Dylan turned and saw a woman standing beside her.
"Hello," she greeted the woman. "Can I help you find something?"
The woman smiled. "Yes, please. I'm looking for the new Nora Roberts."
Dylan bit back a sigh of irritation. The woman would have walked right past the table holding a stack of copies when she came into the store. It was in front of the entry, big as life.
Still, it was her job to help customers.
"Of course." Dylan put the dust cloth on the shelf and wiped her hands on her jeans. "Please come with me."
She led the woman toward the front of the store. "How are you today?"
"Oh, I'm fine," the woman answered, studying Dylan. "I'm Zelda," she continued.
"I'm Dylan. It's nice to meet you."
"Do you enjoy reading, Dylan?" Zelda asked.
"Yes, ma'am. It's one of my favorite pastimes."
"Mine, too. There are so many days I find the company of books less stressful than that of people."
Dylan glanced at the woman, taking a moment to truly look at her. She had short auburn hair and smooth, pale skin, yet she felt an impression of maturity.
Zelda reinforced it when she eyed Dylan again and said, "You know, I have a nephew about your age who loves to read."
Knowing exactly where the woman was heading with that conversational gambit, Dylan replied, "How nice. Do the two of you discuss books often?"
Zelda laughed, seeing through the segue immediately. "Not really. He prefers thrillers and murder mysteries. I like both of those, but I also love a good romance." She dropped the subject of her nephew and asked, "What do you like to read?"
Dylan shrugged. "A little of everything. Romance, of course, paranormal, fantasy, and the occasional thriller as well. I also like non-fiction."
"It sounds like you're very well-rounded when it comes to genres," Zelda commented as Dylan came to a halt.
"I try. It helps me lead customers to new books." She reached down and picked up a hardback copy of the latest release from Nora Roberts. "Like this one," she said, handing it to Zelda.
"Oh, I feel silly. I walked right past this when I came in," the other woman said. "I'm sorry to have bothered you instead of opening up my eyes and paying attention to my surroundings."
"It was no trouble at all," Dylan said.
Surprisingly, she meant it. Despite her initial annoyance at being interrupted, she'd enjoyed the short conversation with Zelda.
"Is there anything else I can help you with?" she asked.
Zelda shook her head. "No, thank you. I believe I'll browse for a bit."
Dylan smiled. "Please ring the bell up front when you're ready to check out and I'll come right up."
"Thank you, dear." The other woman studied Dylan for a moment. "Are you sure you wouldn't like to discuss my nephew a bit more? He's handsome, hardworking, and single."
Dylan couldn't hold back a laugh. "That's very sweet, but I don't think it would be a good idea."
Zelda took the refusal with a laugh. "Well, I have to try. The boy just doesn't seem interested in dating. It's not healthy."
Dylan figured that the woman's matchmaking attempts probably drove the poor man nuts but instead of agreeing or disagreeing, she merely made a humming sound in the back of her throat.
After another moment, she left Zelda to her browsing and went back to dusting shelves.
