14. Bex
FOURTEEN
Bex
P ages and Prose , Georgie’s shop and Sweetkiss Creek’s local bookstore, is a busy and popular spot when I stop in today. I love a delicious bookshop, but this one is special. Not just because it’s tucked away in what used to be an old walk-up apartment in town that’s now in the area’s most vibrant shopping district. Nor is it because it’s Georgie’s store and she’s my friend.
No, my affinity for this bookstore started last summer, before I moved here. I’d found out about Georgie’s open mic nights. I think she called them 15 Minutes of Fame, or something like that, and I don’t know…it tickled something inside of me and I had to explore it.
Something I taught myself how to do is play guitar. I’m not great—I can only manage a few chords—but I did write a song or two. Nothing major, just something for myself. I had anonymity at that time, which also gave me the courage to jump up on that stage almost every night she hosted here.
Georgie sees me, giving me a quick wave as she finishes ringing up a customer. I wait another moment as she takes care of a few more folks who are waiting in line, watching as everyone clears out in about ten minutes. The bookshop is silent once again.
“Hey,” she says, leaning across the counter like she’s about to curl up on top of it and take a nap. “Wow. That was a rush. Not sure why we’re so busy today, but I’m not going to complain. What are you doing here?”
I finger the pages of the latest bestseller she has on display at the counter. It’s an ice hockey rom-com I’ve had my eye on, Penalties and Proposals by Anne Kemp. I grab it and slide it across to her and lean on the counter myself.
“Buying that,” I say, “and also coming in for…girl talk?”
“Is that a question?”
“Pretty much. I think I want girl talk, but you may want to talk me out of a thing.”
She tilts her head to one side. “A thing?”
“A thing I’m here to girl talk with you about.”
“Is this like girl dinner?” she ponders.
That makes me scratch my head. “Not sure what you mean.”
Georgie rolls her eyes playfully, swatting at the air. “Never mind. What’s going on?”
“I may have kissed someone.”
“You did? Don’t leave me hanging…who?”
I stare at her and don’t say a word. Within thirty seconds, her eyes almost bug out of her head as she stands up straight and stares into space.
“Oh. Oh!” She pushes a few strands of hair away from her face, grabs her stool, and slowly sits. “No. Austin?”
I only nod.
“Was it good?”
“Amazing.”
“Good to know.” She cocks her head to the side. “Is this a manipulation on your part because of that hedge?”
“What? No,” I declare, standing back and pretending I’m offended she’d even suggest it. “I hadn’t thought of that, but it’s a good idea. No, the kiss was great. Austin is complicated, but what happened after that confused me.”
“What happened?”
“He just left.”
“Left. Like left and didn’t say anything?”
“No, he said, ‘I’ve got to go,’ and then left.”
“So there was a goodbye.”
“Yes. But, the kiss part was left dangling.”
“Was it a first kiss?”
“It was a forced one.” I fill Georgie in on what happened with Amy and she listens as only a good friend can.
“Okay,” she says, clapping her hands together and rubbing them when I’m done. “So he used you to get Amy to back off.” She eyes me and then simply shrugs. “C’est la vie.”
“What? You’re quite casual about where my lips have been.”
“Your lips, sunshine, not mine. Seriously, Amy had it coming. I know her boss and she was going to remove her from Austin’s job anyway. Apparently, she did the same thing to another single guy in town and it’s getting tricky. She’s a hazard, so just know that. That and the fact he is not interested in her.”
“How do you know?”
“Did you walk in on him kissing her ?”
She has a point. One I’ll ignore for now because I’m here looking for evidence. “That’s not my only issue, you know.”
The sound of the bell from behind signals a new customer at the door. I turn around to find a pretty dark-haired woman standing with a huge grin on her face.
“Ets!” Georgie exclaims, waving her over to us. “Bex, this is Etta, or Ets as I like to call her. One of the first friends I made when I moved here. Etta, this is Bex. She knows Spencer and Amelia.”
Etta smiles my way, a flicker of recognition in her eyes. “I’ve heard about you. You’re Spencer’s former assistant, you lived in California right?”
“I did,” I say. “You know the Stolls?”
Etta nods. “I have a wine bar over at the campgrounds. Amelia helped me get on my feet and get that shop opened, and I’m glad I did. This past summer was amazing.” She gives me the most genuine and warm smile I’ve seen in ages. “Welcome to Sweetkiss Creek, Bex.”
“We’re talking about boys,” Georgie prompts her and Etta’s eyes widen.
“Anyone I know?”
“Austin,” Georgie whispers as Etta gasps like any new-to-me-girlfriend should. It’s kind of amazing, the immediate bonding that can happen with women when we let our guards down.
“Ahhhh. My grumpy-pants McGillicuddy himself. How is old man crankerson these days?” Etta muses while Georgie shakes with laughter.
“He’s got a new neighbor and he kissed her,” Georgie says, nodding her head in my direction. I’m not sure I like this “let’s talk about you like you’re not right in front of us” scenario.
“Hello. I’m right here.”
Etta stares at me. “Are you prepared for someone like Austin?”
My head tilts to the side on its own. “What do you mean?”
“The guy gets attention,” Georgie pipes in. “There is a level of limelight and celebrity involved with a football player.”
I hadn’t thought about that. “True.”
“But, saying that,” Georgie continues, “you did work for Spencer.”
