Haden quickly ran his trimmer through his beard and splashed on a bit of cologne. He’d had strange dreams that had him tossing and turning most of the night, until he finally drifted to sleep around three o’clock, only to have his alarm go off at seven. Without thinking about it, he shut it off and rolled over, promptly falling back to sleep. When at last he woke a second time, it was fifteen minutes after eight.

Pulling on a clean pair of dark grey jeans and a black polo shirt, he tugged on his hiking boots and ran into the kitchen. Grabbing a piece of leftover pizza, he snatched up his keys then left his apartment. He locked the door and ran down the hallway to the elevator, pressing the button multiple times before surrendering and taking the stairs. He was just pulling into the parking lot of Uptown Center when he saw a large man he knew.

With an inward grunt, he hurried into the building, dodging around the man who was staring at a display of watermelons by the side of the door. He climbed the stairs to Kat’s office, two at a time, then glanced at his watch. It was ten to nine, but there was nothing he could do. He had overslept, and not on purpose. With a deep sigh, he knocked on the door, praying the woman was more forgiving then she seemed to be the day before.

“Good morning,” Haden said, opening the door when she called out. “I know I’m late, but I have a good excuse. No, actually I don’t. I overslept.”

“Honesty?” she asked with an amused grin. “No argument about the power going out, or a flat tire on the way to work?”

“I don’t care much for lying,” he said, feeling guilty for all the half-truths he’d already told her.

“That’s one point in your favor. Since you really didn’t have a start time today, I’ll overlook it, but don’t let it happen again. There are reasons why we have set schedules, and even one person can put everyone behind.”

“I understand, and I promise I’ll be on time from now on.”

“Good. Then let’s get you a badge, and get you started on the training films. Did you bring your papers?”

“Damn it,” he grumbled. “I was in such a hurry to leave, I forgot them. I can have a friend pick them up and bring them back if that’s alright, or I can go home at lunch.”

“Whichever is convenient, but I cannot issue you a badge until you have them.”

“I’ll get them to you before I leave today, I promise,” he told her with that grin that assured her he was aware he was handsome.

“Alright, then let’s get you started on the training films,” she told him, walking him back down the stairs. “I’m afraid they are rather long and very boring, but it’s important you understand the company you’re working for.”

Kat paused at the foot of the stairs and glanced behind him, noticing Kennedy standing at the customer service booth, and her teeth clenched. She looked back up to Haden and smiled, but her reaction to the man had not skipped his attention.

“I take it you don’t like the guy,” he said, looking into her blue eyes.

“That’s the general manager, Colton Kennedy,” she said in a soft voice, as she showed him to a small room at the end of the hallway. “He shows up about every three or four months and spends most of the day checking for outdated prices or dusty shelf tops.”

“Sounds like a real sweetheart.”

“Sure,” she grumbled, opening the door to the room.

Haden walked in and frowned. The room was small with no windows. There was a metal desk against the wall with a small television on the top. The chair that faced the desk was metal with a thinly padded seat, and there were six DVD cases beside the television. The walls were off-white with posters about labor laws, OSHA regulations, and overtime incentives hanging across them. The floor was the same tile as the rest of the store, making the room seem cold and sterile. A single overhead light offered illumination, but in all, it was what he would imagine a prison cell would be like.

“There are six movies, and it’s going to take you about two hours to bust through all of them,” she told him, taking a small remote and a set of headphones out of the drawer under the desk.

“The breakroom is next door, so I suggest you grab a drink. The company supplies pastries and donuts for the morning workers, so there should be a few leftovers. If not, let me know and I’ll be happy to buy you something from the machines. The café doesn’t open until ten. Once you’re ready, just take the top disc and put it in the machine. This place echoes once breaks start, and concentrating is difficult, so the headphones come in handy. I’ll be in my office, or the customer service desk can page me if you need anything.”

“Thank you very much, I think I can manage.”

“Come on into the breakroom and let’s make certain there’s something for you to snack on. Once you start those DVDs, you’re going to need something to help keep you awake.”

Haden chuckled and followed the woman out of the office, admiring the way her jeans hugged her small bottom. She wore a light purple top, and her feet were in a pair of flat-heeled shoes. She had pulled her hair into a ponytail and he was surprised that she didn’t wear much makeup. Most of the women he knew took hours preparing their faces and hair, but few looked as good as she did, even in her natural state.

