“I’m so sorry, Randall,” Tonya says from behind me. “I didn’t know there was something on top of the stack.”
“This is why Reaf should have gotten the stuff for your shelf,” Amelia mock whispers. She’s purposefully being loud, and I can’t stop the grin from creeping onto my lips. “You probably should have also grabbed the top board. Then you would have seen the screws.”
“Shut up,Melly.” She sticks her tongue out at her cousin. Melly? The tinge of pink gracing Amelia’s cheeks tells me she doesn’t like it.
“Would you stop calling me that?” Amelia hisses.
I think I need to stop this argument before they start wrestling in the middle of the aisle. Though, I doubt they still do that. I don’t want to take any chances. Standing up, I hold out my hand. “Where’s the list Reaf sent you? I can pull whatever you need.”
She places the phone in my hand. “Here you go.”
Glancing over the list, I shake my head. “This isn’t even the right type of wood, Tonya.”
She shrugs, not at all embarrassed. “How was I supposed to know? I looked at the sizes and they matched. What else is there to know?”
“A lot,” I laugh. “This isn’t even the section you want. The boards he wants to use are in the shelving area.”
She twirls her finger in the air. “Lead the way, Captain Know It All.”
“It’s kind of my job to know these things.” Amelia is standing off to the side now. She’s looking at me, but trying to make it look like she’s not. It’s adorable. I stick out my hand in her direction after handing Tonya her phone. “I’m not sure if you remember me, I’m Randall.”
“I remember you,” she squeaks. She clears her throat and shoves her hands in the back pockets of her shorts. “We used to get into all sorts of trouble when we were kids. How have you been?”
“Okay, I guess.” Her asking how I’ve been wasn’t what I expected. Hell, I can’t believe she actually remembers me. “Nothing exciting. Work, work, and oh, more work. How have you been?”
“I’m okay, right now.” Amelia’s shoulders hitch up the slightest bit, trying to downplay the last part of her answer. I know that feeling. We find our happiness in moments of “right now.”
Tonya claps her hands together. “Should we go find the shelving?” She eyes me as I turn toward her. Her glare is never a good thing. I used to laugh when she would direct it toward Jake. I’m not laughing now. That look is scary, and I can only imagine what she might have to say to me.
“Yeah, they are a few aisles down.” The walk to the correct area is quiet. Conversations of other customers float through the air, but do nothing to calm my racing heart. Amelia remembers me. And she’shere. I only need to find out for how long. Is it another short visit or is she living here? Obviously, I can’t ask her because it’d be weird. Looks like I need to give Jake a call. Or, maybe Marshall. He wouldn’t judge me for asking. Jake would ask me a million questions and let my interest slip the next time he talks to Tonya. I’m definitely talking to Marshall.
The shelves are on the bottom of the rack. Dusty from sitting for so long. “Here they are. We have them in a few different colors,” I point to the three stacks. “Do you have a preference?”
She’s still staring at me with pinched brows. “I like the black ones. We also need brackets.” She turns toward Amelia, “Can you go grab those? I saw them one or two aisles over.”
“I guess,” Amelia answers. “How many do I need to get?”
Before Tonya has a chance to look at her phone, I answer. “I would get at least twenty. If that’s too many, y’all can always bring them back.”
“Okay,” she drawls. “I guess I’ll be right back.”
The second Amelia leaves the aisle, Tonya turns on me. “What game are you trying to play?”
“What?” My head snaps back, surprised at her question.
“With my cousin,” her arms cross against her chest. “Why do you have that spark in your eye? Like you want to get to know her better?”
Shit, she knows. What do I even say to that? “I’m not sure what you mean. We all grew up together as kids. It was just a friendly conversation.”
“You are so full of crap. You can’t hide the way you’ve been looking at her.” Her voice rises, and she reins it into an angry whisper. “I’m not trying to be a bitch. Amelia has had a shitty few months. I will not let you damage her even more. Not after the bullshit she’s gone through.”
“Don’t pretend to know a damn thing about me, Tonya.” I’m seething. “You haven’t seen the shit I go through on a daily basis. All you see is the asshole facade I put on when I’m around everyone else.”
She winces. “Look, I’m just trying to look out for my cousin.”
Amelia rounds the corner. Arms full of brackets that are about to fall and confusion all over her face.
“Is that all you need?” I ask, bluntly.