Four

For the fourth day in a row, Jacob came into the store and walked up to Autumn as she was working.

   "Hi." He said with a smile and leaned against the wall, watching her.

   "Leave me alone, Jacob" Autumn sighed as she unpacked the packages of butter and added them to the shelf. Why was he so insistent? Sure, he was attractive, and if Autumn didn't know better, she would have been all over him by now.

He had been asking her the same thing over and over again: if she would go out with him, and she had denied him every time. Why didn't he just give up?

   "Please, Autumn..." Jacob pleaded. "I just want to talk. I want to get to know you." 

   "We both know you want more than that." Autumn turned to face him, and she had to look up to see his face. He was incredibly tall. 

   "Don't tell me you don't want the same thing." He said. "I've seen the way you look at me." 

It wasn't Jacob's intention to sound cocky, but it was true: she had been giving him looks. 

   "Of course I want to, but I can't, you know that..." 

   "Why, though?" Jacob said, raising his eyebrows. "You keep telling me you can't, but you won't tell me why." 

   "It's complicated." Autumn turned back to finish unpacking when she felt his strong hand on her arm. He simply turned her around and stared into her eyes. 

   "Tell me..." Jacob swallowed and his gaze shifted to his shoes. What was this? Was Jacob Markstrom nervous? Autumn felt strangely powerful, for once in her life. 

   "It's just... You're an NHL player, Jacob. If something bad happens between us, it will be all over the media in no time..."

   "Why would something bad happen?" Jacob cut her off. "Is that how you think of me?"

   "I'm not a puckbunny you know..." Autumn sighed and picked up the now empty box from the floor. 

   "I know you're not, why would you say that?" 

   "I know how you hockeyplayers are, Jacob..." 

   "Hey, I'm not like that." 

Autumn sighed and brushed past him, heading towards the cashregisters. 

   "Where do I put this?" She asked her colleague, Sophie. 

   "Uh..." Sophie hesitated, obviously looking at something behind Autumn. 

   "What?" Autumn turned around, and there stood Jacob. "What are you doing..." She hissed at him.

   "I'll take that one to the back." Sophie said, jumping off the chair behind the register and taking the box from Autumn. 

   "So?" Autumn said, crossing her arms over her chest. "What are you doing?" 

   "I told you. I want to get to know you. Why are you so stubborn?"
   "Oh, you know why." Autumn rolled her eyes. "One photo is enough for the papers to go berserk. The headlines will be 'Markstrom's new girl'. 'Wonder how long this one will last'." 

   "Autumn, please..." Jacob pleaded. "Why are you saying that?" 

   "Because it's true." Autumn replied, realizing lots of customers were looking at them. "We can't keep talking, Jacob. Everyone's staring..." 

   "Then go out with me. Tomorrow night. At eight." 

Autumn sighed and shook her head. 

   "Jacob..." 

   "Please?" 

   "If it'll keep you from nagging me, then fine." 

   "Meet me at the Cheescake Factory at eight, then?" Jacob smiled, satisfied that he'd finally convinced Autumn to go out with him. 

   "Sure. Now, please go, I have to go back to work." 

Jacob just smiled and walked out through the doors, winking at her as he turned away. 

Autumn sighed yet again. 

   "Excuse me, miss." A woman's voice spoke behind her. She turned around, eyebrows raised and arms still crossed. 

   "Yeah?" 

   "Do you have any salmon?" 

   "Uh... I think so. Let me check."