Kat showed him into the breakroom and smiled at the older Hispanic woman sitting at the table, a clipboard in her hand as she read from a small stack of papers beside her.

“Roz,” Kat said, turning to the man next to her. “This is Haden Dalton. He’ll be joining your team once he gets the orientation videos out of the way. Mr. Dalton, this is Roz Sanchez, your direct supervisor.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Haden said, stretching his hand out to hers.

Kat watched in stunned silence as the two shook hands. A strange, almost jealous feeling washed over her as she wondered if the older woman felt the same tingle she had.

“I’ve heard some really great things about you, and I’m looking forward to working with you,” Haden was saying as Kat forced herself to focus on the two.

“Well…” Roz said, shocking Kat again.

She was amazed at how suave and relaxed the man was and wondered how long it had taken him to perfect the talent. It was rare when anyone got the last word with the woman, and even rarer when they left her speechless.

“Thank you, Haden,” Roz said at last.

“The drinks are over here,” Kat said as Haden turned back to her. “Help yourself, and it looks like there’s a couple of donuts, or I’ll be happy to buy you something from the machines.”

“Here, take this,” Roz said, causing Kat to stare at the woman with wide eyes as she stood up and handed a paper plate with a chocolate éclair on it to the man. “I haven’t eaten it, and I’m late getting back to work.”

“I wouldn’t want to take your breakfast,” Haden said with a half-grin that made the darker woman seem to actually blush.

“It’s not my breakfast, and I can do without the calories.”

Haden took the plate and smiled again.

“Don’t be so harsh on yourself. You look great.”

“Well…thank you,” Roz said with a soft giggle Kat had never heard before. “My kids give me grief about my weight.”

“How old are your kids?” he asked.

“I have four of them. My oldest is nineteen, and my youngest is twelve.”

“You don’t look old enough to have kids that age. Are they yours or stepchildren?”

“No, they’re mine,” Roz said, a wide grin on her face.

“You must have had the nineteen-year-old when you were five.”

“You’re sweet, but I’m old enough to be your mother.”

“Well, if you are, you look amazing for your age.”

Roz laughed a soft, almost lilting giggle, then thanked him and told him she would see him later. She turned around and said goodbye to Kat, then hurried out the door.

“She seems really nice,” Haden told the young blonde who stared at him with wide eyes.

“Who are you?” she asked with an amused tone to her voice.

“What do you mean?”

Haden’s heart suddenly jumped, and he was wondering if she was beginning to question the information his father had supplied the job with.

“I have worked with Roz for seven years, and I have never heard her laugh, and I have never known her to give up a pastry for anything. She’s a self-proclaimed chocoholic.”

“Maybe you’ve just never given her a chance,” Haden said with a relieved smile.

“I’m going to have to keep an eye on you, Mr. Dalton. I have a feeling you’re going to set an awful lot of people on their ears around here.”

Haden’s smile grew as he watched her turn and walk out the door. She didn’t seem quite so ice-maiden-ish today. Her comment left him feeling heated once again, and he promised his neglected libido, if she was going to watch him, then he was certainly going to keep an eye on her.

Kat held a clipboard in her hand as she walked beside Kennedy. He had already made mention that the watermelons were too close to the door, and he didn’t like how the cases of Gatorade had been positioned between the displays of trail mix and the granola bars. She took notes on what he wanted fixed but knowing that this case lot sale was only going to last a week, made her aware that everything he was nitpicking would be gone by the time he arrived again.

They passed Roz who was actually smiling and paused in her work to say good morning to Kennedy. Kat’s humor nearly exploded. The man didn’t care for minorities, and he particularly disliked Roz. She had been one of the twelve people who stood up with Kat when she filed a report against him. She had never taken the time to speak with him, and here she was, smiling cheerfully. Even those employees working around her stared at her in amazement.

“What the hell has gotten into her?” Kennedy asked when they walked away.

“I guess she’s in a good mood,” Kat answered, trying hard not to laugh.

“Well, she needs to wipe that stupid smile off her face. She looks like she just ate a canary filled taco.”

