Chapter 6
Chapter Six
Sophie
Who cares if I don’t look perfect?
Those words echoed through my head as Tammy Worth escorted me through her adorable bookstore to the romance section. My stomach is growling, but when I saw this indie bookstore, I had to stop in. I mean, it’s called Worth Reading. How cute is that?
I’d planned on checking out the store and asking the manager if I could ninja sign any of my books on the shelves. But Tammy recognized me the second I walked through the door. After fan-girling, she asked if I’d sign their inventory of my books. Of course I agreed since that had been my plan anyway. Only now I won’t be doing it in stealth mode.
She also wants to take pictures of me performing the task for her social media, which I also agreed to because I love supporting indie bookstores whenever and however I can. Unfortunately, tonight I’m supporting them with no makeup and haphazard hair.
I shrugged as Alexis Rose’s voice from one of my favorite shows, Schitt’s Creek, popped into my head… Nobody cares, David.
And honestly, nobody does care but me. So I’ll just go with it.
“You can sign them up at the table,” Tammy said as she grabbed books off the shelf. “You’ll be more comfortable that way.”
“I can help,” I said and held out my hands.
“Oh, are you sure?”
“Positive.”
Soon my arms were loaded with books. Dinner is going to have to wait a while.
“You can head to the table with those. I’ll be right behind you.”
I walked toward the front of the store and spotted a man standing near the door. My heart skipped a beat then pounded as our eyes met. I squeezed the books against my chest, as if they could help curb my reaction to him.
“Some light reading?” he asked.
“Oh uh…”
I set the books on the table, arranging them into neat piles before facing him again. Before I had to speak, Tammy emerged from the stacks, her arms laden with books. She set them down next to mine in a haphazard pile.
“Can I help you find something?” she asked Jamie as she walked behind the counter.
Without taking his eyes off me, he said, “No, I just came in to browse.”
“Okay, let me know if you need help.” Tammy stepped around Jamie as she handed me three pens. “I wasn’t sure which you’d prefer.”
I’m a bit of a pen snob and surprisingly she has one of my favorite brands, the Pentel EnerGel. My preferred color is purple, but blue comes in at a close second.
Jamie hadn’t moved. He just stood there watching as I took a seat and pushed the books back to make space for myself.
“If you don’t mind me asking, what are you doing?”
Ten words in a row, plus the three he said before. That’s probably more than Jamie said to me for two whole days.
“Sophie is just signing some inventory,” Tammy said.
His eyes shifted from my face to the books and rounded as he looked back at me.
“Sophie Baxter? That’s you?” I nodded. “You wrote all these books?” I nodded again. “Wow, that’s pretty impressive.”
“Thanks.”
My face heated and I looked down at the table, grabbed a book, and opened it to the title page. I heard a click and looked up.
“Ignore me,” Tammy said. “I’m just going to take some shots while you sign.”
I nodded, reciting the wise words of Alexis Rose in my head again, Nobody cares.
Turning my attention back to the book, I added my usual signature:
Happy Reading!
XOXO
Sophie Baxter
When I was first published, I used to write something specific for each book, but that got more difficult with each release. Plus, it was tough to do at large reader events and signings, so I started keeping it short and sweet.
As I reached for another book, I realized that Jamie had walked away. I didn’t hear the door open and close, so I assume he’s somewhere in the store. But I can’t focus on him. I have a lot of books to sign.
I got into a groove and managed to sign half of them in no time, while Tammy continued to take pictures.
“Mind if I keep you company?”
Before I could answer, Tammy swooped in.
“Ms. Baxter is just signing these as a favor. This isn’t an official book signing.”
The corner of my mouth curled up as I glanced over at Jamie. It looks as though Tammy has stunned him into silence.
“It’s okay, Tammy,” I said. “Jamie and I know each other. Sort of,” I added under my breath.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize.”
“No, it’s fine.” Looking up at Jamie, I said, “Have a seat.”
He pulled out the chair and sat, resting his elbows on the table.
“I had no idea you’re an author. I’m really impressed.”
“How do you know I’m not horrible?”
He gestured toward the pile of books in front of me.
“The fact that you wrote all these is impressive enough. But Tammy obviously knew who you were.” His smile transformed his face. “Plus I Googled you while I was back there in the how-to aisle.”
I looked down and focused on signing a book before I got too lost in that smile.
“Damn Google.”
A man and a little boy entered the store and Tammy stopped taking pictures of me to greet them. I didn’t hear what they asked for, but they followed her toward the back of the store.
Jamie watched me sign another book and added it to the neat stack he’d made.
“So what makes a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author get certified in pole dance fitness?”
I’m not sure what’s made him so talkative, but I’ll play along.
“I started doing pole dance fitness about four years ago and fell in love with it. Two of my best friends own the studio I attend and one day they said it’d be nice to have someone available to teach class once in a while to give them a break. That got me thinking that I’d love to teach, and once I got the idea in my head, it wouldn’t leave.” I signed a book and handed it to him. “I thought about it for a few months, did some research, and here I am. What about you?”
“What about me?”
“How did you end up doing pole?”
Before he could answer, my growling stomach practically echoed through the store. I rested my hand against it and shook my head.
“Sorry about that. I was on my way to dinner when I spotted this store and decided to stop in.”
“Where were you going?”
“The place around the corner. Neville?” I scrunched my nose. “I think that’s the name.”
I finished signing the last book and closed the pen with a dramatic click.
“That’s the name.”
“According to Yelp, they have good steaks.”
“They do,” he said. “I was actually heading there for a steak myself. Maybe we can go together?”
