1. Isla
Isla
Isla Grant was your typical retail clerk. She was sweet, polite, and always gave her best. But what people didn’t realize was that she was fascinated about true crime, and she always made an excuse to talk about cases, or evidence, or anything in the police field.
Even working at Hosham’s Hardware, she found she could mingle with just about everyone.
Except for one person of late. Starting in the fall, she noticed an older man come into the store.
She had her older regulars, naturally. When you’re around for almost sixty years, you’re gonna have older customers.
That’s a given. But this guy was different.
This guy wasn't just older. He had age, shown by his grey hair and grey goatee.
She also noticed he had the hunger of a younger man in his smoky amber eyes.
She watched him intently. Something was–otherworldly about him.
This day was no different. He walked in, that hunger still in his eyes.
She cleared her throat. “Welcome in! How can I help you today?” He never responded.
He always gave a curt nod and kept moving.
She was determined to get a response from him.
She leaned on the counter, trying to get closer to him. “What can I help you with today?”
He stopped, giving her a chance to see him fully. He wore a dark plaid button-up shirt. Dark red with dark yellow and green squares. It was open enough to show the top of his chest, just touching his neck. She flushed at first, being caught in his hard gaze. Wow…he’s hot in a dad bod sort of way…
He walked up to her. “I’m good,” he said. His voice was rich, with a sort of gravel that came from the back of the throat. Being close to him gave her goosebumps. “But I’ll let you know if I need help.”
She nodded, now looking directly into his eyes. “Yeah…no…no problem sir…”
He gave a nod and continued past the front counter. She followed him with her eyes. He wore dark blue jeans, which showed his ass too nicely. She did a double take. Is that him? How have I never noticed?
He turned, facing the Rope aisle. She caught a side glimpse of him.
He had a gut, but he had a well defined chest. He had large arms too, which she noticed next.
His arms seemed to pop out of the button up shirt.
She swallowed hard as he walked down the aisle.
Younger men never caught her eye, too stupid.
She fiddled with her ear piece from her radio. “Can I have someone cover me for a minute? I'd like to check in with a customer.”
One of the other associates. An older man named Rick, walked up. He gave her a smile. “Go ahead.” He assumed her post at the counter and she slid away, following the man down the Rope aisle. She saw him again.
He knelt down, picking up a large roll of rope. She watched silently, intensely. He measured it out, then pulled out a pocket knife with a pearl inlay on the handle. It opened with a flick, then easily sliced through the rope. He rolled it up. Methodically. Purposefully.
His movements were solid. Deliberate. She couldn't stop looking. Something about him just captivated her. He rose and tucked the rope under his arm. Then, he turned. His amber eyes widened slightly. Measuring her.
She flushed again. Now taking in the gentle bronze of his skin. “Oh…um…just wanted to check in. We've moved some things…”
He took a few steps towards her and she swallowed hard. His eyes were on her. Accusatory. Dominating. She could feel her heartbeat thump in her ears. He wore a spicy cologne. Something like Pine, or Aspen. Maybe both. It was completely masculine.
He noticed her flushed cheeks. “Can you show me where the axes are, please?”
That tone, coupled with the please, made her shiver. She nodded quickly. “Um…yea. Follow me…”
She started away from the aisle. Checking over her shoulder to see if he was following. He was. Close. Quick. She jumped a little and kept going. She shot left and took him down the end of the aisle. “Here you go sir…”
He nodded. His eyes left her, now scanning the axe selection. She was still close to him. “Can-I do anything else for you, sir?”
He turned. That smoldering gaze meeting her again. “That's it for now. Thank you.”
She nodded sheepishly and scurried away. As she approached her register, she felt her breath start to quicken. Rick noticed. “Isla, you okay hon?”
She nodded. “Yea, I'm good Rick. Thanks.”
His green eyes narrowed in concern. He'd been around long enough to read signs and body language. “Someone's got you flustered,” he teased
She spun around, her eyes bouncing with shock. “Rick!”
He raised a bushy gray eyebrow and smirked. “I know a smitten look when I see it.”
She turned away from him. “Shut up Rick…”
He patted her shoulder. “Are you good now?”
She met his gaze with tinged cheeks. “I'm good…” she lied. He walked to the back of the store to the service desk and returned his post.
She took a deep breath and blew out slowly. Trying to distract herself, Isla started to wipe down her register. First, the counter. Then the keyboard, monitor, and the mouse. Finally, she wiped down her scanner and straightened her bags.
Falling back into her routine helped ground her. Her earlier fixation had been quelled, and she was back to normal. She blew out a satisfied sigh and welcomed other customers who came in.
