“Well…” I hesitate because I don’t want to keep a secret like this from Dom. “As long as he’s the one driving home.”
“He is.” Gloria pats my shoulder. “And you know what? It’s getting late. I was going to stay to get this done but this shipment can wait until tomorrow, right?”
My gut is screaming at me that something is wrong. Gloria is hyper-vigilant about keeping up with the shipments, especially during busy times when we tend to get several a day. If you fall behind, even once, it leads to absolute chaos— books showing in the system that they’re on our shelves when they’re still in boxes in the back, issues with crowding in the back room, to name a few.
“Sure.” Forcing a smile on my face, I nod towards the front. “Let’s go. I’m sure Dom is done with the clean up by now.”
Gloria and I grab our things from the break room and walk toward the front where Dom is sitting on a couch, scrolling on his phone. He jumps up as we approach. “All set?”
“Yes, we’re ready. Thank you both for all of your hard work today.” Gloria’s voice is less shaky than it was in the back room, and she’s not wheezing anymore, but Dom shoots me a concerned look. I shake my head slightly and mouthI’ll talk to you later.
We all stop at the door as Gloria goes to tap in the security code for the alarm.
“Oh, I forgot something in the back!” Gloria and Dom both look at me in confusion. “You guys go ahead. I’ll just… I’ll go grab it and then I’ll set the alarm.”
Dom’s brows narrow in suspicion. “We can wait for you.”
“No, really. I can close up.” I tilt my head with a forceful smile at Dom. He gives me a reluctant nod and I’m sure he’ll be calling me for answers as soon as they get home. He pushes the door open, holding it for Gloria.
Gloria looks at me and I know that she knows what I’m doing. She gives me a sad smile before gathering me into a tight embrace. “Thank you,” she whispers. Emotion overwhelms me,catching me off guard. Gloria has been closer to me than my own mom the last few years, and this hug is more maternal and comforting than I expected.
“Get some rest,” I mumble to her when she steps back.
“What would I do without you two?” Gloria says softly, an actual twinkle in her eye.
Once they leave, I lock the front door and head to the back room. Connecting my phone to the bluetooth speaker, I put on the Teddy Hamilton audiobook I’ve been dying to start and get to work tackling the shipments.
FOURTEEN
july
DOMINIC
I am numb.I have been walking for what feels like hours, and it’s not until I hear the tinkle of the bells that I realize my feet have brought me to the book shop.
It’s busy again. It’s been so damn busy lately. Pen handles multiple customers at once while Grace works the register.
I don’t say a word to either of them, just drift over to my favorite couch in the corner and sit.
It could have been minutes or hours, but Pen comes to me, a concerned expression on her face.
“Dom? What’s wrong?”
It takes me a moment to process her words. Opening my mouth to speak, I realize I can’t find the words. Or is it that I have the words but I’m too scared to say them out loud? Fuck if I know.
“Baby, you’re scaring me,” Pen murmurs as she steps closer to me, cupping my face in her hands. “Say something, please.”
“Excuse me, miss?” a woman says from behind me. “Are you the only person working here? I need some help.”
Pen glares at someone over my shoulder. “Just a minute, ma’am.”
Damn. I love when she calls the bitchy customers that, it riles them up so good.
She returns her gaze to me, eyes softening. “Dom, baby, please?—”
"Gloria is gone."
The words escape my lips, void of any emotion or inflection. It's as if the reality hasn't fully registered, and I find it hard to believe what I'm saying.
