“But why would you want to sell? This place is amazing?” Nerves balled in Sue’s stomach. Just minutes ago, she had been daydreaming about a different life.
“It is, isn’t it? And I couldn’t just sell to anyone. I need to know that the universe approves.” Melba slapped her hands on the counter a few times and then propelled herself back a few steps. “But I’m turning sixty years young soon, and there are things I want to do.”
“You don’t look sixty,” Sue said.
“That’s good because I won’t be for another five years,” Melba answered.
Five years was soon?
“What is it you want to do?” Sue asked.
“Not bother with business taxes while I sit back and collect a paycheck.” Melba grinned. “That’s the catch. I come with the store—as an employee, of course. I figure three years is more than enough time to show someone the ropes. That way, I know I’m leaving it in good hands. Now, I won’t lie. It’s not easy being a small business owner. It’s not just selling hard copies anymore. We have to have an online presence with e-books and a portal for customers to order books they want, and we do a book fair at the local schools every year. They don’t make a lot of money, but kids need books.”
“Melba, this is so…” Sue felt her hand tingle.
“Also, you’ll be expected to read to Ace. He likes it when you perform scenes from some of the books.” Melba nodded emphatically. “He’s a naughty bugger. Loves vampire romances.”
“Oh?” Sue tried not to laugh. “I don’t know if—”
“Is it the ten thousand? That’s more of a rough estimate. We can run an inventory report—”
“No, ten thousand seems very fair, if not too cheap for a place like this,” Sue interrupted. “I…”
She thought of the check in her purse. Could she do this?
The ring sent a pulse through her hand so powerful that she gasped and had to grab her palm. “Ow.”
“What is it?” Melba hurried through the café doors to come around the counter next to Sue.
“Nothing. Hand stinger.” Sue flicked her hand several times to shake off the sensation.
“I hate those.” Melba leaned against the counter.
This was insanity even to consider. She had a house in St. Louis.
A house she hated with memories she hated even more, close to a mother-in-law who told people she was a suicidal opiate addict who had been a burden on her perfect son.
She had… what? What did she have besides those things?
Nothing. She had nothing. There was no life back in St. Louis. Here she had new friends, a budding affection for Jameson. Who knew where that would lead, but wasn’t it worth finding out? She looked at her hand. She had Julia’s magic. Lorna was right. Something was appealing about never having to clean.
Then again, all of this might not matter. If Hank’s spirit came for her, if these were her last moments, where did she want to spend them?
The answer was easy. Sue swallowed nervously. She felt a warm brush against her legs and looked down to see Ace rubbing against her.
“I can pay cash,” Sue said. The second the words were out, she felt warmth flooding her body and knew this was the decision she was supposed to make. “I’ll need to deposit a check, maybe open a bank account here, so I’m not sure how much time that will take for it to clear a new account.”
“Handshake deal works for me.” Melba slid the papers a few inches away from them, more as a symbolic gesture. “The details can wait.”
“I might need a little time to figure some things out.” Sue took Melba’s offered hand and shook it.
“Take your time. Ace and I will be here waiting.” Melba whistled and leaned down to pick Ace up from the floor. She scratched his head as she carried him around the sales counter toward the stage. “Did you hear that? You have a new lady to protect.”
Sue followed, watching Melba move toward a door labeled, “Queen of the Books.”
She looked at the store in wonder. Would this place be hers?
A tiny thread of panic tried to unravel from a place of doubt. It wasn’t too late. There had only been a handshake. She could change her mind.
Muffled noise drew her attention to the sidewalk outside. The large group that beat her to the coffee line had begun to conjugate there. Sue left the bookstore and stood in the doorway, partly in shock, partly in excitement.
What did she want?
What had she just done?
Was this who she was now? An impulsive bookstore owner in Freewild Cove?
Suddenly, she smiled.
Yes. That was who she was now. And it felt right.
Chapter Eleven
The smell of brewing coffee made her smile. Soft classic rock came over the speakers, underscoring the low murmur of customers’ voices. Almost everyone sat down at tables, not paying her any attention. She looked for Jameson but didn’t see him.
“Laney,” a man announced from behind the counter. He had pulled his long hair into a man-bun.
Sue hid her smile, knowing that it must be Stu.
A twenty-something sauntered up to the counter and began flirting for her coffee. Sue glanced up at the menu board and pretended to read it. She was the only person in line, and there was no reason to interrupt the youthful interaction.
“Yo, what can I get you?” Stu approached, pulling a pencil from behind his ear. He began tapping it along with the music and sang a few heartfelt bars.
“Four vanilla lattes with an extra shot to go,” she ordered.
“Fine choice. You are looking to ride a caffeine buzz. Cool. Cool.” Stu didn’t write it down but continued drumming his pencil in the air as he bobbed his head in time to the music. He turned to make her coffees.
“Hey, is your boss in by chance?” Sue asked. “Jameson?”
“Yeah,” Stu said as if surprised. “Dude’s never here this early on the slow days. I don’t know what’s up with that. He keeps popping his head out of the office and checking on me. Like I’m going to run off with the coffeemaker.”
