Kendra walked into the shop. Then I wouldn’t be standing here wasting my limited dinner break waiting to hear from him.

“No, I think we can walk together. If that’s okay with you.”

I turn and see Keaton standing just behind me, his hands shoved in his jeans pockets.

Wow. I don’t know if it’s that particular stance or if my brain has just had a moment to chill, but he looks good.

Too good. Suspiciously good? I take a step to the side—for safety reasons.

“What are you in the mood for?” I ask, trying not to stare at him.

I don’t need him thinking I’m the creepy one here.

“I’m pretty easygoing.” He looks me up and down. “Do you have any food restrictions?”

I eye him. What does that mean? Is he asking about food allergies, or does he think I belong to a restrictive religion? “No. I can eat most anything.”

He nods and smiles. “Oh, good. I wasn’t sure if you were a vegan or something.”

I pinch my lips tightly. Why does everyone think that if you dress like this, wear crystals, and follow horoscopes then you must be a vegan?

I don’t have a problem with vegans. I’m just not one of them.

I look down and wiggle my toes in my leather Birkenstocks.

“Nope. Not a vegan. I eat meats of all kinds. Preferably smothered in sauces and with good bread. ”

He laughs. “Point taken. I should not have assumed things.” He motions over his shoulder. “What is your stance on seafood? I saw a place down there that looked pretty good.”

I knew the restaurant he was thinking about immediately.

“The Crab Market? It’s a good restaurant.

” And expensive . “We can go there, if you want.” Did I sound too enthusiastic?

I hadn’t planned on buying him Crab Market priced food when I invited him as an apology.

I’d been thinking more along the lines of a burger.

Granted, it would be an expensive burger.

After all, we are at the airport. But Crab Market?

He glances into the shop. “I should probably grab my stuff.”

I nod. “Oh, yeah, you may want to grab them. The restaurant is closer to the exit. So if you don’t want to walk all the way back here after dinner, now might be the time to get them.”

He looks at me, and I can see he is weighing his options. “Will that lady mind if I leave them?”

I shake my head. “No, she’s fine with it. They aren’t in the way or anything.” He is rather trusting. I’m not sure if I would leave my stuff with me. Let alone Kendra, who is a complete stranger. I let out a quiet snort. I act as if I’m not a stranger, too.

He nods. “Okay. Then I’ll grab them after dinner.”

We walk toward the restaurant in silence. Finally, I glance over at him. “What did you do while you were waiting?”

His hands are still in his pockets. “I walked around. The airport is a great place to people watch.”

I grin, feeling more at ease. “Right? It’s one of the things I love about working here.

I try to imagine all the places people are flying to and what they will do when they get there.

” I can hear the wistfulness in my voice.

I work at the airport, but that doesn’t mean I ever go anywhere.

People look at me differently when they find out I’ve never even been on a plane—or at least not that I remember.

We went to Alaska a couple of times to visit my dad’s family when I was young, but I have no recollection of the flights.

He glances over at me. “Do you travel a lot?”

I lift my hand to my amethyst necklace. “No. I don’t have much time to travel right now. Between work and school, I’m pretty booked up.”

“You’re in school? What’s your major?” Why does he sound so surprised? Was he expecting a barely educated vegan?

I brace myself for his response. I’ve had more than a few people laugh outright when I tell them. “Business.”

He looks at me and smiles.

I wait for the comment about me not being smart enough for that kind of degree. Because apparently, if you choose to wear flowy skirts—they are very comfortable—and make your own blends of essential oils, people think I must be majoring in basket weaving or Tarot card reading or something.

“Yeah? That’s great.” He looks straight ahead. “I just graduated with an MBA last semester.”

I pause. There has to be a but in there somewhere, right? But you’re only getting a bachelor’s degree. But his grades were surely better. But it was from a better school.

However, it doesn’t come. Instead, he asks a question. “What are you hoping to do with your degree?”

I can’t answer immediately. I’m still trying to process that he hasn’t completely dismissed me. Sometimes I feel like even some of my family members don’t take me seriously. But I won’t mention any names... “I want to own a chain of airport newsstands.”

He turns, and his lips quirk up. “Really? I’ve never thought about that being a thing. But I guess it is.” He looks pensive for a moment. “So they would have to be located in different states, right?”

I nod. “Ultimately, yes. I mean, there is the possibility of having two or more in bigger airports. You know, in different terminals.”

He nods. “Oh yeah. I guess that’s possible.”

I nod, too. We probably look like a couple of bobble heads walking through the airport.

“What made you focus on airport shops?” He asks.

I look around and lean toward him, lowering my voice. “There’s a higher than normal markup on the goods.”

He gives me a deadpan look. “No. You don’t say.”

I tip my head to the side. “Yes, I do say. You make more money for the items than you would in a store outside of the airport. The storefront rental is higher, but even with that, you still make more in a shop here.”

His brow creases as we come to a stop at the hostess desk of the restaurant. “Sounds like you’ve done a lot of research on this.”

I nod. “Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do when looking into opening a business?”

He grunts out a laugh. “You’d be surprised how many people don’t.”

The hostess grabs the menus and leads us back to a table.

I open the menu and bite my lip. I knew this was going to be expensive.

It’s not like this will mean eating Ramen for a month.

I mean, I live at home with my mom. But still, I don’t usually spend this much money on food.

I have tuition to pay. Maybe I can get away with ordering soup?

It’s not like I can penny pinch when I almost got the guy arrested.

“So, what looks good?” I say, trying to hide the uptick in my pitch.

He scans the menu. “Should we start off with some iced shrimp or a shrimp cocktail?”

We’re having appetizers? I reach for my amethyst. This is going to set me back more than I thought. “Sounds delicious,” I say through a tight smile.

“And then I think I might try the Ahi tuna.”

I swallow. The tuna on its own is over forty bucks.

Holy crap! Soup has now become my only option, and there is only one kind listed.

Man, I wish I liked clams. It’s the only thing under ten dollars, and even then, it doesn’t come with bread.

Why would a person ever eat soup without bread?

That’s, like, crazy talk. “I’ve never had the Ahi.

But I’m sure it’s great. Everything here is delicious.

” Except for the clam chowder...and anything else with clams. Do I splurge and spend the extra four dollars and just get the halibut burger?

At least I would enjoy it. And when you spend that much money on food, you should enjoy it, right? “I think I’ll get the halibut burger.”

He nods. “Oh, that does look good. I love halibut.”

I perk up. Maybe he’ll change his mind and go the cheaper route.

“You convinced me.” He smiles over the top of his menu. “I’m going to get the crab-stuffed halibut.”

My stomach drops to my toes when I see the price. Fifty-two dollars. I have no words.