1. A Birthday Book #2
As I said the words, the thought cheered me even more.
In the few moments I had to read, I generally chose books from the library.
But to walk out of Enchanted Endings with a book in my hand would provide waves of happiness for days to come.
I hadn’t planned on having enough money for a drink and a book, but since Margaret was supplying the drink, I supposed I could splurge on the book as well.
“We have a few new regencies in the front.” Belle leaned over the counter to point. “Just in front of the register. It’s from that new author I told you to try.”
The little bell over the door jingled, and we all looked up as a young man in military camouflage with heavy tan boots walked in.
He had deep brown eyes, and his build was lean yet strong.
He was a good head taller than me, and his hair, which was cut short, was a light brown.
He’d removed his hat upon entering and held it in his hands now as he looked around.
Belle and I stood rather dumbstruck, but Margaret only squealed and ran toward him, throwing her arms around him in a big hug. The young man laughed and hugged her back.
“Ella!” Margaret beamed as she let go of him. “Let me introduce you to my godson, Asher. Asher, this is Ella. And you’ve already met Belle.”
Belle waved from behind me.
“Hi.” He nodded to Belle with a smile. “Good to see you again.” He turned to me. “And it’s good to meet you. Are you a Buchkarte native?”
I smiled. “Born and raised.”
“Asher’s father just moved here, and Asher was just transferred to a base in northern Utah!” Margaret glowed with pleasure. “So now he can come to visit me more often!”
“More often than I did while I was in Germany, at least.” He laughed.
“Oh! That reminds me. I have something for you. Just a moment.” Margaret hurried out the back door toward the cottage she lived in behind the shop.
“Are you celebrating?” he asked, nodding at my hand. I looked down to see him looking at my cupcake.
“Oh, um, yes.” I blushed slightly. It seemed such a strange thing to be celebrating myself.
Even though the cupcake had been all Margaret’s doing.
“My parents died when I was younger,” I said, trying to sound nonchalant. It wasn’t as painful to talk about them now. Years had passed since their deaths. Still, on days like today, remembering could be hard. “But Margaret’s watched out for me since I lost my mother.”
His face softened. “I’m sorry to hear that. I lost my mother as well. And same, Margaret’s watched out for me ever since.”
“I’m sorry to hear that for you as well.” I paused, not sure what else to say. “But… you said your father is moving here?” I asked. “That must be wonderful not to be so far away.” What I wouldn’t give to have mine close once more.
“He purchased the old ski resort up on the mountain. The one that closed down a few years ago, if I’m not mistaken.”
I nodded. “Everyone was devastated when it went out of business. The town lost a lot of jobs. Is he going to start the resort up again?”
“That’s the idea.” He looked at my cupcake again. “Since your parents aren’t here, what else are you doing to celebrate?”
I blinked at him, surprised he would return to the topic of my birthday without parents.
Talking about my parents made a lot of people uncomfortable.
But I’d come to expect that. Death made people uncomfortable.
So his continued interest in my birthday made me smile.
I held up my drink and the book I’d taken from the shelf in front of the register. “I’m doing it right now.”
He frowned slightly. “You don’t have any family to celebrate with?” Again, he took me by surprise. Why was he so curious? But then again, he would be the first one to understand what it meant to lose a parent. I hadn’t just lost my parents. I’d lost the entire world that went with them.
“My cousin wants to take me out to dinner sometime, but I have to work tonight.” I didn’t add that it was my stepmother who was making me work.
He studied me for a minute longer, his deep brown eyes searching mine, and for a moment, I thought he might press more. But to my surprise, he finally smiled, took the book out of my hand, and placed it on the counter as Margaret came back down.
“What are you doing?” I asked, laughing. “That’s the only thing Margaret was going to let me buy!”
But neither Asher nor Margaret answered me until he’d paid for the book. Then he put it back in my hands and smiled once more. “Happy birthday,” he said, his deep voice ringing in my chest.
I stood dumbfounded as he turned back to Margaret, who handed him an envelope.
“Give this to your father,” she said. “I’ve been meaning to send it his way, but I keep getting busy.”
“Only,” he said, walking back toward the door, “if you come to dinner tonight. I stopped in just to ask you on my way to see Dad.”
Margaret fussed at him but eventually promised to come. And with one more smile at all of us, he put his hat on as he stepped outside and closed the door behind him.
As soon as he was gone, I looked back at Belle, who met my gaze then wriggled her eyebrows. I laughed, but I could feel the blush rising to my cheeks.
“What?”
Belle just shrugged and came out from behind the counter before picking up a duster and starting to walk the aisle. “Nothing. Except that if some tall, handsome stranger had given me a book for my birthday, I’m not sure I would have let him just walk out the door like that.”
I rolled my eyes. “What, was I supposed to kidnap him?”
“Probably unadvisable, but you might have at least asked if he’d be around again anytime soon.” Belle looked up and met my gaze, her own brown eyes laughing. Belle was one of the least flirtatious women I’d ever met, which made what she said sound even more ludicrous.
But then again, he had bought me a book.
When I turned to Margaret, however, she was watching me with a speculative gaze. “Just a moment,” she finally said, holding up her index finger. “Don’t go yet. I’ll be right back.”
“I’m going to have the tax people down my throat if I get anything else for free,” I called after her. But Margaret ignored me as she headed to the far corner of the store and pulled a book off the shelf. After blowing the dust off, she came back and handed the book to me.
I stared at it in confusion. It wasn’t a new book by any means. In fact, the leather binding made it look older than Margaret. Its blue book ribbon was frayed and pale, the page edges were yellow, and it was heavier than I’d expected.
“This isn’t a gift,” she said as I turned it over in my hands. “I’ve lent it out many times. Once you’re through with it, you can bring it back, too.” Her eyes suddenly twinkled dangerously. “But it’s just the thing for cozy nights at home.”
I started to open the book, but she pressed it closed again.
“Best wait to start it until you actually have time to enjoy it. Now, I have to go, so you take yourself home. Enjoy your treats, and don’t let your stepmother work you too hard.
” With this, she fairly shoved me out the door. “Happy birthday, love!”
“Um, thank you!” I called over my shoulder. But the door was already shut, and the OPEN sign already read CLOSED. So with a shrug, I took my birthday gifts and made my way home.