7. Chapter 7
Chapter 7
Ryan
“ I see you finally grew some balls and talked to her,” Betsy remarked after the doors closed behind Emily.
I didn’t turn to her, my eyes still glued on Emily as she began walking down the sidewalk. Once she disappeared from sight I turned to Betsy, unable to remove the small smile on my face.
“Yeah, she’s incredibly sweet. She comes here for peace and quiet.”
“Yet she spent half the day talking to you.” Betsy smirked.
“Betsy, I need you to do me a favor,” I said.
“What’s that?”
“Please don’t tell anyone Emily and I are talking. I know how the rumor mill is in this town, and I don’t want her freaking out if someone starts making it more than a new budding friendship.”
Betsy raised a single eyebrow at me, but she agreed, “Ruby will be pissed if I don’t share this with her, but she doesn’t need to know everything.”
“Thank you.”
Breathing a sigh of relief, I was grateful Betsy would keep what she witnessed to herself. Both Betsy and my friends had told me Emily was introverted and didn’t like being in the spotlight. I completely understood and wanted to make sure she was protected from being the subject of gossip. After walking into my office, I sat down at the desk and hoped to get some work done before it was time to leave.
On the one hand, I enjoyed holding Emily’s attention for so long, and it was obvious she appreciated talking to me too. On the other, I worried that I only bothered her. What if she thought she couldn’t get peace and quiet working here anymore, and stopped coming? When would I have the chance to see and talk to her again?
I didn’t even get her number. If she didn’t return to the library, I would know she wasn’t interested in me in the slightest. But, I really, really hoped she was interested in me.
After checking my emails, I responded to a few before noting the time. Trudy would be manning the front desk tonight and should already be in. I grabbed my messenger bag, which sat next to my desk, locked the door on the way out, and headed toward the entryway.
After saying goodnight to Trudy and Betsy, I left for the bar. Walking through town, a few of the planters' dirt was freshly tilled. The business owners were already preparing for spring to arrive.
The only bar in town would be considered a hole-in-the-wall or a dive bar in Chicago. The outside was unassuming with only a small neon sign in one of the windows to identify it as the local pub. Inside it was all dark wood with vintage posters, license plates, and old signs hung on the walls. Walking in, the same old regulars were perched on their seats at the bar, but most of the other limited seating was empty, it was still early. Preston was waiting for us in our normal booth, looking freshly showered.
“Is the shop still slow?” I asked, sliding into the dark brown leather booth across the table from him.
“Yeah, Zeke thinks we’ll pick up again in a week or two,” Preston responded, “How was your day?”
Ezekiel, or Zeke, owned the only mechanic shop in town. He was a nice guy and even though he was the only shop in town, he kept his prices fair.
“Well, I finally did it.” Preston’s hazel gaze turned confused, so I clarified, “I talked to Emily.”
“Oh? How did that go?”
“Great, we have a bit in common with our favorite types of shows, and we talked about her work, and a little bit about mine.”
I purposefully left out how the conversation started, still embarrassed by the entire unfortunate situation. Thankfully, she didn’t run away screaming and calling me a pervert. That could have ended badly for me.
“That’s awesome. Are you going to ask her out?” Preston asked.
“Ask who out?” Trey asked as he and Levi slid into the booth.
“He finally talked to Emily,” Preston informed them.
“Great job buddy, I knew you could do it,” Levi teased and I glared at him.
“Yeah, yeah, but keep it down. I don’t want the rest of the town to get wind of this and have the rumors start up.”
“So are you going to ask her out?” Trey questioned.
“I think I’ll focus on getting to know her better, then we can see from there.”
“Friends first is a smart idea. Less of a chance she turns into a conniving wench,” Preston remarked as we all raised an eyebrow at him.
We didn’t know much about Preston’s past, other than he grew up in the pacific northwest and some woman messed him up bad before he moved here. Every now and then he’d make those types of comments and we’d give him a little bit of time to dive into why, but he never did. He always moved on like he hadn’t revealed a bit of the still simmering hurt he was obviously holding on to.
Moving on from the conversation, Levi started talking about the latest job they were working on. I was only half listening. My mind kept traveling back to my conversation with Emily.