Sue hadn’t expected him to say yes. She inhaled deeply and held her breath.
“Wait.” Stu stopped making her lattes and grinned. “You’re here for Jameson?”
Sue gave a weak nod.
Stu’s grin widened. “Damn, the boss has some game after all. It’s about time he macked on some honeys.”
Sue laughed at his obvious good humor. “I don’t think anyone has ever called me a honey. Or said I was macked on.”
Stu winked at her and started dancing his way back to the lattes. “Maybe not to your face, lady-lady.”
Sue couldn’t help smiling. Suddenly, everything Jameson hinted at with Stu made sense. This young man was clearly a handful, and his good mood was infectious.
“I’ll come back for those,” Sue said.
Stu waved a hand to indicate he heard her.
Sue went to the office door and lightly knocked.
“It’s open!” Jameson yelled.
Sue opened the door and peeked in. Nervous pleasure unfurled inside her. “Just stopping by to say hello.”
“Hey, it’s my favorite new employee,” Jameson announced from his desk with a friendly wave. “Come in!”
“You might not want to let Stu hear you say that.” Sue stood in the doorway.
“I did say new.” Jameson stood and came around the desk. He reached to close the door behind her, so they were alone. “But perhaps you’re right. I don’t want to hurt his feelings. He made it in on time this morning.”
Jameson didn’t return to his seat as he remained standing with her.
“I have some bad news,” Sue said. “I have to turn in my two weeks’ notice.”
His smile fell. “You’re leaving town?”
She leaned against the office door. The solid boundary helped her stay upright as he neared. Something about him made her stomach flip-flop and her knees weak. What the hell was this teenage-nonsense-reaction all about?
/> “Actually, it looks like I might be staying,” Sue said.
His smile instantly returned. “Really? What decided it for you? Was it the free latte?”
Sue nodded and joked, “That was one of the deciding factors, yes.”
“Always is.”
Sue laughed. The conversation flowed so easily with him.
“Wait, if you’re moving to town, doesn’t that mean you’ll need a job? Are you sure you want to give up the coveted position of barista so hastily?” Jameson managed a somber expression.
“Well, if it’s coveted…”
“Oh, it is.” He assured her.
“If my new endeavor doesn’t work out, I might be back begging for the position,” Sue said. “Hopefully, you’ll put a good notation in my employee file so I can come back.”
“Hm, I suppose I can put in there that you’re a good counter,” he said. “I know for a fact you can make it all the way up to sixty-seven.”
“Sixty-nine candles,” she corrected.
“Huh, I should fix that. I guess I couldn’t read my own writing from last night.” Jameson went to the desk and grabbed a sticky note. As he wrote, he said, “sixty-nine candles,” and circled it several times.
“That was a close call. It’s a good thing I stopped by or your paperwork would have been wrong.” Sue pushed away from the door now that he was farther away from her.
Jameson sat on the edge of his desk and crossed his arms over his chest. “So, did you just stop by to leave me understaffed?”
“And to say hi.”
“Hi.” He dropped his arms to his sides and rested his hands on the edge of the desk.
“Hi.” Sue tried not to blush, but she felt her cheek flushing slightly at his attention. “Last night you said you own the bookstore building, right?”
“I do.” He nodded.
“I guess that means you’re going to be my new landlord.” Sue watched his face closely for a reaction.
“Are you moving from the theater into the bookstore? If so, when you get tired of books, I have a cot in back you can use if you want to continue your business-hopping trend.”
“I’m buying the bookstore from Melba. There are still some details to iron out, but, yeah, we agreed.” Sue didn’t take her eyes from him.
He stared at her as if waiting for a punchline. When she didn’t say anything more, he asked, “Are you serious?”
Sue nodded.
“But you didn’t even know there was a bookstore until last night. Unless I misunderstood?” The lighthearted mood changed somewhat.
“I don’t know. Ace lured me in again today. I saw how great the store was, and Melba came out, and we started talking about cosmic signs, and there were contracts and… it made sense.” Sue looked at the floor. Now that I’ve said that out loud, it does sound a little sudden, doesn’t it?”
“I don’t know. I mean, if Melba was seeing her cosmic signs.” Jameson scratched the back of his head.
“Are you upset? Do you not want me as a tenant? I can pay a deposit.” Sue had no idea how much the rent was, but evidently, the store could afford to pay it since it was still in business. “I’m quiet, clean, and I swear I won’t be any trouble.”
“No, I don’t want you as a renter,” he confessed.
Sue tried to answer but didn’t know what to say to that. “Oh.”
“I wanted to ask you out on a date, but if I’m your landlord, that makes me a creeper.”
He did?
Sue couldn’t help her relieved smile. “We haven’t signed anything yet. We just agreed to agree. So technically, you’re not my landlord. Yet.”
“Good to know.” He nodded slowly.
“So…?”
“So what?” He arched a brow.
“Are you going to ask me out?”
“Depends. Are you going to say yes if I do?”
Sue nodded.
“How about…” Jameson looked at the clock on the wall. “Now?”
Sue laughed. “Now?”
“I like you. It’s not often I meet a woman who can,” he smirked as if catching himself and finished with, “count.”
