Free Breaking Down Sydney (Sydney West #2) by Brittney Coon Page B

sleep. I could see how a love like that could be true now.
    “Sydney, when you’re done shelving the horror books, I need you to open up another register. The line is getting long,” Robert said.
    “Okay.”
    Robert was my new boss. He was in his mid-forties and appeared to be experiencing a mid-life crisis. If his fake hair and fancy clothes didn’t scream “look at the new me” then his cherry red Porsche did. Sports cars were made for either daredevils or men in crisis, I swear.
    With the last book on the shelf, I wandered to the front of the store.
    “Excuse me! Excuse me!” someone shouted from behind me.
    I turned around to find an elderly woman waving me down.
    “Yes?” I smiled at her, putting on my “nice, polite” face.
    “Where’s the children’s section?”
    “It’s right over there.” I pointed to the left back corner of the store. “There’s a yellow and red sign hanging above it that will tell you when you’ve reached it.”
    She nodded, muttering something like “thanks” as she went.
    I rolled my eyes, heading toward the registers again. At least she didn’t ask me to go in search of a book. Pointing things out was always easier.
    By break time, my poor feet were throbbing. Even wearing flats killed my feet after standing for three hours straight. Only two more hours to go before I could crash.
     
    ***
     
    Tuesday was a little better. At least my last class ended early and I didn’t have to go to work. During my down time, I went to the mall for some serious rest and relaxation. Soon I found myself at Veronica’s Secret. Who could pass up an incredible sale?
    The red lace bras were calling my name. It was time for an upgrade. A woman could never have enough bras.
    Miraculously a saleswoman didn’t attack me when I first walked in. I was between the underwire and the full comfort section when someone tapped my shoulder. I knew it would only be a matter of time before someone felt the need to help me.
    “I’m good…” My sentence died when I saw who was behind me.
    “We need to stop meeting like this, Syd,” Jason joked, punching me in the shoulder.
    My stomach fluttered like it did when I met my favorite singer when I was fourteen. “Hey, stranger.” I looked past him to the entrance of the store, where a man in his forties stood. I always thought men didn’t like coming into this store, yet Jason had no problem with it. “What brings you here?”
    Jason flashed me a wicked grin, holding something black and see-through out to me.
    Out of all the words I could’ve said, I replied with, “What’s that thing?”
    He chuckled. “Lingerie.”
    I gave him a long look.
    A gleam shone in his eyes. “I wandered in here and saw this on the mannequin. Thought it would look much better on you.”
    I touched it. The fabric was extremely thin. A sinful smile curved my lips. “Wouldn’t it look better on the floor?”
    He took me in with his silver eyes, looking hungry.
    “Which one?” I asked abruptly, holding up the two red bras I was looking at before he disturbed me.
    “They look the same,” he replied, looking at each bra. Puzzlement settled into the features of his face, creating wrinkles.
    I shook the bra in my left hand. “This one has a wire and the other doesn’t. Not sure which to get, so just pick one.”
    “That one.” He pointed to the one in my left hand, the wired bra.
    “All righty,” I said, abandoning the other bra and going to the register.
    “What about this?” Jason held up the lingerie.
    It was my turn to chuckle. “Wouldn’t you rather I wear this,” I held up the bra, “some heels, and nothing else?”
    He tossed the black material away. That was a yes in my book.
    As we walked out, Jason linked his arm through mine. “Want to get a smoothie?”
    “Sure.”
    We walked to the food court, holding hands. Jason left me at the small metal table as he went to order us two fruit smoothies. As I waited and people watched, I realized two things.