The Art of Love by Quint Emm Ellis

Author:Quint Emm Ellis [Quint Emm Ellis]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Quint Emm Ellis
Published: 2022-09-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 4

Between her full-time job and her brief part-time gig, the remainder of the week became a blur for Everleigh.

“I must really love my parents,” she lamented while sweeping up the store room’s floor.

The afternoon sun poured through the large windows lining the wall of the store front; illuminating the patrons who were on their way to other stores in the outdoor mall.

Everleigh straightened, placing her hands on her waist to aid her stretch. Relaxing, she gifted herself with a few moments of people watching before rolling back her shoulders and completing her task.

She made her way to the trashcan to dump her final load of dust.

“Oof!” Everleigh’s body jerked at the impact from behind her, the dustpan toppling from her hand, undoing the work she’d completed.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, Beverly!” came Andrea’s startled cry as Everleigh turned to face the young woman, exasperation causing Everleighs brows to furrow.

Andrea backed up with wide eyes and mop in hand.

Everleigh sighed. Andrea had been uncannily clumsy and forgetful since the day of their reunion.

“No problem, Andy,” Everleigh responded.

Everleigh watched Andrea’s expression morph into a pout. Not surprising, since Everleigh had overheard from her young co-workers that Andrea hated that nickname.

“By the way, my name is Everleigh,” she continued, pointedly enunciating each syllable. “Do you need help with the pronunciation?”

The young woman’s expression darkened, her jaw setting as she shook her head.

“If you do,” she heard a voice behind her chime in, “Let me know…Andy.”

Both women turned to face Collin who came to stand by Everleigh’s side, though still at a noticeable distance.

Blinking, Andrea nodded, though not without the watery sheen that covered her eyes becoming apparent. With more maturity than Everleigh would have given her credit for, Andrea walked to the wall where she carefully leaned the mop. Walking by the two, she strode to the backroom without a backward glance. In the distance, Everleigh heard the bathroom door slam shut.

Collin continued gazing in that direction. “I don’t know what’s gotten into her this week.” He’d noted the increase in mistakes on Andrea’s behalf; but only when it concerned Everleigh.

“I have an idea,” Everleigh offered.

Collin turned his attention to Everleigh. He felt awkward, knowing that the distance he’d kept between them these past few days was warranted. But he also wondered if Everleigh had noticed anything amiss.

In a lowered tone, she continued. “She has a crush on you, Collin.”

Confusion clouded his expression. “Really?” He looked back at the backroom’s open door. Turning back to Everleigh, “But what does that have to do with her behavior?”

She hesitated to tell him; to reveal her guess that, for some reason, Andrea saw Everleigh as a threat. To confess such a thought would mean that Collin would be obliged to dismiss the idea. And Everleigh just wasn’t in the mood to face that reality—to have no choice but to smother the feelings she knew was one-sided.

He shook his head. “She’s an intelligent girl; I’m sure she knows that I’m too old for her.”

“Intelligence has nothing to do with matters of the heart,” Everleigh breathed, bending to pick up the fallen dustpan.

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