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"You seem preoccupied."
August made the observation as he counted the money behind the counter, and Justine closed up the front of the shop. She shrugged as she came back, meeting his eyes before disappearing into the back of the shop so that she could pick up the broom used to sweep up.
"A friend of mine's gone down to London cause some of his friends died."
Because of her timing when she said it, August had to wait until she came back from the back room, with broom in hand, to reply with anything.
"Well that's pretty heavy."
Justine looked at him, before she began to sweep. "That's why preoccupied," she said, as though that should have been obvious.
"Of course." August went back to counting up the money. He was fast coming to the idea that it was impossible to know where you stood with Justine. Some nights when they went out, she really seemed to warm up to him. Her housewarming was no longer the only time they had kissed, far from it. But then, every time it seemed to head to more than that, she made up some excuse and then when he next saw her at work again, she was walled up behind that Ice Queen exterior again.
He'd never had so much trouble with one woman before. At least he'd slept with his conquests, before freezing them off.
"Are you done?" Justine asked.
August looked at her blankly, her question seeming to come from nowhere.
"The money," she continued. "Have you counted it?"
"Almost." He went back to it, concentrating on it then, rather than her.
She walked past him when she finished with the sweeping, and August looked away from the money he had almost finished counting to check out her behind. It was a nice one. He wouldn't have settled for less. Making out like he'd never taken his eyes from the money, he neared the end of tallying up the day's takings when he realised that Justine wasn't taking notice of him at all.
August made the observation as he counted the money behind the counter, and Justine closed up the front of the shop. She shrugged as she came back, meeting his eyes before disappearing into the back of the shop so that she could pick up the broom used to sweep up.
"A friend of mine's gone down to London cause some of his friends died."
Because of her timing when she said it, August had to wait until she came back from the back room, with broom in hand, to reply with anything.
"Well that's pretty heavy."
Justine looked at him, before she began to sweep. "That's why preoccupied," she said, as though that should have been obvious.
"Of course." August went back to counting up the money. He was fast coming to the idea that it was impossible to know where you stood with Justine. Some nights when they went out, she really seemed to warm up to him. Her housewarming was no longer the only time they had kissed, far from it. But then, every time it seemed to head to more than that, she made up some excuse and then when he next saw her at work again, she was walled up behind that Ice Queen exterior again.
He'd never had so much trouble with one woman before. At least he'd slept with his conquests, before freezing them off.
"Are you done?" Justine asked.
August looked at her blankly, her question seeming to come from nowhere.
"The money," she continued. "Have you counted it?"
"Almost." He went back to it, concentrating on it then, rather than her.
She walked past him when she finished with the sweeping, and August looked away from the money he had almost finished counting to check out her behind. It was a nice one. He wouldn't have settled for less. Making out like he'd never taken his eyes from the money, he neared the end of tallying up the day's takings when he realised that Justine wasn't taking notice of him at all.
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