Etta nods her head in agreement. “So you’ve been around people who are in the spotlight constantly.”
“Yes, but it’s different when you’re dating the person who’s in the glare. They, in a way, have made peace with it. I’m not a big fan of it, that’s why I’ve never dated anyone in the spotlight. I don’t want it.”
“Fair,” Etta says as she puts her forearms on the counter and leans in. “I understand wanting to have your space.”
Georgie eyes me knowingly. “It’s the anxiety too, isn’t it?”
Only Georgie would know that the other layer of me, the autoimmune layer, is one to worry about. Slowly, I nod.
“It’s a choice like this that can add to my stress or maybe not. It all depends on how I deal with it, so I need to know I’m strong enough.”
“Why do you need to be strong enough?” Etta asks, prompting Georgie and me to give her a quick education on my relationship with Graves’ disease.
“So, I’d be making out with my neighbor, who is also my boss. There is so much wrong here. He’s also super grumpy, and I know I’m rose-colored glasses sunshine sometimes. Too much close proximity and now we’re also adding in too many rom-com tropes for my liking.” I throw my hands in the air. “I’m overthinking this kiss. This one amazing kiss that made me go weak in the knees. Just because I want more doesn’t mean he does, and I need to realize that not hearing from him for the last three days is a sign.”
“He could have been getting ready for his return to his team, he may have had appointments.” Georgie wags a finger my way. “You don’t know. Have you spoken to him for work?”
I shake my head. “I’ve only emailed him since it happened. I wanted to give him space.”
“So you haven’t talked at all since his lips were—” She points to hers and makes a ridiculous kissy-pucker face that makes me laugh. “On your smackers?”
“No. But…space. You know?”
“Pfft,” Georgie growls. “I’d be in his face, spraying my territory like a cat in heat. Mine! Mine!”
“Isn’t that what a seagull says?” I muse as Georgie leans across the counter to swat me.
Etta, who has been silent this whole time, grabs her phone from her purse and starts tapping on it. “What I’m hearing, Bex, is that you have bad anxiety that can come with the Graves, too, right? Like the disease can make it worse?”
I nod.
“My friend, Dylan, has really bad anxiety.” Etta taps away, then with a final touch, puts her phone down on the counter. “I know she has a list of things she uses to combat it.”
I open my mouth to say thank you, but my own phone suddenly chimes. Speak of the devil. It’s Austin.
I show Georgie who waves me to the back of the shop so I can take the call. Walking away, I press the phone to my ear.
“Hey.” Austin’s Southern drawl is like melted butter. Smooth. “Sorry to bother you, but I needed to touch base before I left town.”
“Oh,” I manage as my stomach dips. I can hear the intercom system for the airport in the background. “You’re already at the airport?”
“Charlotte. It’s a business trip that has come up suddenly, but I’m back tomorrow in the late afternoon.”
“Got it.” Of course. He’s going out of town and he needs to get his assistant to help with something, doesn’t he? And I am his assistant. “What do you need me to do?”
A noise from behind alerts me. Spinning around, I find both Georgie and Etta hunched over behind a bookshelf, pretending to be listening in. The pair’s giggles turn into raucous laughter when they realize I’ve discovered them.
Fighting my own laughter, I put my back to them again and focus on Austin.
“We have unfinished business. I need you to be free. One night this week, for me.”
“What?”
“I want to take you out, Bex.” He pauses. “Will you go out with me to dinner this week?”
Behind me, two high-pitched squeals that could break glass sound off. Throwing the duo a look, I cover the phone with my hand, attempting to mitigate any auditory damage done. I also turn down the volume on the phone, so these two won’t accidentally on purpose overhear anymore.
“I’d like that.”
“Good,” Austin says, his voice muffled as the voice on the speaker in the airport goes off again. A second later, he’s back. “They’ve called my flight to board, so I’m going to go, but I’ll be in touch as soon as I’m back. Have a good day, okay?”
We disconnect, and I close my eyes and giggle. I’ve got a date. A date with Austin. A date with a very handsome man who is also the best kisser I’ve ever let my lips come into contact with. Ever.
I don’t even realize I’m holding my phone next to my heart until Etta starts laughing.
“Look, Georgie,” she says between giggles. “She’s doing the phone clutch.”
Georgie tilts her head to the side and smiles. “Oh, bless. Yes, she is.”
I look down at my phone. “The phone clutch?”
“Holding it close to your heart, like you’re trying to keep him right here,” Etta teases as she pats her own chest. “Trust me. We get it.”
Her phone dings and she flips it up to read the text that has come through. “Okay, that’s Dylan. She suggests you get a fidget ring and now. There’s a jewelry store down the street that sells them. She highly recommends it for anyone who is anxious and also falling in love at the same time.”
“What?” My head almost spins off its axis. “I didn’t say anything about falling in love with…”
“You don’t have to,” Georgie interrupts as she waves a finger near my nose. “It’s all over your face.”
“No, no way I’m in love. Not yet.”
“Keep telling yourself that, sweetheart.” Georgie just smirks. “Take it from the both of us, the heart knows before the head does.”
As she and Etta exchange a knowing look, I feel my pulse quicken. “You two are impossible.”
Etta grins, leaning in. “And you’re in deeper than you think.”
I open my mouth to argue, but the words catch in my throat. Instead, I just shake my head, laughing nervously. “We’ll see.”
Georgie gives a playful shrug. “Oh, we already have.”