Chapter 8 – piper
eight
piper
Natalie shelves a stack of the newest Harry Potter Illustrated books and shoots me a look over her shoulder. “You need a night off. We can handle one night.”
It’s Friday afternoon, and I’m supposed to be heading over to Elena’s soon with all the ingredients to make fresh Alfredo sauce.
But when I chose today because I’d be leaving two people to handle the store together, I didn’t really think it through.
“I’m afraid I’ll come home to a pile of ashes where all my beloved books once were. ”
“If I don’t talk to him, nothing will catch on fire.”
That’s reassuring. I roll my lips. Bookstores don’t need to stay open as late as we do—nine on the weekdays, seven on the weekends.
I extended the hours a few months ago to try and pick up more business, but I’m not sure it’s made the difference I hoped it would.
“Maybe I need to rethink the store hours again.”
“Don’t change your business plans just because Ravi is a commitment-phobe.”
I slice open another box and pull out a fresh stack of books, handing Natalie a few more.
Despite texting me in full meltdown mode a few hours after Ravi ended things with her, she never gave me any details besides the depths of her broken heart.
I’ve tried to keep a respectful distance, so I know nothing about what ended their relationship.
Since I love them equally, I haven’t tried to figure it out, either.
Doing my best to avoid developing any bias here.
Yeah. It’s probably best if I just don’t leave until the store closes at seven tonight. “Maybe I can ask Elena to come to my place. You know how much Harper loves our children’s section.”
Natalie puts down another stack of books with a huff.
She flips her long blonde braid behind her back.
“You spend too much time here. Go somewhere else. It’ll be good for you.
” She plants a hand on her hip, fingers digging into her blue velvet romper.
“It would be even better if you went out, but baby steps.”
“I’m not an old woman.”
“No,” she says, but it sounds like a question.
“I’m not even thirty.”
“For two more months. In fact, if you really want to do something wild, call that author and ditch your single-mom friend altogether.”
“You heard everything wrong about that sentence, right?”
Natalie presses her lips together. “Yeah. Like, as it was coming out of my mouth.” She deflates. “Don’t get me wrong, Elena is great. But you need to loosen up a bit, and he is so clearly into you.”
“You read the signals wrong.”
“Don’t think so.”
We move down the aisle, and I hand her another stack of books, then pull out the box cutter and slice open a box of various Percy Jacksons. “We knew each other in college, remember? He hated me then. I don’t think those feelings just disappear.”
“Maybe not.” Natalie shifts some books aside to make room for the Dork Diaries we need to refill. The new all-color edition has been flying off the shelves. “Or maybe you misinterpreted his hate.”
“You weren’t even there.”
“The man who has physically been in this store in recent weeks is most definitely into you. He, like, watches you, Piper.”
“You make that sound really creepy.” I’m lying. This weird hope is stirring up inside me, which is scary and unfair. It’s giving me butterflies. His dinner proposal pops into my head, but I snuff it out again. It was just to go over his notes.
Right? It had to be.
“It’s actually adorable,” Natalie argues. “If he had any issues with college-you, he’s definitely over them now. That’s all I’m trying to say.”
“Fine.” I push the cart of stock toward her. “You’re right. I need a life. You can do this, and I’m going to head out early. Lock up at seven.”
“Good. Let your hair down.”
I shake it out and say defensively, “It already is!”
“Piper?”
I spin around to find Paisley McConkie smirking at me. Can blood actually drain from a human face? How much of that did she overhear? Any of the parts where Natalie was pushing me to try and hook up with her brother or just me calling him a creep?
“Hey.” I flash her an overly bright smile. If I pretend Paisley heard nothing, then she heard nothing. “What’s up?”
“Can I talk to you?”
She definitely heard something. My cheeks burn. I start walking toward the back of the store where the entrance to my apartment is, and she falls in step beside me. “I’m actually about to head out,” I say.
“It’ll be quick, I promise.”
We reach the door to my staircase and I pause. “Okay, sure.”
“I write this series called the People of Nashville for The Nashville Rhythm. I don’t know how much Dorian has told you…” She reads my blank expression and adjusts the sleeve of her sweater. “If anything? No? Well, I do profiles on interesting people in the area, and I would love to do one on you.”
It’s flattering, but I don’t even know how to respond.
She must sense my surprise, because she forges ahead. “It would be great publicity for the store, of course. Free marketing.”
“Yeah, definitely.” I try to clear my head. Maybe she didn’t hear my conversation with Natalie after all. “I guess…yes, that would be great. Sorry, I’m just surprised.”
