Glancing at my watch, I realize that I only have a few hours until I have to head out for work. Snuggling in closer to Carl, I whisper, “Do you want to go for a walk, big boy?”
Carl tilts his head, yawns, and proceeds to roll over on his side with a huff.
“Is that a no?”
He sneezes in response.
“I don’t blame you, pup. Let’s take a nap before work, huh?” My promise to Chloe to get in some cardio vanishes as I wrap my arm around Carl— the big spoon to his small spoon.
At three pm, I stroll through the front door ofEver After, the bells above the door tinkling as I walk in. January in the Midwest is bitterly cold and it's a struggle to bundle up before heading out into the icy winds. Due to my tendency to overheat easily, there's something unsettling about trying to keep warm during a polar vortex winter.
Looking across the shop, I can barely see Gloria behind the register over the counter full of stacks of books. Her long hair is wrapped tightly in a bun atop her head, a mix of black and gray.
“Ah, the dreaded overstock mountains!” I joke, making my way to the back of the store where a door leads to a small break room and onto the back storage room.
“Seriously,” Gloria grumbles. I can’t help but laugh. Gloria is one of my mom’s good friends, and it’s that connection that got me the job here. My mom is now retired and living in a community in Florida— she constantly tells me how thankful she is for Gloria “keeping an eye on me.”
I enter the security code and push the door open as the lock releases. The break room is compact, featuring just a small table with two chairs, a counter with a sink, an old microwave, and a single stack of square lockers in the corner. We don't need much space since only five of us work here, and there are never more than two people working at a time.
Lockers aren’t assigned, but I slapped some stickers on one I’ve unofficially claimed as mine. Stickers like “thick thighs, bookish vibes” and “good girls read naughty books.” Shoving my puffer jacket and purse into the locker, I shut it as the door to the storage room swings open, catching me off guard.
A man charges in and, for a moment, I fear I might be hallucinating. His gaze lands on me as he comes to an abrupt stop, giving me a moment to look him over. He’s tall, well over six feet, with wavy brown hair reaching his ears. He’s wearing a dark short-sleeve shirt that showcases lean, yet sculpted, arms covered in tattoos, and a faded pair of jeans that don’t hide the fact he’s fit all over.
“Uh, what the fuck?” the words tumble out of my mouth before I can truly process the situation . The man raises his hands, as if defending himself, and I tear out of the break room, through the store to where Gloria is stacking books.
“Holy fuck! Gloria!” While it was a short sprint, I’m out of breath and heaving. Sweat has been beading on my forehead since I struggled into my jacket earlier and now it’s significantly worse.
She gives me an awkward grin. “Language, Penny. We have customers.” Releasing an exasperated sigh, I choose to ignore the fact that she used my dreaded childhood nickname.
“Gloria, there’s a man... in… the break room!” The breaths are still coming out short, so I lean against the counter and place a hand over my heart, urging it to chill the hell out.
“Okay.”
Wait, what?
Glancing up, I see the man walk casually through the store toward us, arms crossed with a scowl on his perfectly chiseled jaw. Okay, okay, he may have startled me but I’m still a straight woman— I can’t help acknowledging he’s also sexy as hell.
“Oh, so you’ve seen my nephew, Dominic?”
My heart skips a beat and I feel lightheaded. This is Dominic? The same boy I used to play with every summer when his family visited Gloria's house? Now that she’s pointed it out, I can see the resemblance, especially with his wavy hair. Gloria was known for her legendary summer parties. When her extended family would stay with her for a few weeks each summer the parties were always wild and lively.
From what I remember, Dominic is about the same age as me, but we haven't seen each other in at least fifteen years. Recalling the last time we saw each other when we were thirteen has me blushing at the thought. I had just gotten braces and was convinced that my new troll-like appearance was permanent. But Dominic spent the whole party trying to persuade me that the braces were fine and I still looked like a normal teenage girl. I wouldn’t stop complaining until he finally kissed me. It was myfirst kiss. When I asked him why he did it, he said it was to shut me up— then he ran away.
There was one time, one summer, when I asked him if he liked me.
“A little,” he mumbled back. I had narrowed my gaze at him, hands on my hips, head tilted before he coughed and said, “A lot.”
I haven’t thought of that summer in ages. Just remembering the way his ears turned bright red as he admitted to liking me has my heart beating faster. Okay, it was rather coerced… but still.
“You’re jumpy as shit,” Dominic grumbles in my direction. God, that soft hint of his southern accent sends shivers down my spine. Growing up, I used to think it was the dreamiest accent and now? Hearing him speak with his deep, gravely man voice? I’m more than a little turned on.
I can’t stop staring at him. He’s transformed into a stunningly sexy man and I… glancing down at my gray sweater-dress and boots, I feel boring, basic, and far from where I physically wish I could be. Damn, I hate this feeling.
Determined not to spiral in his presence, I muster up a response, “Well it’s not exactly like we have any other men working here.” Unable to help myself, I cross my arms over my chest, parroting his pose. “I wasn’t expecting you.”
Dominic’s gaze wanders up and down my frame before he mutters, “Clearly.”
The blush on my face deepens as the familiar heat of insecurity blankets me. Great, so it’s confirmed, he’s aware that I’ve spent the last fifteen years getting progressively less hot. Meanwhile he’s thriving and probably modeling for book covers in his spare time.
