Chapter 28 Madelina
Six Months Later
“I really should start charging you overtime with the number of boxes I’m delivering each week,” Tony, my regular driver, says with a chuckle as he effortlessly maneuvers the last two large cartons through the store’s entrance.
As he sets them down with a thud, I flash him a grateful smile, a hint of warmth piercing through the exhaustion that has settled over me.
I have a love-hate relationship with deliveries.
Opening each carton is like Christmas morning—the anticipation and excitement are palpable.
However, the aftermath of packing cartons and paper filler is my least favorite part, all because it involves lugging them to the recycling bin.
But I wouldn’t swap this for anything in the world.
Taking a deep breath, I turn my gaze toward the towering stacks of boxes that loom over me. Tony quickly offers his condolences, a running joke between us, then waves goodbye.
As the door chimes closed, I sit back for a moment and take it all in.
My dream.
Five months ago, I signed the lease and opened my very own romance bookstore right next to Donuts Ever After.
After several conversations with Eva and Billie, we settled on “Books Ever After.” It’s not just a bookstore selling romance titles.
We have special editions and hardbacks, with beautiful sprayed edges and foiled covers, plus cute bookish merchandise curated for any book enthusiast.
From there, my vision burst into life, even amid the chaos of my personal circumstances. The reality is, I miss Elliot every single minute of every single day, but nothing can change the fact that he chose to go back to France.
So, I got straight into it, channeling my heartache into making the store something unique.
From the palm green paint on the wall, to the pink neon sign perched above the brown Chesterfield lounge, every single detail was thought out.
Instead of sitting around waiting for the universe to give me a break, I decided to take things into my own hands.
And now, as I stare at the oak shelves adorned with all the beautiful editions, a sense of satisfaction washes over me.
Billie steps out of the back storeroom, a tablet in hand to assist her with the inventory.
“Wow, I can’t believe dragon romance is the biggest seller right now. Who would have thought, huh? I mean, I was never a big fantasy reader, but something about dragon shifters is hot.”
“So you’ve moved on from the one-night stand pregnancy trope?”
Billie presses her lips in thought. “For now. So, let’s go over the roster because this weekend is looking to be busy again.”
None of this would have been possible without Billie—our rock.
She’s the glue that holds all of us together, especially since Eva has had to slow down because she’s in the third trimester.
When Billie traveled to Europe for two weeks with her cousin, Eva and I were completely lost. Granted, it was only a short time, but her absence made us realize just how much work she does between the café and the bookstore.
“I’m good with the weekend shift,” I quickly tell her. “Olympia and Emily can alternate covering the lunch rush.”
Billie raises her eyes to meet mine, an unusual stare following. “I’ll do this weekend. You deserve a break.”
I let out a snort. “I’m fine, honestly. You know I love working.”
“Yes, I know you do. That’s the problem.”
“What do you mean that’s the problem?” I ask, with curiosity.
“That’s all you do—work. I think a little work-life balance would be beneficial for you,” Billie suggests softly.
I know exactly where she is heading with this. No, I have not dated since he left. The last thing on my mind is men. Frankly, it’s not even worth thinking about it. Heartbreak is something else. It’s a disease that spreads everywhere, and sometimes it’s incurable.
Billie knows well enough not to bring up anything about Elliot. When she traveled to Europe and told me she would be visiting France for three days, I warned her not to breathe a single word of that visit to me.
At the time, it was still too raw.
I snap out of my thoughts, ignoring the pang in my chest that still comes when I think of him.
“Okay, how about this…” Billie continues eagerly. “I take this weekend. You do next weekend. Eva wanted me to head into the city to check on the other café anyway.”
“Fine,” I tell her. “You’re a pain in my ass.”
“Yeah, but a hot pain in your ass who loves working here, just in case you don’t know.” Billie grins.
I throw my arms around her, tightening my embrace. “You’re my lifeline.”
Billie holds on to me, then pulls back and glances at me wistfully. “Both you and Eva are my lifelines. You’re my family.”
As our eyes begin to well up, we fall into a fit of laughter.
“We’re hot messes,” I laugh with an obnoxious snort. “No wonder we’re single.”
Billie’s laughter slows, but her smile remains on her lips. “I should go. I need to run across town to pick up supplies for the café, then I have dinner with Aunt Yvonne again.”
“Oh, no, what now?” I cringe, knowing this story won’t end well. “Did she marry the prince who claimed he had ten million dollars ready to transfer to her account if she provided him with her bank details?”