“If women around here can’t count, then I’d say the first order of business is to overhaul the school system.”
“So, now?” he persisted. “I don’t want to give you a chance to change your mind.”
“Tonight and I promise I won’t change my mind?”
He pushed up from the desk and stepped closer to her. “I’ll pick you up at the theater at eight.”
Sue nodded, not backing away. She automatically glanced at his mouth. Her voice was breathy as she answered, “Eight.”
“Eight,” he repeated, leaning a little closer. His breath fanned her lips.
“Eight.” Sue licked her lips in anticipation.
“Okay.”
“Okay.”
Jameson leaned in slowly, giving her time to back out. Sue didn’t think, just acted. She pressed her mouth to his.
His kiss started gently as if asking permission rather than taking. She leaned into him, her hands lifting to rest on his chest. He caressed her arms before reaching around her back to bring her closer.
With each second, the kiss intensified. Sue didn’t want to stop and think. Her body felt starved for affection, and here he was offering it to her freely.
The closer they inched together, the more erotic the movements felt. Every tiny shift sent awareness humming through her. His unmistakable interest bumped into her, and he suddenly pulled away.
“I’m sorry,” he managed, breathing hard. “I didn’t mean to get carried away.”
Sue wanted him to come back. There was no denying how she felt. Grandma Julia had been right when she read Sue’s aura. There was a bright spot in Sue’s chest now, and it had a lot to do with meeting Jameson. She needed that light to grow, not fade. A warning whispered in the back of her mind. If Hank came for her, at least she wouldn’t regret not taking this moment.
“I’m not sorry you did that.” Sue went to him, reaching to pull his face back to hers. She resumed kissing him, letting her body press against him fully.
Jameson moaned in surprise. He walked toward her, reaching his arm behind her. The motion was a little awkward, but as she heard the office door lock, she realized what he was doing.
“Are you sure because I don’t want you to feel pressured?” He kept his voice quiet as he glanced at the office door.
Sue reached for his belt buckle. Excitement pumped through her. “I’m sure.”
Jameson kissed her, deeper this time. His tongue slid past her lips, changing from gentle to passionate. She managed to get his belt unbuckled.
“This is crazy,” he said against her mouth in between kisses. “I never do things like this.”
“That’s my line,” she answered.
Images flashed through her mind as if doubts tried to worm their way in. She thought of the car trunk, of waking up in the hospital with a second chance to live. She wanted that chance. She wanted to live.
Jameson pulled back. “I’m serious. I don’t do things like this.”
Sue breathed hard. “Do you want to stop?”
“Hell, no.” He took a step toward her, walking her back until she bumped up against the desk. He leaned his forehead to hers. “But I don’t want you to think this is a thing I do with just anyone.”
“I don’t do this either, but I like you. I can’t explain why. I just feel it, and I need to feel something good. I want to feel something good.” She caressed his face. “I think I spent so much time hesitant and scared. I’m done with that. I want to be here, now, with you.”
“Okay,” he whispered.
Sue smiled. “Okay.”
She reached for her jeans and unfastened them before pushing them from her hips. She used her toes to pull out of her shoes before kicking the jeans from her legs.
Jameson began to lean into her. He stopped. “Don’t move.”
Jameson rushed around the
desk to dig inside a drawer before shoving it closed and looking in another. He pulled out a smashed box of condoms and examined the sides.
“Not expired,” he said in relief, taking one out of the box as he came back around the desk to rejoin her. He dropped the box on the desk. A light murmur of voices rose from the coffee shop, and they both glanced at the door. When it settled back down, he asked, “Where were we?”
Sue laughed and resumed kissing him. There was no more hesitance or questioning as passion overtook everything else.
Jameson lifted her onto the desktop. Papers fluttered to the floor like in a scene from a movie. Her legs hung over the side.
Jameson unzipped his jeans and pushed them down, so they clung to his thighs. He put the condom on before coming to her. That first intimate brush caused a sharp gasp to escape her, and she bit her lip to try to stay quiet.
Sue had never experienced anything like being with Jameson. He kept his eyes open, gazing into her with a look of wonder as if he couldn’t believe she was with him. The ring on her hand tingled, and she began to feel him inside her—not just his body but his soul. She had detected his kind heart, but now she felt it beating in time with hers. This was a good and caring man. He could no more hurt a woman than he could stop breathing.
“What is that?” he whispered in awe.
“Magic,” she breathed into his ear, rocking her hips into him.
She fell back on the desk, bracing herself as the rhythm became frenzied. When Sue met her release, she felt her entire body explode with the pleasure of it. Jameson met his release seconds after her.
Breathing hard, he braced his hand on the desk next to her. They took a moment to recover. After some time, he straightened and turned away from her. He dropped the condom in the trash can and righted his clothing.
Sue hopped down from the desk and redressed.
When she finished, he pulled her into his arms and held her. “I don’t know if you felt it too, but that was…”
“Amazing,” she finished for him.
“Magical,” he said.
“Perfect.”
“Magical.”
“Wonderful.”
“Magical.”
Sue laughed. “I think you said that already.”
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