Convenient Love
by Asrai Devin
Copyright 2010 Asrai Devin
Second Chance Romance (Free) Book One Up in Flames Series
Summer Fling - Book Two Up in Flames Series
Complications Over Coffee - Book Three Up in Flames Series
Colours of the Rain short story
Seven, nearly eight, years was a long time to be in love with someone, Penny Rogers thought. She quickly put her attention back on the books in front of her.
"Whatcha studying tonight?" Shawn asked. His movements were effortless as he slid into the chair next to her.
"The same thing I study every night." She looked at him through her lashes, hoping that her emotions didn't show. "Accounting. I'm only taking a few classes."
The bell above the door jingled as it opened. Shawn moved to the counter. "Hi Mrs. Richards. Can I help you with anything?" She came every night for a bag of chips and a soda.
"No, thank you Shawn Moore. And don't try to be charming."
"I wouldn't dare waste it on you, Mrs. Richards." He turned and winked at Penny.
Penny shook her head and pretended to be peering at her notes.
"Do you get any work done here Missy?" Selma Richards asked.
"It is harder on Saturday nights than during the day," Penny replied, lifting her head from her books. "Shawn is kind enough to take the bulk of the work, while I slack off."
"You should be doing something more fun. Both of you."
"This keeps me out of trouble," Shawn said.
Penny gestured at her papers. "And this will let me run a business someday."
"You're daddy surely plans to let you take over the store."
"Maybe. I think Shawn should take over."
"Well, don't work too hard. I always tell Tom when I get home that I worry you work too hard."
"Have a good night Mrs. Richards," Penny replied. Shawn echoed her words and Selma left the store. Much to Penny's relief.
"Don't you want to stay here til your dad retires and run the store?"
Penny made a face at him. "I want to run a business. Something more than a convenience store in a one-horse town."
"Penny it's the new millennium, there are no horses in this town."
"What do you want then?" she raised her eyebrows. She had asked him about his dreams before. Many times. She never received an answer.
"For you to get back to work. Otherwise you'll be whining by closing time that I talked your ear off and you never got any homework done." He pushed a book closer to her as he sat.
She wanted to press the issue. But she let it drop. She didn't want to upset Shawn. He was also correct; she had to get some of this done tonight.
If only it weren't so boring. She turned the page, poised her pen in her hand to make notes while she read.
Within minutes another customer came in. Shawn stood to assist, while telling her to stay seated; he'd let her know if he needed her.
Penny took the opportunity to watch him. As he moved and interacted with customers and her, she felt a familiar tightness in her chest. The tightness created the urge to go to him and confess or put her arms around him.
She fell into the familiar daydream. Closing time would come after a nice night of being together. He would have the days count done. She would have the store cleaned. They would be in the back and Shawn would turn to her. Or there would be one of those romance novel awkward moments, and they'd be inches apart And he would kiss her. Or tell her how he'd longed for her for ages, but he feared telling her.
She enjoyed the kissing daydreams more. If he caught her in the middle of one, her reaction was far more telling. Then he would tease her until she made-up a reason for it. Usually that she was thinking about a guy from one of her classes or that she'd seen around campus. Easy excuses. Ones she could claim to follow-up on but never actually do.
"Hey dreamy." He waved his hand in front of her face.
She slapped it away. The spark at the contact only occurred in her mind. "You broke my concentration."
"I interrupted your daydream you mean."
"I was thinking about liabilities."
"You were thinking about that guy. What's his name." He waved a hand.
A prickly feeling crept up her neck. She hoped that Shawn couldn't see it. Before she could protest, he laughed. "You're blushing. Now I know where your mind is."
Penny stood. "It's the heat in here. Do you want a drink?"
"No, thanks. I need my full paycheck." To pay the rent for the run-down house that he shared with his mother. Food, bills. Life.
She thought about offering to pay. Pride. She shrugged and opened the cream soda.
"The heat reminds me of the summer I started working here."
"It's almost been eight years hasn't it?" Penny leaned against the front counter. Did she look casual enough?
"Almost. You were a kid full of dreams. Short when I started. You stretched out that summer. Now here we are. You're going to college and leave this town. And I'm doing the same damn job for the same crappy pay."
"Hey, this place wouldn't run without you. Dad relies on you." She paused for a drink. "We all rely on you." She had no desire to do all the shit that Shawn did. Ordering, count-out, some scheduling, banking, maintenance.
"Yeah, great. That's what legacies are made of." He coughed. "I need more legacies in this town."
Pain flashed across his eyes. Penny held herself back. She wanted to touch him, to comfort him.
"To hell with what this town thinks. I know that you are a great person."
"Thanks darling." They shared a smile. And Penny felt herself melting. If she were sitting in his lap, she could melt into him.
The prickles crept back in. Fuck. She put the lid back on the pop. "Okay, while reminiscing is fun, I'm not getting any work done."
"All right. I'll stop replying to you for the next twenty minutes. Actually, I'll go and stock something."
"Just sit. It's Saturday night and you are stuck here with me."
"Nowhere else I'd rather be," he said.
"You're so full of shit your eyes are brown."
"My eyes are blue."
"Better go check a mirror."
"Get to work."
Penny nodded and bent her head.
Doug Rogers, Penny's father, leaned back in his chair. He looked at his daughter. "I'm sorry Penny. You won't be able to study full-time next semester. You'll have to change your schedule for a couple of evening classes like you've done for the past year."
"Dad, that's not-"
"NO it's not fair. But your Grandmother getting sick isn't fair either. I need you here. I need you to take your mother's shifts while she takes care of Gran."
"Dad-"
"It's not a discussion Penny." Doug looked at her for a long moment. "I'm really sorry." He turned away from her then, ending the conversation.
Penny controlled herself as she left the office. She conceded to slamming the door behind her. It wasn't fair that she had to put her life on hold for someone else. For everyone else.
A face flashed before her as she leaned against the side of the store. Shawn. He sacrificed his life to care for his mother. And he never felt sorry for himself and he rarely complained of the burden.
One more reason to love him. Something they had in common.
Shawn watching television. A fan in front of a pail of ice water made a poor man's air conditioner. A knock on the front door interrupted his self-pity.
His mother was playing cards with the old people. She wasn't an old person yet, but since she couldn't work, she was invited to play.
He opened the door, expecting one of the guys from the garage to be there. Maybe a case of cold beer in hand. "Y
o. What the he-" Penny stood there. She looked vulnerable. And beautiful. It hit him hard in the chest.
"Sorry," she said, stepping back. "I shouldn't bother you at home on your day off."
He scratched the back of his head. He hadn't showered or even shaved. He was shirtless and sweaty. He wasn't fit to breathe the same air as her, but she had come here. "No," he said, too loud. "Sorry. Please come in. Just let me get a shirt." He held the door open to her.
She stepped inside and closed it behind her. "It's ten degrees warmer in here. Don't put on a shirt. It's not the first time I've seen you shirtless. We have been swimming together."
"Sit down. Do you want an ice tea or something?" The only other choice was beer. Or water. That was an option. Iced tea was his mother's choice.
He watched her sit on the edge of the sofa. The furniture was faded but clean. This was the first time she'd ever been in his living room. Eight years and she'd never been to his house. He'd managed to keep her at bay that long.
"No thank-you." She stared at her hands in her lap