A Few Days Later…
She grabbed a handful of meat and set it on the tray, looking out. It’d finally slowed down, and she was trying to get caught up. She hated when they got hit and then everyone suddenly disappeared after and she had to refill wafer all by herself and wait on customers. Turning back to the slicer, she took the remainder of the meat off and turn the slicer off. After placing the meat on the long tray, she picked it up and walked it over to the case, slipping it inside, grabbing another tray to fill.
“Hey V!”
Veronica turned to look behind her, her heart dropping. “Hey James.”
He walked by, giving her a wink, his cologne lingering lightly in the air as he headed into the kitchen to look for Shelly.
She had to ask him, she told Nick she would, she had to try anyway. Veronica walked over, grabbing a piece of meat and putting it on the slicer, taking the other one off. Casual, she could be casual. Turning the slicer on, she leaned against the counter. Being casual isn’t something you practice, something you try, it should be natural, at least that’s what she thought. It had to be a convincing casual, it had to be…
“Ooh, watch out…”
Veronica whirled around just in time to see James grab the meat that was now piled to the top of the blade of the slider, and set it on the tray. Perfect. Maybe it was a sign that she wasn’t supposed to ask him.
“Sorry, was…distracted.”
“No problem, I do it all the time,” James smiled, throwing the thin sheet of deli paper out and grabbing some gloves and headed over to look at wafer. He grabbed a tray and brought it over to the cheese slicer.
Veronica quickly finished the tray she was filling and slid it back in. Clearing her throat, she grabbed the rag from out of the sanitizer bucket and proceeded to start to clean the slicers down. She finished one and then made her way down to the slicer closest to James, slowly cleaning it.
She could do this, she could just ask him. Lifting her head, she looked around to make sure no one was around to hear when he turned her down, she was sure he was going to.
“So James, what’s been up? Whatcha been up to lately?”
“Not much, just school ya know? So much damn homework, it’s been hell trying to keep up with it,” he replied, slicing vigorously, setting the cheese on the tray.
“Are you having a hard time in your classes?”
“Not really, it’s just trying to prioritize and make sure everything’s done.”
“Yeah, I remember that.”
“You gonna go back to school?”
“Eventually, I just wanted to take some time off for a while.”
“Yeah, I do too eventually, maybe after I get my liberal arts degree.”
“That’s what I did.”
James nodded, continuing to slice.
Veronica looked around again, the cost was still clear, she had to act fast. She turned her attention back on the slicer once more.
“So, what do you have planned for after work? Anything?”
“Well I’m only working five and a half hours, so I’m most likely gonna go home and just relax. I’m all caught up on homework for now, so…”
“Oh…”
You can do this Veronica…you can! Just remember what Nick said, no big deal, be casual.
She took a deep breath, “Well hey, since you’re not gonna be doing anything and neither am I, wanna go and I dunno, catch a movie or something?” Veronica felt him still behind her, the slicer stopped moving and she felt her heart drop again. Turning she found that he was staring at her, a slow smile spreading over his lips.
“Sure!”
Veronica stared at him for a few seconds, “Huh?”
“I said sure, sounds like fun.”
“Really?”
Yes, he’d said yes! She couldn’t believe it.
He chuckled, “Yeah, did you have a certain movie you wanted to see?”
She hadn’t thought that far ahead, she didn’t even consider him saying yes as an option.
“N-no I…I mean I figured we could just see when we got there.”
“Sounds good. Ummm, what time? I can pick you up if ya want.”
“You don’t have to do all that; I can just meet you there.”
“Are you sure? Cause I don’t mind.”
“Yeah, that’s fine; I’ll just meet you there. Uhh, how about nine? Is that too late?”
“Nah, that’s ok. So I’ll see you at the theater at nine.”
“Right.”
“Ya know, it’d be easier if I just came and got you.”
“James…”
“Come on, it’s ok, really.”
“Well…ok.”
“Cool! Just make sure you give me directions before you leave ok?”
“You got it.”
“Alright, it’s a date!” He winked and turned back to the slicer.
Veronica smiled.
A date.