“I’ll let her know,” Kat said under her breath.

The inspection continued for another hour, and by the time they returned to her office, she was hot, exhausted, and in desperate need of something cold to drink.

She sat down at her desk and pulled out the printouts of the expense report, the timesheets, and the past four months' deposits. She watched Kennedy sit down in the chair across from her and cross his legs. He was about to chastise her for having such a disorganized store when a knock sounded at the door.

Haden pushed the door open and poked his head inside. He called Aaron and arranged for him to pick up the apartment key from his father, then met him in the parking lot before he had the chance to come in and ask for him by name. Once his best friend was gone, he returned to his task of watching the long, boring videos.

He knew more about cost and demand then he would ever want to and was eager to take Aaron up on his offer. Telling his father, he was finished with his demands and live off his friend, was a much more appealing idea than listening to another one of those films.

“Hey,” he said, not seeing Kennedy at first. “I finished the videos, and I have my papers.”

“Great,” Kat said with a tired, apprehensive smile that made him frown.

“What’s…” he paused when he caught sight of the heavyset man across from her. “I’m sorry, Ms. Gage, I didn’t know you were busy. This can wait until you’re free.”

“That’s quite alright, Mr. Dalton. Please come in,” Kat told him, standing from her seat and walking to the door. “This is Colton Kennedy, he’s the general manager of Uptown Centers. Mr. Kennedy, this is Haden Dalton.”

“Nice to meet you,” Haden said with a forced smile as he shook the man’s hand.

“Don’t I know you?” Kennedy asked with a frown.

“No sir, I don’t think so,” Haden answered in a rushed tone, then smiled. “I would remember meeting a Kennedy.”

“I’m not part of those Kennedys,” the man grumbled. “Just because a person has a well-known name, everyone assumes he’s related to famous people.”

“I can imagine.”

“Just for the record, I’m not a democrat and I am not part of JFK’s lineage.”

“Okay,” Haden said, knowing he would send the man off on a tyrant that would make him forget how familiar he really was.

“This has been a frustrating day. I’m starving, and I need a beer,” Kennedy said, walking to the door.

“I’ll be happy to buy you lunch in the café,” Kat told him with a smile.

“No thank you. If I wanted a greasy hamburger I’d go to McDonald’s.”

Kat glanced at Haden and smiled.

“I’ll be right back,” she said, then walked out of the room with her boss.

Haden drew a deep breath and quickly pulled out his cellphone. He placed it to his ear as he watched the security cameras on the shelf behind the desk. He could see Kat and Kennedy walking around the customer service booth and knew his time was limited.

“Hello son,” Ronald said with a cheerful tone to his voice. “How’s work?”

“You picked a hell of a place for me, Dad. I just ran into Colton Kennedy. If I hadn’t asked if he was part of JFK’s family, he would have blown your whole charade.”

“Kennedy? What the hell is he doing there?”

“He’s the GM. There’s more than a good chance I’ll run into him again, and I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to avoid him.”

“I’ll contact Jeff and see what we can do to limit your contact with him.”

“It had better be good. I was able to ward him off this time, but I can’t keep using his name as a decoy.”

“I’ll call you back. Are you at work today?”

“Yes,” Haden said, still staring at the cameras. “I just finished two of the most excruciating hours watching six training videos. I’m amazed I made it through them. It was worse than listening to a lecture on butterfly mating.”

Ronald laughed as Haden saw Kat walk back around the customer service desk, heading toward her office.

“I have to go. The manager is coming back. I’ll call you when I get home.”

“Alright, son. Have a good day and I’ll take care of Kennedy.”

Haden hung up and sat down, stowing his phone back in his pocket just as the door opened. He watched the amused grin on Kat’s face and thought about how young she looked. He couldn’t imagine she could be more than twenty, which again made him wonder how she’d gotten a position like this in the first place.

“I cannot thank you enough for coming in when you did,” she told him. “Kennedy was still ranting about his name as he drove out of the parking lot.”

“I didn’t mean to upset him,” he lied.

“Don’t get me wrong. I’m thrilled you did. The less time I have to spend with that jerk, the happier I am.”

“So, I’m not fired?” Haden chuckled.

“No, and in fact, I think I’ll buy you lunch. How would you like a greasy burger?”