As much as I was trying to remain chill about it all, the excitement over finally speaking with her left a warm fuzzy feeling over me. I only had to not blow it with blundering responses or conversation starters. However, after the way our conversation started today, I couldn’t imagine it got any more awkward than that.
After about an hour and one beer, I gave an excuse about being tired before I left the bar. Typically on Friday nights I rallied, but I wanted to bask in the glow of my success today in the peace of my home. Driving home, I was excited for Monday and the chance to see Emily again.
Saturday came, and I found myself slightly bummed I wasn’t going to see Emily. I practically obsessed over her all night to the point I even dreamt about her, followed by the disappointment of not waking up next to her.
Fortunately, I didn’t have to wait until Monday to see Emily again. As I walked through town to do some Saturday shopping, I spotted her entering Trudy’s Treasures.
Unable to resist, I made a beeline for the shop I had only stepped in a handful of times since I moved here. I never had a need for unusual tchotchkes, art, or any of the other things Trudy had in her store. Unfortunately, that realization came a bit too late as I stepped into the store and had no other excuse to enter other than the woman with auburn hair currently looking through boxes of colorful frames.
“Oh, Ryan! What brings you in today?” Trudy spoke loudly as she slid up to me.
Emily’s head snapped to me and the corner of her heart shaped lips tipped up in a grin. Turning my attention to Trudy, she smiled brightly at me, the small lines at the corner of her eyes creasing. The tight curls of her dark brown hair framed her face and fell around her shoulders. She wore a cardigan with a colorful floral pattern with the sleeves ending past her elbows over a bright red camisole.
Trudy was a part of the gossip brigade, and one of the most eclectic people in our town. She was friendly with everyone and was one of the many people who made this town amazing. If we didn’t have people like Trudy, I don’t think this town would have been the right fit for me, or anyone who wasn’t rich or religious.
“I’m out doing a bit of shopping, and it’s been a while since I’ve come in to see what you have. So I’m only browsing.”
“Well, Emily is doing the same today, she says she’s helping Meghan redecorate her office. Did you know Emily decorated her whole apartment with things she found here?”
“Is that right?” I smiled as I glanced at a blushing Emily, “So Emily has an eye for design?”
“Oh, have you seen her apartment?” Trudy asked and my head turned back to her as her eyes gleamed with excitement.
“No, I have not,” I said, shutting down her obvious dig for information.
“Trudy, how much is this frame?” Emily questioned, pulling Trudy away from me.
I moved down an aisle of antique items, while Trudy and Emily discussed the frame. I should have thought this through more carefully, but the moment I saw Emily, I was helpless to resist the desire to be near her.
I picked up a random item and inspected it, not terribly interested but wasting time until I could speak to Emily without prying ears.
“That doesn’t really seem like your style,” Emily teased as she approached me.
“It’s not, but it’s interesting.” I responded, setting the item back on the shelf and turning to look at Emily. Trudy was behind the counter again, typing at the computer.
“So, what’s your style?”
“Uh …” I paused and then finally said, “I don’t think I have one.”
“Oh everyone should have a style. Something that is unique to them. I bet yours is industrial. Lots of earthy vibes, and plants.”
“Well, I do have one plant I’ve managed not to kill,” I chuckled.
“What kind of plant?”
“I think it’s a Pothos,” I replied.
“Here,” Emily waved her hand for me to follow her before she led me to the back of the store.
She picked up a stone turquoise planter with a sort of distressed look to it as it faded to a more gray color at the bottom. Turning toward me, she held it out, and I took it from her.
“You can propagate and have two plants in your home,” she said with a smile and I smiled back.
“You know a lot about plants?”
“I know Pothos are hard to kill and perfect for those of us that don’t have green thumbs. Which is why it’s the only plant I have in my apartment.”
I chuckled and she huffed her own laugh. The smile gracing her face was stunning, and I allowed myself to get lost in it for a second.
“I, um, have to go to the bookstore. Do you want to join me?” Emily asked and my smile grew wide.
“I’d love to.”
We moved together toward the front of the store, where I paid for my new pot. Trudy gave us both an assessing stare, and we both tried to ignore it. I only hoped my excitement over spending more time with Emily wasn’t plain to see on my face. The eyebrow raise Trudy gave me told me it was.