Total pages in book: 176
Estimated words: 164533 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 823(@200wpm)___ 658(@250wpm)___ 548(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 164533 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 823(@200wpm)___ 658(@250wpm)___ 548(@300wpm)
A hint of a smile tugged on Rhys’ lips like he found me cute in some way before he turned and got started. We worked diligently for the next two hours. My arms, legs, and lower back ached since I wasn’t used to hard manual labour. I’d waitressed during the summers at a restaurant back home, but it didn’t involve heavy lifting, nor standing in such cold conditions. Thankfully, Rhys did most of the lifting work while I checked the dates on the containers.
By the time we’d finished the first part of the task, I was already exhausted.
“Please tell me this isn’t a typical day,” I said to Rhys when we stopped for a fifteen-minute break. I grabbed a diet soda and bag of chips from the vending machine in the staff room.
“It isn’t. You were just unlucky you started today. Most days you’ll be washing and drying dishes, emptying bins, cleaning the food areas, that sort of thing.”
“Ugh,” I groaned. “That still sounds exhausting.”
Again, there was that hint of a smile. I noticed that about Rhys. He rarely smiled fully. It was like he couldn’t permit himself to show the amount of joy that came with a full smile, and I wondered why that was. Was it only shyness or something more?
“Mind if I ask a question?” Rhys said, eyeing me in a way that made my cheeks feel hot. What was it with this guy? And why did he make me feel so keenly observed?
“Shoot,” I replied before knocking back my last gulp of soda.
“Why are you working here this summer? Is your uncle making you or something?”
I pressed my lips together and shook my head. “No, that was my mom’s stipulation. She said I had to work at the hotel to pay my own way. She’s sort of uncomfortable with handouts. Like, her conscience couldn’t rest with me being given an all-expenses paid trip to Ireland.” I paused to chuckle. “It would literally keep her up at night.”
“My mam’s a little bit like that as well,” Rhys said. “If someone gives her a gift, she has to give them a gift back of equal or better value. She could never give a cheaper gift, even if money was tight. It’s almost like a moral compulsion.”
“Maybe it’s an Irish mother thing,” I replied, and he chuckled though there was the very vaguest hint of sadness behind his eyes. I couldn’t think what might account for it, but then again, I knew very little about him. I did find, however, I wanted to know him. I was drawn to him in a way I hadn’t been to a boy before. A part of me was curious to know what caused the flash of sadness. If it was fleeting or deeply set.
“Could be.”
We got back to work, mostly toiling away quietly as we cleaned out the freezer. The place was sparkling by the time we were done, and I felt like sleeping for the entire weekend. It was Friday, and I imagined Nuala and her brothers would probably have something social planned, but I was far too exhausted for anything other than an early night.
“Are you coming to the beach with us tomorrow?” Rhys asked when we returned to his locker at the end of the day.
I was in the middle of removing his hoodie and had gotten a little tangled up in it. He chuckled softly before stepping forward and gently tugging it off over my head. His fingers grazed my back and shoulders, and I found myself shivering, just a little. When I was finally free, I realised just how close we were standing. Rhys’ gaze trailed over my face before darting back to my hair. I patted at it self-consciously, imagining it was probably a mess after struggling to get the hoodie off. Rhys’ hand came forward, and my breath caught when he touched my ear. I belatedly realised he was fixing an errant strand of hair back into place. God, I must’ve looked crazy.
Swallowing back my self-consciousness, I moved away from him and asked, “The beach?”
Rhys rubbed his jaw. “Yeah, uh, the lads and I are heading to Portmarnock tomorrow. That’s the next town over. The beach there is better for swimming. I thought Derek or Tristan might’ve invited you.”
“They haven’t mentioned it yet, but I suppose I’ll go if Nuala’s going.”
“Cool,” he said, nodding and running a hand through his hair as he glanced away. “Well, maybe I’ll see you there.”
“Maybe,” I replied, unsure what I was doing when I reached out and touched his hand. His eyes flickered to mine, curious. “Thanks for today. It was a baptism by fire, for sure, but you were easy to work with.” I let go and stood back, lifting his hoodie. “Um, I’m going to wash this for you, but I’ll return it during my next shift, if that’s okay?”