Temporary Beach

Chapter Five

Since I wouldn't have any training today, I didn't have to be at work by 7:00 am, which meant I could get up much later than 6:15. Actually, only about 45 minutes later, since I had to shower in the morning. 

Once I'd finished my shower, and everything else that I needed to do, in order to look presentable, it was only 7:50 am. I'm not much of a breakfast person, so I had time to walk to work today, especially considering it wasn't a far walk. By the time my ten minute trip was over, I arrived at work right at 8:00, aka, perfectly on time, just like yesterday. 

I still matched the color scheme of the expected work attire, except today, I wore a blue tank-top, rather than the shade of pink I wore yesterday. I don't even remember packing it, but I had to dig to the bottom of one of my, still unpacked, suitcases to find it. The door was already unlocked, since Jace always got there earlier to open up. 

Jace heard the high pitched chime of the bell above to door, and I was met with one of his warm, infectious smiles. "Good morning," he sang in an enthusiastic manner - almost as if I was his favorite celebrity that he was just so enraptured to meet. "Well someone's chipper today," I said as I tried my best to mimic the voice of a Disney princess, just to mock him in a teasing manner.

"Only because I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, which reminded me how attractive I am," he confidently stated as he sent a wink in my direction. I laughed and shook my head at his actions. "I'm just messing. It's actually because I'm so excited to see my favorite employee."

"This is quite literally my second day working here, Jace," I tied the apron around my body as I made my remark, with a grin, of course. "Yes, but, sales have majorly increased since you've been here. Pretty sure you're a CEO now," clearly, his sentence came from a state of sarcasm - but, I decided to go along with it. 

"So, if I'm the CEO, does that mean I get to fire you?"

"Well, I guess you could, but why would you fire your employee that you get to gawk over all day, without it seeming too odd?"

"Someone's chipper and apparently overconfident today." He clicked his tongue to the roof of his mouth at my jokingly snarky reply. Without missing a beat, he responded, "if someone got to wake up everyday and look like me or you, they'd have a right to be overconfident, babe."

I could tell he was joking by his purposely awkward wink, and the grin he had plastered on his face. Still, I couldn't help but feel a few butterflies in my stomach. Granted, he was just messing around, but even having someone playfully flirt with me, was exhilarating, to say the least. "So," he began.

"You wanna place bets on how many customers will come in today at noon?"

"Jace, I doubt either of us will be able to guess the exact number."

"Maddi, let me finish," he said in the same tone as a way to playfully mock me. "Whoever guesses the closest amount without going over, wins."

"What do they win?" He thought for a moment. "Well, whoever wins, gets a kiss from the opponent," he said as he obnoxiously puckered his lips and wiggled his brows in a suggestive way, before erupting into a fit of laughter. 

"Actually though, I don't know. You got any ideas?" Now it was my turn to think - I can almost hear Emily now, saying, "oh my God, you actually think? Like, actual thoughts?" Which, of course, would lead to me making fun of her poor choice in men.

"Okay," I began. "If I win, you have to drive me back to my apartment again." 

"I was planning on doing that anyway." I'm not sure why, but I couldn't help but blush. It was nothing more than a sweet gesture to show that he was cautious of my safety, but it still made my cheeks look more sunburnt than they already were.