‘Sounds good.’ His eyes crinkled up again, this time in amusement, and realizing she was babbling, Hannah hurriedly moved to the pickup point, deciding to just get the hell out of there. Probably just a combination of first-day work nerves and unfamiliar surroundings that were making her so tongue-tied and discombobulated, she told herself, getting a grip. Because now he seemed to think she was flirting and she definitely wasn’t.

Was she?

Eager to get moving, she grabbed her stuff off the counter and whipped backwards, not realizing the guy had since come up right behind her. Completely distracted, Hannah barrelled straight into his cane, sending it flying into the air, and her saviour off-balance.

Time seemed to stand still for a moment and she watched in horror as he scrambled (and failed) to recover his footing, before crumpling to the ground.

‘Oh my god, I’m so sorry! Here, let me help you, give me your arm …’ Mortified beyond belief, and horrified that she might have hurt him, Hannah dropped her stuff and grabbed at his shoulder, wrenching his arm back as he hoisted himself up on one knee and attempted to steady himself against the register. ‘Oh my god, sorry, I’m such an eejit.’

‘You OK, man?’ Frank had since hurried out from behind while the other customers looked on with mild interest.

‘I’m fine,’ the guy insisted, wincing in pain, or was it embarrassment?

‘Just … take my arm, OK?’ Hannah insisted. ‘It’s grand, I’ve got you.’

‘I said I’m fine … ’ he repeated through gritted teeth, his complexion reddening, and she noticed his eyes had turned a much darker shade of green now, emerald almost.

Frank duly pulled across one of the window stools, and the guy leaned back against it, stretching his right foot – the bad one obviously – out in front of him, while his face twisted in agony.

Shite, what had she done? Hannah stood there uncertain of what to do next, her mouth open and closing like a fish, her hands jittery. Her instinct was to keep apologizing but there was little point in that. She’d done enough.

‘Can I get you a drink of water or something or … ’ She trailed off awkwardly, realizing everyone was looking at her now. ‘I really hope you’re OK, but just know that I feel terrible and … ’

The look of frustration he shot her suggested that Hannah’s repeated protests weren’t helping. To say nothing of the fact that the entire incident seemed all the worse for the fact that he was being so kind and doing her a favour.

No good deed goes unpunished …

‘OK, well … thanks again.’ Raising her coffee cup in one final attempt at an apology, Hannah backed out the door and onto the city street, grateful to be swallowed up by the pedestrian masses.

And escape Cannoli Guy’s now considerably less friendly gaze.

Chapter 3