Charlotte
Bridgett Hartlett walks farther into the bookstore with a stiff legged swagger, like she’s trying to be tough. She’s petite, with blonde hair pulled up into a messy bun. She’s wearing a sweatshirt crop top and wide leg jeans.
Aidan stiffens next to me, and his lips press into a thin line. He glances over to Xander, who closes his book and steps closer to the counter. Thankfully, the other customers that were here have left.
I step in front of Aidan almost defensively and paint on my best customer service smile, hoping to kill her with kindness, or at least politeness.
“Well, hey, Bridgett. Welcome to Sunflower Books. Are you looking for anything particular?” I’ve even got a “bless your heart” in my back pocket.
Maryland may not be exactly part of the South, but we’re south enough that I can apply it effectively.
She crosses her arms and taps her foot. “Is it true that you’re leading a committee to keep the library open?”
Well, I see we’ve moved past the pleasantries. Bridgett Hartlett is on a mission. Great. “Yes. Why do you ask?”
“Why are you leading the committee?”
Blinking, I study her for a few seconds.
She’s frowning at me and holding her body in a tense, defiant position.
I take a breath and reply, “Because the library is an important resource for our town and needs to stay open.” I adjust a crooked display.
“Now, can I interest you in a new book? Or perhaps a boardgame? We have a nice select—”
“But why are you leading the committee?” Bridgett interrupts me. She doesn’t change her posture, but her face has shifted into a scowl.
I squint and tilt my head to the side. “I volunteered and was elected. I’m confused. Why does it matter to you?”
“But you don’t need the library,” she says. “I know you like books and all, but you also sell books. Doesn’t it benefit you to close the library? I mean, I just, I just don’t understand.” She eyes a display of romance novels and sneers.
I suck air in through my teeth. My fingers curled into a fist. If I have to explain why libraries and bookstores are not competitors one more time, I’m going to go into my office and scream.
Bridgett answers before I get a chance to explain. “Why do you still have these inappropriate books in clear sight of children? Don’t you know they’re going to want to buy them and then be exposed to porn.” She jabs a finger at one of the books, This Ain’t Our First Rodeo by Liara Tamani.
Sarah chuckles from behind the counter. “That’s a Young Adult book. There’s no sexual content.”
Bridgett looks affronted. “I didn’t ask you!”
“Please don’t speak to my employee in that manner,” I declare in a firm voice, dropping my customer service persona.
I’ll tolerate my former high school bully only up to a certain point, but I won’t take any shit against my employee.
“Now, did you plan on making a purchase or did you just come here to berate me for things out of your control?”
“Why do you want the library to stay open?” Bridget repeats her earlier question, ignoring my question, while also not apologizing to Sarah.
“It’s your biggest competition. People go there and get free books.
They won’t buy your books. I just don’t understand why you’re leading the committee.
” Her speech grows quicker and more frantic as she talks.
I let out a weary sigh and ignore the urge to run into my office and scream. I’ll probably go in there once she leaves, and I can at least warn the others why. I take a breath and prepare the answer I’ve been delivering all week.
A voice interrupts me. It’s Aidan. “Libraries and bookstores do not compete against each other. They help each other. The Summerville Branch provides Sunflower Books with an inexpensive meeting room for book clubs, and the two collaborate on bringing in authors for events. Bookstores have very slim profits margins, and losing the space could mean cutting into those. Not to mention all the services the library provides.”
I turn to face him, not hiding an ounce of my gratitude as a smile spreads across my face.
He continues, his tone never wavering, “Like Charlotte said, there’s a huge benefit to this community having the library remain open. May I ask why you seem so intent on closing the library?” This must be my first glance at “Mr. Talbot”, and I like him.
She plasters on a smile that matches my customer service one, but her face is pale.
Interesting. “I-I-I’m just a concerned citizen.
There’s a major deficit with this year’s budget, and I’m worried about the opposition our good County Executive is experiencing.
He works so hard, and he’s so stressed all the time.
He’s been especially focused on making sure this budget is good for the county.
There are people depending on it being passed. ”
Why would she care about Stephen Gott being stressed?
Last I heard, he broke up with her after graduation. I doubt they’ve reunited.
“We also have concerns about what will happen in this town both economically and socially without the library,” I chime in, my smile melting into a scowl. “Like we’ve said, it’s an important place in town. We have our town—”
“But what if you’re wrong?” she cries, interrupting me. “This isn’t good for the town. It’s not good for the county.” She stamps her foot, and it doesn’t escape me that she doesn’t elaborate why the library is supposedly bad.
Aidan’s baritone voice ripples next to me.
“Who are you to determine what’s good for the town or what’s good for the county?
Have you done any studies or an analysis into the effect that the library has on the community?
Have you conducted polls into what people actually want?