“I don’t know about that, but the company would be appreciated. After two long hours in that little room, I feel like I’ve been paroled.”

“It is a bit rough, I know, but I’m proud you made it through them,” she told him, walking to the door with him. “We’ve actually had people fall asleep during them, and one kid walked out after an hour.”

“It wasn’t that bad, but I had to get up and walk around to keep from falling asleep.”

Kat walked beside Haden as she showed him around the front part of the store. She introduced him to Jane and Megan, the two girls working the customer service desk, and Jill, Brenton, Wayne, and Gabby, the four cashiers. They passed the deli where he met with Brady and Davis who were working on sandwiches for a customer, then into the bakery where he met Bree and Veronica.

Janet was running the café while Cash and Stan were making the food. Kat ordered a ham and turkey sub and Haden asked for a grilled chicken on wheat. They stopped by the soda machine and each got a diet soda, then sat down at a table against the back wall to talk, while they waited for their lunch. Haden was feeling relaxed and eager to know more about this woman, but he had to remind himself not to use the same lines he supplied women with at clubs.

“Tell me about yourself, Kat,” he began, watching her take a drink from her straw.

“Not much to tell. This was my first job, and I’ve been here since I was sixteen.”

“That must have been two years ago,” he smiled.

“Nice try, but you should know you never ask a woman her age or her true hair color.”

“Why?” he frowned, a playful expression on his face.

“Because you might not like the answer you get.”

“I’m willing to take my chances.”

“What about you?” Kat asked, once again skipping over the question about her age. “Where do you come from? I know you’ve spent the past several years traveling, but where is home?”

“Los Angeles, born and raised.”

“You went to a very expensive, very exclusive private school. I assume you came from money?”

“My father is wealthy if that’s what you mean.”

“What about your mom?”

Haden paused as Janet brought over their sandwiches, then thanked her and waited for her to leave. It was one thing to talk about his past to Kat, it was another to have everyone in the store know his business.

“My mom died when I was ten,” he said at last.

“I’m sorry,” Kat said in a soft, sympathetic voice.

“It was a long time ago.”

The silence swelled up around them as they began eating. Haden realized with a start that he had never spoken to a woman about his family, especially his mother. It seemed like a lifetime ago when he even mentioned her to his father. It was a sad subject and they tried to avoid it as much as possible, but it didn’t seem right somehow. It was almost as if he was ashamed of her, and that was as far from the truth as possible.

“It was colon cancer,” he said, at last, wiping his mouth and taking a drink of his soda. “By the time she found out about it, it was too late. Medicine didn’t work, surgery didn’t work, and she refused to have chemo. She wanted to spend the few months she had left with her family, not sick and weak with chemicals.”

“I’m really sorry,” Kat said. “My grandmother died from pancreatic cancer, so I can sympathize to a point.”

“What about you?” Haden asked a few minutes later, after finishing his sandwich and picking up the pickle spear. “What’s your family like?”

“The typical, I guess. Nothing extraordinary.”

“Why do I have a feeling you’re not telling me the whole truth?”

“I guess I’m just a private person. I don’t really like speaking much about myself.”

“Okay, I’ll buy that. I’ll even concede that you won’t tell me your age, but I need to know how you got this job. You’re younger than you’re pretending to be, and it’s a huge responsibility. I’m surprised you don’t have wrinkles and grey hair.”

“I told you, you never ask a woman’s natural hair color,” she smiled.

“Come on, tell me something about yourself.”

“I have a little sister who is seventeen, and a handful,” she said after a short pause. “She’s the head cheerleader at her school, and a bit rambunctious. She has a boyfriend, and I panic every night she’s not home on time.”

“Why would you worry about it? I know it’s probably hard being the big sister, and you’re concerned, but you should just be there for support. Let your folks deal with the worrying.”

“Hey, Kat,” a young man said, interrupting their lunch. “The pizza oven went down again. We need to call out the service guy or quit selling pizzas.”

Haden looked at the young man, estimating him to be nineteen or twenty with shoulder-length brown hair and a landing strip style beard beneath his lip. He was tall, thin, and had dark green eyes.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Dalton, but it looks like lunch is over,” she smiled. “Chad will help you get your badge and show you where Roz is. And don’t forget your smock.”

