6. Chapter 6
Nick
Hours later, I’m in a meeting with my mom and older sister, Norah, discussing the shop’s finances, and I am still completely distracted by Lydia, the blonde with the infectious grin and captivating blue eyes.
Shit, did I really just use the words infectious and captivating?
What is wrong with me? I don’t want to think too much about it because this feeling, although completely foreign, is nice.
I want to know more about her. Where she came from. What brought her here.
“Nick? Hello, Earth to Nicholas!” My sister’s sharp voice yanks me out of my daydream. “Have you heard anything we’ve been talking about?”
No. No, I haven’t. Not even a little. I’d rather think of the pretty blonde who took my scone.
Her eyes. The curves I could already tell were hidden beneath her cute overalls. Her lips. Damn, those lips. I wonder what they’d look like wrapped around my…nope. Nope, not going there. My face heats at the thought that just crossed my mind.
“Yes, Norah. You have my full attention.” I cover my mouth to clear my throat and wave my other hand in a keep-going motion.
“I call bullshit, but that’s okay because I have somewhere I need to be anyway. We’ll put a pin in this conversation until next week.” She gets up, grabbing her bag as she checks her phone.
Norah is only a year younger than me, and she exudes confidence in everything she does. She wears pencil skirts, blazers, and the highest heels everywhere she goes.
“Can’t wait,” I say, heaving myself out of my chair, needing some fresh air to clear my head.
Mom gets up, hugs us both, kisses our cheeks, and then turns to head back into the house.
She looks a little tired today. Still beautiful and looking way younger than fifty-six, but I notice faint dark circles under her pretty green eyes.
I give her an extra squeeze and an “I love you, Mama” before she heads inside.
“Love you too, my boy. I don’t know who put that goofy grin on your face, the one you haven’t even tried to hide for the last hour, but I like it.” She winks, then heads for the house.
Norah grabs my arm before I can walk away. “Hey, got a sec?”
“Sure, sis. What’s up?” She looks up at me with the same dark brown eyes I have. Even with her sky-high heels, I tower over her. She’s a tiny thing, but she is a beast in the courtroom.
“Mom’s birthday is in a couple of days. Did you remember?”
Shit. Of course I have it written down, but I’d honestly forgotten it was coming up so soon. I’m grateful for Norah’s reminder.
“I was thinking a book basket would be a fun thing to give her. What do you think?”
Norah is a huge bookworm, a trait I’m sure she inherited from our mother, so of course something to do with books would appeal to her.
“What’s a book basket? Just a basket of books?” I ask, completely serious.
We turn to walk outside, and I hold the door open for her.
She’s carrying her briefcase as well as a stack of papers I try to take, but she won’t let me.
Our mother deserves the world, so if she wants a basket full of books, that’s what she’ll get, but it seems a bit silly to me. Why not just put them in a gift bag?
“No, nerd. Yes, there are books, but there’s also other things. A candle maybe, some chocolate, bookmarks, fuzzy socks, a blanket…all the comfy essentials a reader could want.”
Well, that makes more sense, I guess.
“Cool, I’m down. Want me to just give you some cash for my part?” I ask, thinking it’s a pretty clever gift for our mom.
The woman would sit in her reading chair and devour book after book every day if the strains of daily life allowed it.
With Dad gone, she doesn’t get to relax like that as often as we’d like, but maybe something like this can give her a nudge.
Maybe she can start delegating a little more and let us help relieve some of the stress that comes with owning a business.
“Actually, I was hoping you could go pick everything out? I have meetings the rest of the day. Would you mind? I’m sure Coco at The Second Chapter would be more than happy to help. The woman is a wealth of knowledge.”
I let out a small groan and fight the urge to roll my eyes.
I’m not good at things like this, but if there’s anyone I’ll do anything for, it’s my mom and Norah.
And my niece Abigail. Basically, I adore the women in my family, and they all know I’m always here for them, one hundred percent.
So if I need to go wander around the local bookstore to stock up my mom’s favorite things for her birthday, that is exactly what I’ll do.
Even if I have zero clue what I’m looking for.
“She’s really excited about the new Dragon’s Lair book. She’s read all the books in the series so far, and I think the new one just came out. Maybe start there?”
I have zero clue what a Dragon’s Lair is, but hopefully Coco can point me in the right direction.
“Yeah, sis. Of course. I have a bit of free time now. I’ll head into town and see what I can find.”
“You’re the best brother ever. Love you. Mean it,” she says as she reaches up to kiss my cheek. Norah is an attorney, one of the only ones in Whispering Hills, so she is always busy and almost always running somewhere.
I watch as her SUV pulls out of the driveway, leaving dust flying in its wake.
Okay, I guess I’m going to the bookstore.
I walk into The Second Chapter and am immediately enveloped by the scent of leather, vanilla, and bergamot. It’s an addictive scent. I start browsing for my mom’s dragon romance book. Who knew that was even a thing?
“Hi there! Welcome to The Second Chapter. How can I help you?”
That voice. I can hear the smile in it before I even turn around. And as I do, sure enough, there she is.
“You.”
“You,” I say, a grin taking over my face without my permission.
She’s here. She works here.
Where did this girl come from? And how the hell did I get lucky enough to see her again?
Walking into this bookstore feels like the best decision I’ve made all week.