Billie shakes her head. “You won’t believe me.”
“Try me.”
“She’s auditioning for The Golden Bachelor.”
I tilt my head, confused. “The what-now?”
“The Golden Bachelor. It’s like The Bachelor, but it’s for people in their golden years.”
“Oh, Yvonne. I really can’t with her,” I say, suppressing my laugh.
“Yep, wish me luck tonight.” Billie waves goodbye and quickly rushes out the door.
Outside, the afternoon sun hangs low in the sky, almost skimming the horizon on this winter’s day. The snow has been lightly falling, a welcome relief from the recent snowstorms.
With the fireplace turned on, it’s warm and cozy in here, leaving me little motivation to depart the toasty space to head out into the brutal cold. I’ve just begun to open a box when the door chimes.
“Sorry, we’re closed,” I mutter, momentarily lost in my thoughts, battling the overwhelming to-do list growing in my mind.
When silence lingers in the air, I glance up, and the world tilts beneath me as I lock eyes with Elliot.
Everything within me begins to unravel at the sight of him.
It’s been months since our paths last crossed, and in that time, I’ve fought to piece myself together amid the wreckage of a shattered heart.
With a heavy sigh, I drop my eyes back to the boxes, attempting to mask the sudden surge of emotions at seeing the ghost of my past. A ghost who, despite looking slightly different than I remember, still looks devastatingly handsome.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, my voice a mix of annoyance and curiosity.
He takes a step closer, and instinctively, I take a step back, scared to close the gap between us. “I’m looking for a book.”
Unable to hide my annoyance, a huff escapes my lips. “You don’t read romance.”
Elliot remains quiet, a flicker of determination in his blue eyes. He’s wearing a thick black wool coat with snowflakes still sitting on his broad shoulders. From my stolen glance earlier, his body looks different, more buff. But then again, with the layers he’s wearing, that could be an illusion.
“I’m after a book with specific tropes,” he states.
I roll my eyes at his pathetic attempt to lure me into a conversation. “Do you even know what a trope is?”
“Yes, it’s a significant or recurrent theme,” he replies, his tone surprisingly confident.
“Did ChatGPT tell you that?” I shoot back, my gaze piercing as I do my best to fight every part of me that is falling apart at the sight of him. “Okay, I’ll bite. So what tropes are you after?”
“Small town,” he answers quickly.
I point to the shelves, resisting the urge to roll my eyes again. “Left aisle.”
“And friends-to-lovers.”
“Middle shelf,” I direct, crossing my arms.
“Second chance.”
Another huff escapes my lips as I place my hands firmly on my hips. “I don’t think you’ll find anything with all three. Usually, friends-to-lovers culminates in a happily ever after. But second-chance? That’s pretty rare.”
“I see.” Elliot moves closer again, but I take another step back.
I take a moment to consider. “My suggestion would be this one.”
My hands reach into the bookshelf to pick up a colorful cover adorned with charming illustrations. “If you enjoy it, the series continues. Assuming, of course, you actually read it.”
To avoid any accidental contact, I place it on the counter.
Then, the familiar blue-eyed dapper best friend of mine moseys on out from the storeroom after a very long afternoon nap. Honestly, I don’t blame him, I could have napped, too.
“There’s a sausage dog in your bookstore,” Elliot points out in disbelief.
“He’s a miniature dachshund. And yes, that’s Douglas,” I answer nonchalantly.
“Douglas?”
“Yes, Douglas.”
“You named a dapple-colored dachshund Douglas?”
I place my hands on my hips. “Yes, I did. Douglas is my dog. We live in Eva’s old apartment still, because I decided to use my funds to open this store.
Douglas enjoys a gentle morning stroll after breakfast and a solid run in the afternoon.
He also enjoys napping next to the hockey romance books.
I’m not sure what that’s about because we tried moving him, and he just keeps going back to the hockey section.
Anything else you need to know about my life? ”
“Madelina…” Elliot whispers softly.
“No, Elliot,” I warn him, avoiding his gaze.
“You walk in after six months of silence, and expect me to just be okay? Well, I’m not.
What I am is good at putting up a facade so no one thinks I’m still brokenhearted over my best friend’s older brother leaving town.
If you know what’s good for you, or if you even remotely care about me still, please take that book and leave me to process you walking into this bookstore unexpectedly. ”
With my heart beating incredibly fast, I head straight for the pile of boxes again and turn my back on him.