Читать книгу Deborah Kerbel's YA Fiction 3-Book Bundle - Deborah Kerbel - Страница 18

Lately, Nasir’s ears were always on alert.

He heard the traffic noises suddenly grow louder — he knew that meant the door to the store had opened. Pushing the carton of toilet tissue onto the nearest shelf, he ran out of the stockroom to see if it was Mackenzie. It wasn’t. Instead, a young mother struggled through the narrow doorway, pushing a stroller with a newborn baby. Usually he would have run to help. Today he just sighed and turned his face away, trying to hide his disappointment.

Where has she gone? he wondered. It had been two weeks and three days now since he last saw her. He wasn’t sleeping well. He often woke up in the middle of the night with his body covered in a layer of damp, sweaty worry, his head jumping with questions.

Has she gone back to Canada? Did he say something to offend her? Maybe she’s become sick?

Leaning over the counter, he picked up a package of her favourite gum and held it tenderly in his hands. He thought about the day he’d touched her cheek and how soft her skin had been. And the way she’d smelled. It was so sweet and fresh … like a ripe peach. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath through his nose, remembering. The baby in the stroller began to cry. His eyes flew back open.

Stop being so stupid, he scolded himself, tossing the gum back down. Forget about her! There’ll be other girls.

The traffic roared again and his head swung towards the door. His hopeful heart rose in his chest, but fell back down when an old, balding grandfather hobbled into the store.

He sighed again.

The problem was, he didn’t want another girl.