Six hours later, once the store closes, Gloria, Dom, and I sprawl out on separate couches in the store. Just for a moment's rest before we begin cleanup and counting down the register.
“Thank you for earlier, Gloria.”
She gives me a dismissive wave. “It was nothing.”
“Did she end up buying the book?”
“Oh yes,” she muses. “The entire series, actually.”
“You must be some kind of bookish witch!” I’m endlessly impressed by Gloria and the way she runs her store. It’s its own artform, honestly, the way she speaks to customers about books and somehow talks them into buying exactly what they didn’t even know they wanted. I want to be her when I grow up.
Gloria stands with a sigh, rubbing her hands together. “Well, I need to hop in the back and sort the shipments that came in this morning. Can you two handle the cleanup up front here?”
It dawns on me that Gloria wasn’t supposed to be here all day. In fact, she arrived at ten this morning to receive the shipments and was supposed to leave when she was done. “Shit, Gloria, I’m sorry! You should go home. Dom and I can?—”
“Oh shush,” she laughs, “I’m fine. Really.”
Dom and I stand as we exchange silent looks of concern that Gloria was on her feet, overdoing it all day. And a silent argument over who gets to count the drawer and who gets to reshelve the cart full of books customers left in random places all day. One task is clearly easier and?—
“You two behave while I’m in the back,” Gloria cautions with a teasing tone. “Even if I can’t see you, we do have security cameras, you know.”
She disappears into the back and I turn to Dom, completely mortified. “Oh my god!” I hiss, my cheeks heating. Dom doubles over with laughter. “Dominic! How can you laugh about this? It’s not funny!”
While we’ve been seeing each other nearly every night, Dom and I haven’t exactly told Gloria that we’re together. There’s no particular reason why, but there hasn’t been the right opportunity yet. Between Gloria’s social life— I swear she’s more popular now than she was when I was a kid, despite the factshe no longer hosts weekly summer barbecues— the store, and sneaking in alone time with Dom… okay, maybe I’m afraid to tell Gloria about us. What if she disapproves, since we work together? Or— even worse— that she thinks I’m not good enough for her nephew?
A warm hand cups my cheek. “Where did you go?” Dom whispers.
“Does she know? About us?”
Dom frowns. “I don’t think so? I haven’t told her anything.” He pauses.
“There’s a ‘but’ coming, isn’t there?”
He gives me a true, authentic Dominic Miller smile and I feel my insides melt. Being on the receiving end of those smiles is a rare experience, and I cherish each and every one. Dom tucks a piece of hair behind my ear. “But she’s not blind.”
“What does that mean?” My eyes widen in shock as I gasp. “Oh my god, has she seen us on the security cameras?” Pulse racing, I try to recall the random times Dom and I have hooked up at the store. Besides the one time against the bookshelf months ago, we’ve only ever fooled around in the back room. I didn’t think there were cameras there, but now I’m not sure and?—
“Relax, Pea,” Dom murmurs, pulling me close to his chest in a hug. “I mean she’s observant. And anyone with eyes and a brain can see the way I look at you and just… know.”
Oh sweet baby Jesus, this man will be the death of me. I wrap my arms around him and hold him tightly. “Oh.” Really brilliant response there, Penelope.
Dom strokes my hair for a moment before stepping back from our embrace. “You seem to be a bit frazzled,” he comments, stroking my cheek before walking away. “Why don’t I handle the reshelf cart from hell and you take care of the money?”
Blowing him a grateful kiss, I force my brain to get its shit together as I count down the drawer. I tuck the money into the safe in the break room before locking it back up. I should go help Dom with the rest of the reshelves, but he was already half done with them when I headed back here. Instead, I head to the back room to see how Gloria’s doing.
Unlike me and Dom, Gloria never listens to music when she works back here, so it doesn’t surprise me that it’s silent. She prefers the quiet, away from the hustle of the main floor, where it’s just her and her books in peace.
“Gloria?” I step around the first set of shelves to find Gloria leaning against the pallet containing the shipment we received earlier today. She’s clutching her chest and breathing heavily– the pallet hasn’t even been broken down yet. “Gloria, are you okay?!” I rush to her side and she does that dismissive wave to me again.
“Of course. Just needed to catch my breath.” She sounds weak, and when I wrap my arm around her shoulders, she’s trembling.
“Gloria–”
“I mean it, Penelope. I’m fine.” Gloria shrugs off my arm; her dismissal stings. She must see the hurt in my face because she takes a deep breath and touches my arm. “I don’t mean to snap at you, honey. I’ve just been tired lately, what with the store being so busy and all.”
Nodding, I look for signs that there’s more to it than that, but I don’t want to be nosey. “Do you want me to get?—”
“No,” Gloria says firmly. “Please, don’t mention this to Dominic.” Her expression is almost pleading. “He’ll overreact over it, something so small. Really, dear.”