Or even a petition to demonstrate the position of the populace? ”
He pauses, and I take advantage of the break to glance at him. He looks taller, broader. There’s a fire in his eyes and a set to his jaw. I really like this Mr. Talbot. I chew on my lower lip to keep myself from smiling.
Bridgett splutters out, “Well, no. I haven’t done any of that. But I don’t need to. I know what the people want.”
Aidan scoffs. “Are you a mind reader?”
“What? No. I just know what they want. I read things,” she replies with an exasperated voice.
He presses his lips together and sucks in air through his nose. “Great, a researcher,” he mutters under his breath, and I suppress a laugh.
Aidan continues, “Well, it might be a smart idea to do research on the needs and wants of the community. I don’t know if you’re aware, but we have over two hundred signatures, and our petition has only been online for a few days.”
I blink, my soul temporarily leaving my body. Two hundred signatures? The petition has only been up since Thursday and today is Sunday. That incredible!
Bridgett doesn’t say anything. She continues tapping her foot and scowling at us.
I brush my hand across my forehead. “If you’re not going to shop here, can you please just leave?
” A replay of her last visit plays in my mind.
“I’d rather not have a repeat of the last time you were here.
” Although, I did like it when Sheriff Hudson said she wasn’t going to do anything and then bought one of the smuttiest why choose romances I’ve ever carried.
She studies me for a long intense moment.
Aidan’s hand rests against my back, his palm warming my skin through the fabric of my shirt.
Out of the corner of my eye, Xander leans against the counter and flexes his bicep.
Gromit plops himself on the ground and scratches his neck.
Lloyd yawns audibly. I watch as Bridgett’s gaze travels from me to Aidan, and to Xander and Sarah, and then finally to my cat. Thelma licks her butt.
I glare at Thelma. Really cat? You have to do this now?
“You should probably leave your cat at home,” Bridgett finally says. “It’s a health code violation.” She sniffs and leaves the store so quickly that I can’t even say, No it’s not!
After the door shuts behind her, I lean my head back, emitting a groan. “What in the actual fuck?” I’m about to say my thanks to Aidan when I notice his expression.
He stares at the spot she stood in with confusion and rage contorting his face. “She didn’t even recognize me. I’ve met her multiple times this year, and she didn’t even recognize me.” He blinks. “I don’t understand.”
“I’m not sure I want to understand.”
“She didn’t get attention as a child, and now she lashes out at people,” Xander says.
I lower my head and lift one shoulder in a shrug. “That’s something my therapist would say. Since when have you gone to therapy?”
He shrugs. “One and off over the years. Not recently.”
I stride back to the counter, Aidan and Lloyd follow a step behind me. “She’s not going to let this go.”
“She doesn’t have the support, does she?” Aidan asks. “I mean we have—”
“Over two hundred signatures?” I gawk at him. “That can’t be real?”
He opens his phone and shows me the petition. “Can Bridgett get that many signatures in less than a week?”
I stare at it in disbelief. “Probably not,” I reply, astonished. “But I feel like she’s not telling us something. Why would she mention Gott being stressed?”
Xander pushes himself off the counter. Sarah strokes Thelma and murmurs sweet nothings to her.
Aidan studies me with an intense gaze. “You think she’s hiding something? What makes you think that?” He rests his hand in the small of my back again, and I resist the urge to lean into his touch.
I cross my arms and shake my head. “I don’t know. I just get this feeling. She was pale when she argued with us. I think she was uncertain about it.” I suck in air. “There’s something going on. Not sure if we can do anything about it though, at least until she does something.”
Xander pats Aidan on the shoulder before anyone can say anything else. “Gromit has to go potty, I’ll see you outside.” He disappears out the door. Sarah mutters something about needing to fetch something from the back of the store.
I uncross my arms and rest a hand on Aidan’s arm, feeling his warmth seep through the fabric. “Thank you for stepping in, by the way.”
A dimple pops as a corner of his mouth upturns and a blush creeps up his cheeks. “Of course. That’s what friends are for.” His Adam’s apple bobs, and he swallows.
Friends. We’re just friends.
“So, Book Club?” I ask, circling back to the conversation we were having before Bridgett rudely interrupted.
“Can you come? Honestly, you don’t have to say anything at the meeting or even finish the book.
” I grab the book from the nearby display and hold it out for him.
“But I think having you there will be nice.”
“Uh, ok. Sure. What’s the book again?”
“Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books,” I read from the cover. “It’s relevant to our current situation. There’s a little free library under threat and several concerned citizens stand up for the freedom to read.”
He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his wallet, but I hold up my hand to pause him.
“Oh no, it’s a gift,” I say. “A thank you for bringing me tea.”
He nods and accepts the book. “What time is the meeting?”
“Tuesday at seven. It’s at the library in the Large Meeting Room.”
His fingers run along the spine and the edges of the pages. “Until Tuesday then.”