Eva looked forward to her three hours of work over the next few days, but she sure dreaded seeing Tanner again. Her aenti had put silly notions in her head. Did Tanner really like her?
She’d managed to avoid him for two days now. He’d stayed in the workshop, and he’d made sure Becky went straight home with one of their cousins. He seemed intent on avoiding Eva, too. But Martha seemed to think he cared for Eva.
“I’ll believe that when I see it,” she mumbled as she hurried up the street to the shop. She didn’t want to be late for the afternoon crowd. She’d studied up on beach fashions after finding some fancy magazines on a shelf in Ramona’s private sitting room. Ramona had told her to take what she wanted since she’d already read them. Mamm would frown on that, but Eva considered it research in doing her job better.
She wanted to be the best employee possible, so she’d focus on that and not the handsome man who made her feel both scared and excited. What was wrong with her? She’d never experienced love like most of her friends. They’d walked out with all kinds of boys while she was usually at home sneezing or wheezing. Even now, she had some sniffles but for the most part, she was healthy. Except for her heart. It was changing and rearranging itself into a tizzy. And over a man who growled more than he talked. Was his grief that strong, that deep, so deep that he refused to be happy in life ever again?
Eva wasn’t sure she wanted to fall in love if it made you feel like that. Mamm had chosen to never marry again, and she had not been happy. Now Tanner seemed the same way. Eva didn’t want any part of a grieving man. But she did work for Tanner. Maybe she could ease his mind by doing her job. It would be a start. And she’d offer to help with Becky, to show him he could trust her. She’d ask his permission before she did anything with Becky, of course.
Having decided to take the high road and show Tanner some grace, she entered the cool shop and took a breath. Where was Martha?
Before she could call out, Tanner came through the swinging door with a scowl on his face. Not a gut start.
“Oh, you’re here,” he said. “Martha slipped on a rock and has sprained her left ankle. She has to rest over the weekend. So it’s you and me today, Eva.”
“You and me?” she echoed in a squeaky voice. “But I’ve only worked for a short while, and I haven’t learned everything yet.”
“You sold several items last week, and you rang up those items on the cash register, correct?”
“I did,” she said on a gulp, her gaze hitting on him because his hair was wet, and he smelled like honey from the goat milk soap he kept on hand to wash off the sawdust and grime. “Ja, I did all that but...”
“But you don’t want to work with me?”
“Do you want to work with me?”
Placing his arms across his chest, which only accentuated his broad shoulders and muscled biceps, he said, “I asked you first.”
What could she say to that? And those biceps?
She said, “I don’t want to upset you. Just tell me what to do.”
Dropping his arms down again, he gave her a burly stare. “You know what to do, and you don’t need to fret about me. I only work out here when I have to. If things get busy, just come to the door and call out to me. I’ll help.”
“Okay,” she said. “Let me tidy up the shelves and see if we have any new shipments.”
“Shipments only come on Thursday, so you are okay there.”
She nodded, praying she wouldn’t mess things up. “Anything else?”
“Becky will be here soon. But I have a cousin who’ll meet her here and take her home.”
Eva absorbed his words, her mind racing ahead to what might go wrong. He didn’t want his daughter here with her. “All right. I will call you if I need you.”
He gave her a quick nod, his mind probably on the project he’d left to explain things to her. “I appreciate this, Eva. It happens occasionally, but this week has been unusual.”
“I guess I’ll have my feet to the fire,” she replied, smiling. Shaking inside.
“Ja, but you seem to take things in stride.” He looked away and then back at her. “I’m sorry about the other day. I get cranky when I’m working, and I stay cranky a lot. Becky pointed that out to me. She was afraid she’d made me that way, that she’s the one at fault.”
“Oh, how could that sweetheart even think such a thing?”
His eyes went soft after hearing Eva’s words. He had pretty eyes when they weren’t all crunched in a frown. “She’s never voiced it before, but I believe she thinks I’m mad at her. I don’t want her to ever think that. And I’m not mad at you. It’s just that—”
“I have interrupted your life?”
He grinned. “Neh, you have been a refreshing addition to our little world. I need to be thankful for that.”
Eva blinked and lifted her head. “You’re thankful...for me?”
He stood there a moment, as if he’d realized what he’d just admitted. “Ja, I am.” He pivoted and left in a hurry. “Call if you need me.”
He was grateful. That was all. Aenti had been wrong. Eva felt relief all mixed up with disappointment.
“I reckon thankful is a gut thing,” she murmured as she dusted shelves and straightened clothes.
She could do this. She had a stool to sit on if she needed it, and water and some crackers to nibble if she got hungry. Martha had assured her that was all right to do. And she had caught on to things all week by shadowing Martha. The routine was a steady stream of tourists and locals, so she had to be prepared to get busy sometimes. She’d make sure nothing went wrong. So Tanner would continue being thankful to have her as an employee.
Everything was going wrong.
Eva glanced up at the line of tourists waiting to check out. A rush of teen girls had entered, giggling and whispering as they touched the clothes in the Amish section of the store.
“May I help you?” she’d asked a young woman wearing a crocheted cover-up over a very skimpy bathing suit.
“I don’t think so,” the teen had said loudly. Her friends giggled at that, their eyes hidden by dark sunglasses.