The flow of checkouts was quick but nothing she hadn't handled. She bagged up the items and sent the people away with a warm smile. Her ease, however, was short-lived. He walked back up to the register with an arm full of items.
She swallowed hard, feeling that dreamy feeling take over once again.
He set down the Rope first. Then he set down the axe, and some bleach.
After that, he set down a large tarp. She reached for each item to scan, then put each item that could fit into a bag.
She finished up. “Your total is $75.89…”
He slid out a thick, black leather wallet from his pocket and pulled out a credit card. First, he gave the items an appreciative look, then tapped his card on the corner of the card reader.
It accepted his money with a bing and he reached for the bag. Isla cleared her throat. “I've noticed you coming in for a while now, but I can't remember your name.” It was a desperate attempt to break the ice, even more so to solve part of the mystery. Who was this man?
He looked up from the bag. His eyes weren't as intense as before. “Dorian.”
She blinked. This burly man is Dorian? It doesn't fit him at all…but it does…what is happening? In a last ditch effort to keep the conversation going, she blurted out her name. “I'm Isla.”
Just then, a small smirk creased the corner of his right lip. “I should have guessed by your name tag.”
She flushed. “Oh…of course…”
She pushed the bag towards him, but her fingers lingered on the bag. “So um…” She moved her other hand through her hair, nervously. “What are you doing with all this stuff?”
He looked down at the bag and the axe with a smirk. “Stump removal.” There was a certain amusement in his eyes as he said it. It made her uneasy.
“Right,” she said. “You must have a lot of stumps in your yard?”
He raised an eyebrow. “You have no idea.” He took the bag and started out. “See you around, Isla.”
The way her name left his lips made her shudder. He walked away, leaving everything to the imagination. It was almost like he walked plainly on purpose to tease her. However, as he reached the exit, an unruly customer walked in.
This man was Lanny Peecherman. Peecherman was a sexist asshole. He’d been in and out of the store for years, but he usually came in to flirt with her. Isla rolled her eyes at him. “Lanny, what do you want?”
He placed his elbow on the counter and leaned his head on his hand. “I wanted to see you,” he said. He gave her a gross look, looking her over like a slab of ribs.
Isla cringed at his response. Her reaction was not lost on Dorian. Dorian walked up to him, placing a large hand on his shoulder, making him spin around. “What do you want?” Lanny asked. “Can’t you see we’re having a nice conversation?” Isla gave Dorian a pleading look.
Dorian offered a nod and looked at Lanny. “You’re done. Get out.”
Lanny laughed at first, but his laughter faded as he tried to pry off Dorian’s fingers. “Hey…hey let go man…”Dorian squeezed his shoulder. Hard. “Ow! Fuck! Come on man, stop…”
Dorian leaned in. “It’s time to leave. Now.”
Isla didn’t expect Dorian to put his hands on Lanny. She stood there. Speechless.
Lanny spun and tried to hit him, but Dorian grabbed his arm and slammed him against the counter, making Isla jump. “Eek!”
Lanny whimpered in pain as Dorian pinned his arm and shoulder against the counter. “Shit…come on man…”
Dorian let out a harsh warning. “Apologize, and leave.”
Lanny, whose peach complexion was now a stark white, looked at Isla with tears in his eyes. “I’m sorry…I’m so sorry…”
Dorian leaned in, his lips touching Lanny’s ear in a whisper. “You come here again, and I will make sure it is the last time you go anywhere. Are we clear, boy?”
Lanny started to cry, which garnered the attention of the other employees who came up to see. “What’s going on here?” the manager, Bella, asked.
Dorian looked up at him. “Just educating our young friend here on how to talk to a lady,” he said calmly. Almost, too calm. Bella nodded, her blue eyes bouncing with concern.
Lanny nodded. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry…please don’t hurt me, mister…”
Isla swallowed hard and stepped forward, placing a hand on Dorian’s. “Please…let him go…”
Dorian looked up, meeting her gaze. The pleading look was still there.
Dorian let him go. Lanny staggered back, his eyes still wide with fear, then he ran out of the store.
Dorian turned to face her once more. “I’m sorry.
I didn’t mean to cause a scene. But he needed to be taught a lesson in respect. ”
Isla blew out a sigh and gave a reassuring look to her manager, who also took a step back. “It’s okay, Dorian…thank you.”
He gave a nod and walked out.
Isla took a few breaths and tried to hold herself together.
The rest of the day went by without incident, but her nerves were still frazzled.
The way he took Lanny down…it was…god that was hot…
I’ve never had a man do that for me before…
She closed up, and Rick walked her to her car.
She waved and drove off, going to her small home a few miles away.