Chapter Sixteen - MARKUS

Markus was so confused. Last night had been amazing—sneaking off and making out in a graveyard? Epic. No one would ever believe he’d done something like that. And then this morning he had boldly proclaimed that he would risk suspension to sneak off with Gracie again. He liked her that much.

But then, at the food bank, she had said she wanted to work alone. It seemed like she couldn’t get away fast enough. Had Markus been too bold? Maybe this was the point in the relationship when he was supposed to be playing hard to get. He’d heard of the concept…people want what they can’t have. The thrill is in the chase, etcetera. But Markus had though Gracie was above petty stuff like that.

Or maybe by her running away, she was the one playing hard to get. Maybe he was the one who was supposed to be doing the chasing. That made more sense. If she was running away, there was no sense in him running in the opposite direction.

Okay. The chase.

Markus checked a can of beans. The expiration date looked okay. He marked it off and sent it down the line.

How does someone chase another person? He assumed it wasn’t supposed to be taken literally. Otherwise, he was pretty sure it would end in something that looked suspiciously like a restraining order.

Markus checked a bag box of macaroni and cheese. He couldn’t find an expiration date on that one, but that stuff lasted forever anyway. He sent it down the line.

He should ask Gracie on a date. They’d kissed, but he’d never properly taken her out. That wasn’t very gentlemanly of him. Markus grinned. That was the first thing he’d do when he saw Gracie next. He’d ask her out. But they couldn’t very well steal away and go on a date while in Philadelphia. Or could they? Wouldn’t that be the ultimate declaration of his feelings for Gracie—showing her that he really was willing to risk suspension to spend time with her? It would prove he wasn’t just saying things he thought she’d want to hear…he was a man of action.

Markus’s grin slipped when the man in charge strode up…and he didn’t look happy.

“What is going on over here?” he demanded. “I put the people I thought most capable on quality control because it is the most important job.”

“Y-yes, sir,” Markus stuttered, wondering what had gone wrong. “I’ve done this job many times at the food bank in Minnesota.”

“Well I hope you are better at it there than you are here.” The man held up the can of beans and the macaroni and cheese for Markus and Cameron to see. “This can is bulging like it’s about to explode. And this box is two years past its expiration date.” The man tilted the box. The date had been hidden on the back.

Cameron held up his hands as if to defend himself. “Look, man, that wasn’t me. I’ve been checking everything thoroughly.”

Oh, crap. Markus knew he had been distracted. There was nothing else he could do besides say, “I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.” He felt so embarrassed, he couldn’t even look the man in the face.

He must have sensed it, because the man’s tone softened. “Look, I don’t mean to be rough on you, but thousands of people count on this food. Attention to detail is very important.”

“I know,” Markus said, his voice quiet. He knew all too well.

“Why don’t you take a break and do trash duty for a while. It’s what you wanted, right?”

Markus nodded, though he had wanted it when he was volunteering to do it—not when he was forced to. He wandered toward the giant pile of cardboard boxes and discovered Gracie attacking a box like she was in a fight to the death.

“It must have done something pretty heinous to deserve that kind of treatment,” Markus said. “Did a mugger kill your parents and then leave you orphaned and determined to avenge their deaths?”

Gracie glanced up, a tendril of red hair falling across her face. She brushed it aside with the back of her hand. Breathing heavily, she said, “Yes, but thank goodness they left me loads of money and a really cool butler to help me become the vigilante that you see before you today.”

Markus picked up a second box cutter that was lying next to one of the boxes and got to work.

Gracie watched him for a moment. “Checking up on me?” she finally asked.

He paused. “Why would I do that?”

She looked like she was about to say something, but then changed her mind and shook her head. “Just a hunch.”

“No. As you’ve already demonstrated, you’re clearly capable of destroying boxes on your own.”

She laughed, then sat down on a step next to where he worked. “You got kicked off quality control, didn’t you?” Her voice held amusement, and her eyes teased him. He could get used to that.

Heat crept into Markus’s face. “Maybe.”

This time, Gracie laughed out loud. “What, you weren’t quick enough?”

He shook his head, and his embarrassment gave way to shame. “No. I wasn’t attentive enough. I deserved to get kicked off the line.”

Gracie’s grin faded. “What are you talking about? You’re doing the best you can—we all are. How can they expect we won’t make mistakes?”

“That’s the thing. I wasn’t doing my best. Someone could have gotten sick because I approved food that wasn’t good enough to eat.” He frowned. “Just like with the raspberries.”

Gracie placed a hand on Markus’s arm. “It happens.”

Her touch burned, and he moved away. “It shouldn’t have. I was distracted. Thinking about you. I’ve done nothing but throw caution to the wind on this trip. Because of you. I’m willing to break rules and go against everything I’ve ever been taught. Because of you.”

“Hey, I’m not the bad guy here,” Gracie said, jumping to her feet. Her brows furrowed.

“Don’t you understand? This is what I want to do,” Markus said, opening his arms in a sweeping motion.

Gracie looked around the room, like she was trying to figure out what he was talking about.

Markus shook his head in frustration. She didn’t understand. No one did. “I don’t want to go to college and be an engineer or professor. I want to start a non-profit organization or be in the Peace Corps or… I don’t know—something that will make society better. World peace and all that. But because I was so distracted by you, I wasn’t focused on the job and I almost hurt them instead.”

“Engineers help people and—”

Markus cut her off. He had heard it all. But that was just people’s way of making themselves feel better about the decisions they had made. Yeah, engineers helped people. But they didn’t care about those they helped. They only cared about the money and the title. Like his dad. “Not in ways that matter.”

Gracie glared at him. She didn’t have a retort this time. Instead, she spun back to her box and attacked it with renewed vengeance. He had a feeling she was imagining his face on the box this time.