31

Shane waited until midday Wednesday before he executed a surprise inspection of his father’s store. He’d waited long enough to give Kelli a false sense of security that she was not being watched. By now, her true colors were likely beginning to show. He was going to double-check the receipts for the last few days and find out exactly what was going on.

When he pulled into the parking lot, there were several other cars there, as well. Rather a lot of cars for this time of day. Shane went inside and couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

It had only been four days since he had last been there, but in that time, shelves had been rearranged, the dusty old displays of life-sized Dale Earnhardt cardboard cutouts and such had been removed, and there was a fresh coat of paint on the wall behind the register. The whole front counter had been reorganized and actually looked neat and clean.

He looked toward the register, where Kelli was ringing up Mabel Smith and her passel of grandkids for the afternoon’s Milk Dud fix. “I love what you’ve done with this place,” Mabel was saying. “The kids’ play area over in the corner is genius. Just genius. I’ve told Marion and Bernice about it, too. I expect they’ll be bringing their grandkids in to check it out in the next day or two.”

“Thanks,” Kelli answered. “I thought that would make for a nice convenience for families with small children. I’m glad you think so, too.”

Shane walked over to the play area. He found a little fenced-off corner with a very small slide, a box of stuffed animals, and a kitchen play set, complete with plastic dishes and cookware. He turned back toward the register and saw Kelli smiling at the next customer in line, who was also making some sort of comment about how good the place looked.

After the woman left, he walked over to the front. “Who authorized you to spend the money to do all this?”

“Last I remember, I don’t need to be authorized to spend my own money.”

“By ‘your own money,’ you mean money you took from the store’s earnings.”

“I think I know the difference between my own money and the store’s money, Shane. I said I spent my own money, and that’s what I meant.”

“Are you telling me you paid for this yourself?”

“It wasn’t that much, and yes, that is what I’m saying. Your father has been more than generous to me. I thought I could return the favor.”

“Does he know about all this?”

“No, I was planning for it to be a surprise.”

“What am I supposed to tell him, then?”

“You can tell him that everything here is going just fine. I know he was worried about the motor oil that was on back order, but I talked to them yesterday and it has shipped. You can tell him that.”

Shane looked around again, then back at her. “I have to say, I’m amazed at what you’ve done with the place. You must have Keith putting in a ton of overtime.”

“Not at all. He’s been working extra, of course, like your father asked him to. But he comes in just after lunch and stays until around five. I believe that’s exactly your father’s plan, so you can stop insinuating that I’m busting the budget on unauthorized overtime. I’m not.”

“If Keith isn’t working extra, who is doing all this?”

“The good fairies.” She rolled her eyes. “Now if you don’t mind, I’ve got customers to take care of.”

Shane looked behind him, and there were indeed a couple of teenage boys standing there with sodas in their hands. Shane headed for the door, but not before he heard one of the boys say, “Woo-wee. Kenmore’s fixed this place up in more ways than one. What ya doing after work tonight, pretty woman?” The kid was wearing a John Deere cap over his long stringy hair.

Kelli laughed and made some reply that had both of the boys laughing. They took their change and made their way toward the door. Shane slipped outside and waited for them. “You shouldn’t speak like that to a lady.”

“Speak like what? Last I heard, most girls like to be told they’re pretty.”

“She’s not a girl, she’s a lady, and you should show more respect. Didn’t your parents teach you anything about manners?”

“I didn’t say nothing that was disrespectful, nothing I wouldn’t say to my own sister.” He glanced toward his friend and snickered. “Except I wouldn’t ask my own sister out.”

“Yeah, well, that makes two of us.” They both laughed.

The green-cap kid took a sip of his soda. “Relax. She didn’t get worked up over it, so I don’t know why you are. Maybe it’s just ’cause you haven’t had the nerve to tell her that yourself, huh?”

“Bet you’re right,” his friend said.

“You like her, don’t you? But you’re too much of a coward to say it.” The boys did a fist bump and laughed all the way out to the beat-up red pickup they climbed into. As they pulled away, the one in the cap leaned out the window. “Better hurry up and tell her, ’cause we’ll be back tomorrow.” The sound of laughter followed behind the truck as it pulled away.

Complete idiots, that’s what they were.