Her shoulders relax, and she pushes her curly hair behind her ear. “Is there a good time to meet and chat? It’s not a formal interview. I just want to get to know you, ask some questions about your background, the store, that sort of thing.”
I make a sweeping gesture with my hand. “This is pretty much my life, so I’m fairly open. I’m always here.”
“Are you available tomorrow—” Her attention shifts to something just behind me. “Dorian, hey. I’m almost ready to leave.”
The back of my neck prickles with awareness.
He’s in my store. Inside my store. Forget this woman and what she might have overheard, the other side of the middle grade chapter book section is adult fantasy.
What if Dorian freaking McConkie was walking through on his way to peruse his number one bestsellers and heard Natalie tell me that he watches me?
My entire body flushes cold. I grip the door handle to my stairwell.
“Did you find the book?” she asks.
“Yeah.” He comes to stand beside me, tapping his fingers against a paperback. “Hi, Piper.”
“Hey,” I squeak.
Dorian gives me a funny look. I briefly catch it, but I can’t hold his gaze.
“So, tomorrow night, maybe?” Paisley is either oblivious or intentionally ignoring my panic. “I have something during the day, but I can do the evening.”
The store closes early on weekends, so the timing is perfect. But words aren’t actually forming in the face of my possible humiliation.
Is there a way to find out if and what he possibly heard? Where’s Hermione’s Time-Turner when you need it?
Paisley begins to look concerned. “I can wait until the store closes if that’s easiest. You close at seven tomorrow, right?”
Words. Form some words. It’s not that hard. I clear my throat. “Yeah. Seven. Sure.”
“You aren’t coming to game night?” Dorian asks.
“Shoot. I was hoping to get this article into my next edition. Maybe I’ll swing by Luke’s after, if I have time.” Paisley chews her lip, looking at me. “Unless you want to come to game night with me?”
I must look startled.
“It’s just our siblings, mostly. My boyfriend Hudson will be there, and maybe our brother’s friend. It’s really chill, so we can chat while we play games.”
“Would you get enough information that way?” I ask.
Paisley nods. “I usually take my people out for lunch or dinner or chat while they work, so game night is perfect for me. If you let me pick you up, we can talk on the way over, too.”
But do I want to be thrown into a family night with Dorian’s siblings?
An immediate gut reaction slams into my chest. Yes. I do. Badly. It’s suddenly apparent that if Dorian overheard anything in this bookstore today, it didn’t drive him away.
The magnetism I always imagined between us is still there, except now it’s flipped around. Instead of repelling me like he used to, I can sense him trying to draw me in. Natalie is right. The way Dorian is standing so close to me right now, leaning in my direction, is sending me distinct vibes.
Either I’m terrible at reading him, or he’s done a complete one-eighty. This is not the man I used to know.
Both McConkies blink at me. “Yes,” I hurry to say. “That sounds great.”
There’s nothing wrong with a little healthy curiosity, right? Natalie lit a little flame under me, and now I can’t stop wondering what’s going on in Dorian’s head.
I turn the knob, drawing away from them.
“See you tomorrow,” Paisley says brightly.
Dorian nods, his brown eyes tracking my movements. I watch him note the staircase behind me, curious. He knows I live here, though, doesn’t he? Our pajama interaction last week cemented that. I move to shut the door when my gaze drops to the book he came here for.
Broken Vices by Clancy Calloway.
I’m sorry, but what? My feet plant in the doorway, my grip tightening on the knob. “I figured you would’ve gone for something a little grittier.”
“These books are plenty gritty,” he says, a chuckle lacing his words. “Have you read this one?”
“Yeah.”
“Maybe we can have our own book club when I’m finished with it.”
“It might not be a good idea if you want to stay friends. I take my books very seriously.”
A grin splits Dorian’s face. “Why do you make that sound like so much fun?”
“To argue about books?”
He shrugs. “To defend them.”
“Okay. You’re on.” I nod to the one in his hands. “Bring your best defense.”
“I plan to.”
Paisley whistles. “Cool. Loving this energy. How long have you two been—”
“Paise,” Dorian warns.
She isn’t pulling any punches. I’d better be careful what I say around her before that article comes out.
Paisley shoots her brother an innocent look.
I swallow, shooting them both a smile. “See you tomorrow.”
And then I run away.
Elena moans, slurping another bite of fettuccine Alfredo. “This is divine.”
“Because it’s mostly butter and cheese.”