Eva nodded and stood watching them. They finally moved to the souvenirs but kept whispering. When their boyfriends came in, the girls whispered to their tanned, handsome friends.
They all glanced at Eva.
“I need a new pair of swim trunks,” one of the boys called. Eva blushed and headed toward the swimwear section. “Right here. You can pick a size and we have a dressing room if you need it.”
“I might.” He chuckled. “Since you’ve probably never seen people like us much, huh? Wouldn’t want to upset your stoic beliefs.”
Eva wouldn’t take the bait. “I see all kinds of people every day. Especially here.”
They all laughed at that, while another customer stood waiting at the cash register. Then another one appeared.
“I must go and help these people,” she explained. “I hope you find something you like.”
Again, chuckles and snorts. Eva’s skin burned and she wished she could hide in a closet. But she’d promised Tanner she could handle this. And she would.
Now she was struggling with ringing up merchandise and keeping her eyes on the group of six trying to vex her with all their might. Martha had warned her about shoplifters, so she had to be aware of that possibility, too.
Lord, give me strength, she prayed.
“I think you’ve overcharged me,” the petite woman waiting for a bag of seashells said. “I thought these were on sale.”
Eva’s backbone burned with sweat. Heat seemed to sear down her face and neck. “Of course. I’ll need to ring this up again and void the first receipt.”
The woman nodded and let out a sigh. “You need help here.”
“I’m sorry,” Eva replied, hoping she didn’t burst into tears. She glanced at the swinging door, but she had no time to even ask for help. “Just let me get this corrected for you.”
She fixed the receipt, but she didn’t know how to void the first one. The woman paid cash, so she’d ask Tanner later how to clear the register.
The man behind the woman had two little kids with him. “Can you hurry? We’d like to get to the beach before the sun goes down.”
“Ja,” Eva said, taking the plastic sand buckets and shovels from the man. One fell down and clattered to the floor behind the register. “I’m so sorry.”
Eva bent to pick it up and hit her head on the open cash register. A white-hot heat coursed from the pain in her head to her skin. She blinked to hide the pain and her burning eyes. She had to get things together.
The teenager who’d wanted to try on swim trunks called out, “Hey, girl, you don’t have my size. Can you check in the back?”
More whispers and smirks.
“As soon as I’m finished here,” she called out.
“I need you to do this now,” the young man said, his voice rising. “We’ve been here for a while now. Hurry up.”
Eva ignored him as she focused on ringing up the customer in front of her.
“So you don’t know much English since you don’t seem to understand me,” the teenager shouted.
The man she’d just helped rolled his eyes. “She’s busy, buddy. Back off.”
“You stay out of this,” the teen called.
Eva stood frozen as the two men shouted back and forth. Afraid they’d have a fight in front of the children, she came around the cash register and shouted. “Enough. I’ll find your size after I’m finished here. Please.”
She motioned to the frightened little boy and girl. “Please try to be patient in front of the kinder.”
“This store needs someone who can understand how things work,” the teen said, stepping toward her. “And what’s a kinder anyway?”
Eva braced herself for more harsh words.
The young man shoved several pairs of swimming trunks into her arms. “I’ve changed my mind.”
Before Eva could grab the clothing, some of the trunks fell to the floor.
“Are you that incompetent?” the boy asked, his eyes dark with anger. “Really?”
The swinging door burst open, and Tanner came hurrying up the aisle. “What’s your problem, son?”
The question came out in a low voice. But everyone heard it. The store went quiet. The older man with the children nodded and pushed them toward the front. “Thank you,” he called out.
The teens stood there, smirking, disdain clear in their expressions. The girls huddled like wilting flowers while their boyfriends got fumed like fighting bulls.
“I asked a question,” Tanner said. “How can we help you?”
“You need better service,” the teenager said, but he’d lost the bravado he’d had earlier.
“And you need to learn some manners,” Tanner replied. “How can I help you?”
“Never mind,” the guy said, clearly confused and afraid now. “I’ll find some new trunks in another store.”
“Gut,” Tanner replied. “I’m sorry we have nothing to offer you, but if you ever do come back, remember this. I expect you to be respectful of my staff. We work hard here, and we try to serve everyone. In return, we only ask that you respect us and our way of living. And I expect anyone talking to my staff to treat them with courtesy, even if there is a problem. We aim to please everyone, understand?”
“Whatever, man.” The kid motioned and his followers fell in step behind him, the door chimes announcing their departure with what sounded like its own giggle.
Eva watched them leave then turned to Tanner, her breath coming in a rush. “I’m sorry.”
Tanner frowned at her. “Are you all right? Did they upset you?”
Eva tried to speak, tried to swallow away the shame and pain, but she knew she wouldn’t be able to say much. Grabbing at her throat, she said, “I need some air. I... I can’t breathe.”
Tanner grabbed her and rushed her out the back. “Go sit on the bench out back.”
“The store,” she managed, “not locked.”
“I’ll fix that. Sit and don’t move. I’ll hurry back.”
She nodded and stumbled to the wooden picnic table. Neh, not now. Not now. She hadn’t had a panic attack like this is such a long time.
Why now?
And why did it have to happen in front of Tanner?