Haden watched her take her paper plate and cup and throw them in the trash before walking away. He felt like he was in a tunnel, and she was far from offering the light he needed.

“I’m Chad Warner,” the young man said, reaching out and shaking Haden’s hand. “I work in the produce department most of the time, but I like traveling around the departments. It helps me remember where everything is in case a customer needs something.”

“That’s good advice. Mind if I steal it?”

“Not at all,” Chad smiled. “I stole it from Gina, who stole it from Kat, so we may as well keep the tradition going. Come on, I’ll help you get your badge.”

The two men walked up to the first office around the corner from the customer service desk and rapped on the door. A young black woman opened the door with a smile, looking from Chad to Haden.

“Let me guess,” she said allowing the two to enter the room. “You need a badge, right?”

“Yes ma’am, I do,” Haden said with a warm smile that made her heart skip a beat.

“Haden, this is Virginia Little, but she hates the name, so everyone just calls her Gina.”

“And I’d suggest you do the same,” the dark woman said, glaring at Chad.

“Thank you for helping me with this, Gina,” Haden said with a wide smile. “Kat said I couldn’t work without one, and I’m afraid she’ll make me watch those videos again.”

“They aren’t that bad,” Gina laughed. “It’s like watching a porno of your parents. You feel sick, you want to turn away, but you’re so frozen in place and you can’t think.”

“That’s gross, Gina,” Chad said with a grunt and a frown, causing Haden to laugh.

They talked for a few minutes while the woman set up the camera and turned on the special printer, then asked Haden to sit down. She snapped two pictures and asked him to choose his favorite of the two. She was amazed at how photogenic he was, and how easy it was to talk with him. He was not just handsome, and clean, but he was also very friendly. It was no wonder all the women were talking about him.

“Here you are,” Gina told him five minutes later.

Haden took the badge and frowned. It was like having a real job, and a strange feeling washed over him. It was like belonging somewhere.

“Everything alright?” Gina asked, watching the smile fade as he stared into his face on the badge.

“What?” he asked, glancing up to the two people watching at him. “Oh, yeah, I’m sorry. I was just thinking…it’s like having a real job.”

“Haven’t you ever had a job before?” Chad asked with a frown.

“Not really. Well, I mean yeah one year during high school, but I’ve been traveling since I graduated. I only got this job because my father thinks it’s time I grew roots.”

“Well, Haden, I can guarantee, this is a real job,” Gina told him. “And I’m sure Roz is going nuts waiting for you. I have to warn you though, she’s been acting weird all day. She even said hello to Kennedy when he was here.”

“Really? She seemed okay this morning when Kat introduced us.”

“So, you’re behind the smile,” Gina said with a knowing grin.

“Excuse me?”

“Never mind. Welcome aboard, and good luck. Remember, my door is always open if you need anything, and I know Kat has an open-door policy as well.”

“That’s great to know, thank you.”

Haden left the office and closed the door, following Chad through the store. He found Roz near the women’s clothing and paused when the young man placed a hand on his arm.

“Listen, for what it’s worth, everyone has been talking about you today,” he told him in a quiet voice. “Just for the record, Roz has had a really rough life, and she’s worn her frustrations on her sleeve, and Kat rarely has lunch with anyone, even her own sister. Whatever you’ve done, don’t be surprised if people watch you for a while.”

“I haven’t done anything except offer my friendship,” Haden frowned.

“Maybe that’s all it takes for some people. I know I like having friends, and I hope I can count on you as one of them.”

“Absolutely,” Haden smiled.

Chad continued the path they were taking while Kat watched them over the security cameras. She sat at her desk, the phone to her ear as she waited for the repairman to come back on the line. She spotted him leaving the security office and watched as he made his way through the club. A part of her wished the cameras had voice so she could hear what Chad was talking to him about, but from the look on their face, it wasn’t a serious conversation that lasted long.

She turned around once Roz offered him a clipboard, then walked into the back room with him. She knew the woman was showing him where the handcarts were and offering him instructions on where to set up the displays and the products that were on sale. She didn’t need to know more than he was finally at his post.

All she had to do now, was fight the urge to continue watching him the rest of the day.