Chapter 4
Chapter Four
FOUR YEARS LATER
P aige sat on a stool in the corner of her bookstore and watched her husband fondly as he read a story to about a dozen young children, all of whom sat on the large, soft rectangular rug she’d put there for that very purpose. Not only did he do the voices of the characters in turn, but Asher also re-enacted many of the scenes, making the children laugh and clap their hands, their enjoyment of story time obvious.
They did story time for the children twice weekly, and parents from neighboring towns brought their kids along after word got out, thanks to Paige’s efforts on social media to promote her store. When the book was nearly done, she heaved herself up, rubbing her rounded belly gently.
She was six months pregnant with a little girl, and both she and Asher couldn’t wait to meet their daughter. They’d enjoyed being married for a couple of years before they’d decided to expand their family, and getting their businesses off the ground had been no mean feat.
Fortunately, both businesses were booming. Between customers who came into the store, those who bought online, and the authors she’d enticed to do in-store signings, Turn the Paige was doing very well. Her husband’s speakeasy, Stone , also didn’t want for customers. After being featured in a travel magazine available nationwide as one of the best bars in the country, Stone had been inundated with fine liquor aficionados and groups wanting to hold bachelor and birthday parties from all over America. Christmas was a particularly busy time of year, with plenty of work parties and groups wanting to celebrate the holiday season enjoying top-shelf liquor and the tasty bite-size appetizers the bar paired with the drinks.
Paige was so proud of Asher. He’d worked hard, got himself a good team of people to work for him, and now everything was paying off. He’d be able to take some time off once the baby was born and felt comfortable handing over the day-to-day running of the bar to his staff. She’d done the same, recruiting a couple of women who were as enthusiastic about books as she was to help in the bookstore, and now they’d run it while she was on maternity leave. She’d recently hired a third person to help in her absence, so between them the bookstore would be fine.
She watched as Asher gave each child a high five or a hug, depending on what they wanted. Once they all drifted off to their parents, he came over to where she stood, wrapping an arm around her. His free hand came up to rest on her belly, rubbing it gently. “How’re my girls?”
Paige kissed him softly. “We’re fine, Daddy. I think she’s asleep and I’m ready to join her.”
“You want to go home and take a nap?” She could see the worry reflected in his gorgeous blue eyes, ones she was lucky enough to wake up to every morning.
“I’m fine, Ash. Really. I could use a drink though.”
“Ah. As it turns out, there’s a great bar behind the bookstore.” He held his arm out to her. “Care to accompany me there?”
She grinned. “I’d love to.” Signaling one of her staff, she indicated she was going to the bar and would be back soon.
They went over to the door hidden in the wall and pushed it open. Asher had painted the entire back wall to look like a zoo, full of animals you’d typically find in one, as Paige had chosen to put the children’s section there so there was plenty of space for kids to read and listen to stories. She followed him through to the bar, and he made sure to settle her in one of the VIP booths before heading behind the long bar to fix them some drinks.
Paige loved the aesthetic. The main color scheme was red and black with gold accents. The tables and bar were made from black oak, the comfortable seats and booth red leather. The tables and bar were trimmed in gold, and all the light fixtures were made of the same metal. Asher had spent a lot of time researching the best quality materials and furnishings, and together they’d set up both businesses with decisions they’d made together.
She’d loved that. And, as it had turned out, she’d also come to realize she loved the man himself. It hadn’t taken long for them to move in together, and they’d married in a small ceremony in town under the large Christmas tree that appeared on December 1st every year with the entire town in attendance. Being Mrs. Asher Stone was no hardship, and becoming parents was something they were both looking forward to more than they could express in words.
Asher placed two glasses on the table before sliding into the seat next to her. “Here you go, Freckles. One pink mocktail for the most beautiful woman on the planet, and one Coke for me.”
She picked up the pink concoction in front of her and sipped it, the fizziness of the drink tickling her palate. It tasted like raspberry, one of her favorite flavors. “Mmm, this is so good!”
“I’m glad you like it. I’m trialing it to put on the menu permanently for those, like you, who can’t or don’t want to drink alcohol for whatever reason.”
Wrapping her fingers around his, she sipped on her drink as they held hands and looked around the bar. Since it was still afternoon, there weren’t many patrons in attendance, but it was also Friday so in a couple of hours the place would be packed.
By then, Paige would be at home, away from the crowds of people and off her feet. Asher would likely stay for a couple of hours, and then head home to have dinner with her, rub her feet, and help her into the bathtub for a bubble bath to soothe her aching muscles.
“I love you, Asher Stone.”
He leaned over and kissed her nose, then her lips. “I love you too, Paige Stone.” Bending down, he pressed a kiss to the top of her belly. “And I love you as well, Miss Stone. We can’t wait to meet you, baby girl.”
It turned out Asher had been right all those years ago. They really were the perfect fit.
Thank you for reading THE PERFECT FIT! I was honored to be invited to participate in this anthology in Catherine’s memory, and I thank Matt Wiltcher, Cora Kenborn, and Kristen Luciani for their kind invitation to participate. Catherine will live on in our hearts forever.
I have plans to make this a full-length novel down the track, so if you’d like to know when that becomes available, please consider signing up for my newsletter on my website: https://lissannejones.com/newsletter