Chapter 14

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 “Second Chance Romance”

2012 © All Rights Reserved

Chapter 14

     Jade couldn’t stop the small hitch in her breath at his abrupt overtone.  She knew that Austin was mad at her, but right now, he was being down right rude and that was completely unnecessary.  She couldn't believe that he actually had the audacity to snap at her over one teensie weensie mistake.  

     She freely admitted to not paying attention that her bumping into to him was her own fault and she apologized for it.  His response was to get all crabby over it. 

     Fine, she could give just as good as she got. “I’ll do better than try Mr. Giles; I won’t let it happen again.  Now,” she said, skillfully maneuvering her cart around him, “If you’ll excuse me, I need to get to the counter and pick up my order.”

      A hint of a grin pulled at the corner of Austin's lips.  He reached out and grabbed the side of her cart as she started attempted to skate by him, effectively pulling it to a grinding halt.  “Whoa there Ms. Burning-up-the-aisles; I don’t think so.”   When she glanced back at him with a quizzical expression plastered on her face, he pushed his cart forward.  “I was here first; you are going to have to wait your turn.”

     Jade couldn’t believe what she was hearing, much less seeing.  Whatever happened to ladies first.  Wasn't that supposed to be the southern way of things?  She laid her hands on her hips and stared at his retreating back.  “You have got to be joking?”

     “I don’t see anyone laughing Care Bear, do you?” Austin didn’t bother to stop. Instead, he continued to the end of the aisle and rang the bell on the counter.  In seconds a young man walked out of the back room, appearing to be about high school age.  Immediately the two clasped hands and started to laugh about something that one of them said.

     Jade felt a tic in her jaw start to work.  The fact that he dared to use the nickname that he had given to her in high school wasn’t lost on her.  And now, he just stood there, talking and carrying on like he didn’t have a care in the world.  Well, she told herself, he could carry on all he wanted to after she got her paint. 

     Pushing her cart forward in a determined stride, she stopped only a scant of an inch behind, “Excuse me," she cut in, "Are you two done or what?  I would like to get out of here before the bottom falls out.”  To emphasize her point, a loud boom of thunder rolled off in the distance. 

     Austin straightened up from where he had been hunched over the counter, talking with Christian, one of his students and lazily peered back at her.  She met him eye to eye with an icy gaze that has the possibility to freeze a polar bear’s butt off.  "We'll be done in a minute Jade.  I remember you being rather impatient way back when but don't you think this is a little over the top, even for you?"

     She wanted to slap him. She wanted to slap that smirk right off his face.  Why did he have to make this so difficult?  Her hands gripped the handle bar of the buggy so tight that her knuckle's were showing white.  "As I just mentioned," she started off calmly, "All I want to do is pick up my order and leave before the storm hits.  I really don't think that is being difficult when it looks like you two are playing catch up rather than taking care of business."

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