Most of our repair budget had gone into the store itself and the apartment above it, so the office and the storage room beside it were always cold, even in the dead of summer.
Leaning forward, I turned on the space heater aimed at the desk before I reached into my bag and pulled out my MacBook air. Most of the time, I brought work home with me. It took a lot of effort to keep the public interested in our little store.
After responding to the few work emails, I opened up theBooks, Brews, and Reviewsblog and set to post a review of my latest read. Once the post was ready to go—spellcheck and edited—I published it.
The blog and the Instagram account forBooks, Brews, and Reviewswas one of the ways I kept the interest growing for our little bookshop. The Instagram account had over thirty-five thousand followers, and it grew more and more each day. I’d always enjoyed taking pretty photos, so I was able to transition seamlessly into the “bookstagram” niche, and this had brought a new wave of tourism. Book lovers visiting Nova Scotia would make a point of driving out to our shop.
I shared the photo I’d snapped yesterday to the Instagram account, along with a brief description encouraging people to check out the blog for the full review, cross-posting it to the Facebook page and our Twitter account.
Harper
I know he enjoys fantasy books, like that hobbit book.” The fifty-something gentleman worried as I rang his books through.
“I’m sure he’ll enjoy this series, too,” I assured him. “If he doesn’t, you’ve got twenty-days to return it—given it’s in the same condition it was when it left the store.”
“Excellent,” he smiled, opening his wallet and pulling out a credit card. I rang it through and printed the receipt, sliding it into the first book.
I placed the trilogy in a bag and handed it to him, sending him off with another smile. The bell rang and I looked up as Shay Hastings strolled in, pausing long enough to hold the door open for the elderly man.
Shelly had gone to grab her things from the back, so when Shay didn’t see her, he strolled over to the counter. “Hey, Harper.” He smiled warmly.
“Shay,” I replied, returning his smile. “I wondered if I could have a moment of your time?”
“Yeah, sure. What’s up? Is my kid causing problems? Stealing from the till?” he said, his lips quirking as I laughed at the notion.
“No. Quite the opposite, really. I was going to offer her a part-time paid position here. Tourist season is coming up, and we could really use her help. Shelly’s excellent with the customers and has learned how to catalog precisely the way I like. I know she’s mentioned a no working rule in the past, but I figured it would be a great opportunity for us both.
“The no work rule is so that she can focus on school, she has the rest of her life to work.” Shay considered me for a moment, his large fingers rubbing the auburn scruff on his jaw. “When would this job start?”
“I’d like to get her started on the occasional weekend for now, to get her more comfortable before the tourist season begins. But during the summer, I’ll be able to offer her more shifts throughout the week.”
He nodded. “It sounds like a great opportunity for her. It complicates one thing though…”
“What’s that?” I asked, catching Shay scratching the back of his reddening neck. He dropped his arm and leaned forward a little, his lips tugging in a boyish grin.
“I was going to ask you out to dinner.”
“Oh,” I exclaimed, my lips parting with surprise, momentarily caught off guard. I chased after something to say. I thought over our past exchanges, trying to see if Shay had expressed an interest before. The warm smiles and the courteous way he spoke made me think he was just being friendly and kind.
“Would it be strange if I still asked?” He probed, brows pinching together. “Because I’d still like to take you to dinner.”
Shay was a good guy; he worked at the marina and was well known and liked in the area. He understood the demands of parenting, what with being one himself. But I’d gotten the vibe he wasn’t interested in moving on from his late wife, and that made me relax around him initially.
A part of me couldn’t help but wonder if Shay had asked mebecauseof Shelly. I could only imagine how much she must have badgered him with hints. He was waiting patiently, his eyes earnest and a little uncertain.
But what if he wasn’t asking because of Shelly? The prospect made me hesitate.
“Sure…I’ll have dinner with you.” I finally replied. I didn’t have the heart to slap him with an outright no.
“Great. How’s Friday sound?”
“Sounds good.”
He smiled. “I’ll pick you up at seven.”
“Hey, Dad!” Shelly said, her eyes moving from between the two of us with open curiosity.
“Ready to go?” Shay asked, moving away from the counter. He sent me one last glance and smiled over his shoulder before they strolled out of the bookstore, the door clanging behind them.