Jamie
I have no idea what possessed me to follow Sophie into the bookstore, or why I asked her to join me for dinner. Yes, there’s an electric connection between us, but I managed to avoid it for two days at the studio. But when I saw her walk into Worth Reading, I couldn’t not go to her. I’m not a woo-woo person, but it seemed like running into her was a sign from the universe that I couldn’t ignore.
So here we are, walking side by side, down the quiet street toward Neville.
“Does that happen to you often?” I asked.
“What?”
“You walk into a bookstore and end up signing a bunch of books.”
“No, tonight was a first.” She shrugged. “I mean, there’s a bookstore a couple hours from my house and I go in there regularly to sign inventory, but it’s planned. And I’ve been known to ninja sign a few of my books if I’m in a store and see them on the shelf. Which is what I planned on doing at Worth Reading.”
We approached the restaurant, and I opened the door then stepped aside for her to enter ahead of me. I asked the hostess for a table for two, then we followed her to one in the back corner. She handed us each a menu and said our waitress would be right over.
I already know what I’m having, so I set my menu aside and watched Sophie as she perused hers. The small votive candle in the center of the table illuminated her face with its soft light, giving her an ethereal glow. I stared, fascinated, as she nibbled on her plump bottom lip, wishing I could do the same.
Her mouth looks soft, lush, and kissable and it’s taking all my willpower to not leap across the table and do just that. I was trying to shake the thought of kissing her out of my head when her eyes shifted up and locked with mine.
I'm sure she knows I was staring at her, but instead of getting flustered, I decided to ask the question that’s been on my mind since before we entered the restaurant.
“What’s ninja sign ?”
Our waitress, Joy, approached before Sophie could answer. She ordered a glass of red wine and I opted for a pint of Guinness.
“Would you like me to put an appetizer in for you?” Joy asked.
Sophie looked at me and shook her head.
“I don’t want one, but I’m actually ready to order.”
Her raised brows asked if I was as well.
“No appetizer for me, either. And I’m ready too. I’ve been thinking about the New York strip all day.”
“That’s what I’m having too,” Sophie said.
“You’re making my job easy,” Joy said with a smile, then asked our side preferences and how we’d like our steaks cooked.
We both opted for rare, but I went with a loaded baked potato, and she chose mashed.
Once Joy left, I rested my forearms against the table and looked at Sophie, waiting for her to pick up where she left off before we ordered. She didn’t disappoint.
“Ninja signing is the term I use for when I go into a bookstore and sign my books that are on the shelf.”
“They just let you do that?”
“Usually, why?”
“You don’t have to show ID or anything?” She shook her head but still looked confused. “Do they always know it’s you?”
My lips curled up into a smile at her burst of laughter.
“I’ve never thought about that,” she said. “Even earlier in my career, no one ever asked me to prove I’m me.”
Her smile continued to light up her face as she met my gaze and I felt lost. I nodded, acknowledging her words, but couldn’t think of anything to say, could barely remember my name. Her eyes look more brown than green in the candlelight, but they’re no less captivating.
Thankfully Joy returned with our drinks before the moment could get awkward. The break also allowed me to get my shit together. Hopefully I’ll keep it together.
When she left, I held up my pint.
“Congratulations on passing your certifications.”
We clinked our glasses then each took a sip of our drinks.
“Thank you,” she said, “I was really nervous about passing the last two levels.”
“I didn’t have a doubt you’d pass.”
She smiled and took another drink then wrapped her fingers around the stem of the glass.
“I was surprised you weren’t there Tuesday and Wednesday.”
“Elliott said he only needed me for the first couple days.”
“Really? He seemed surprised you weren’t there.”
“Yeah, even though he said he only needed me for the first two, he expected me to show up for all four.” I shrugged. “That’s just the way he is.”
I took a long drink of Guinness, enjoying the smooth, rich taste.
“So how do you two know each other?”
“Elliott’s my oldest friend. We grew up across the street from each other.”
That’s simplifying it a bit, but she doesn’t need a deeper explanation.
“So is that how you know all the pole tricks? He just expected you to show up to learn them and you did?”
Again, the answer is a little more complicated, but I nodded.
“Pretty much.”
She met my gaze again and this time, I felt like I’d been sucker punched. I took another drink to cover my reaction. I don’t know what it is about Sophie that pulls at me. Obviously I’ve been attracted to women before, but this is different. I’m just not sure how or why.
She continued to stare at me and I raised my brows.
“What?”
“I don’t know.” She shook her head. “You’re different.”
“Different than what?”
“You barely said two words at the studio, but tonight, you’re…” She gestured with her fork and I tilted my head as I chewed, silently urging her to continue. “Kind of charming actually.”
It was my turn to laugh.
“I don’t think anyone has ever accused me of that before.”
“I believe it.” Her eyes twinkled as she added, “You’re more the tall, dark, and brooding type.”
“That sounds like a description only a romance author would use.”
“Those words may be mine, but I assure you that women feel the vibe. I witnessed it firsthand at the studio. All those little girls were flirting and falling all over you.” She picked up her wine glass and tilted it toward me. “I have to say, you handled the attention well. Not that acting disinterested was a deterrent to them.”
Sophie took a sip of wine and I watched her set the glass down before commenting.
“I wasn’t acting.” Her gaze met mine and I added, “I wasn’t interested in them.”
“They were definitely young and beautiful.”
“Young being the operative word there,” I said. “I can’t imagine being interested in a woman who wasn’t even born when I graduated high school.”
I’m not sure of Sophie’s exact age, and it would be rude to ask. But I’d guess she’s within a decade of me. Not that it matters. Once this dinner is over, I’ll walk her to wherever she’s staying, and we probably won’t see each other again.