"You work here?"
"Assistant manager." I force something close to a smile. "And barista. Sometimes janitor."
One side of his mouth pulls up, not quite a smile but close. "Sounds like a full-time job."
"It keeps me busy."
He scans the bookstore, taking in the mismatched furniture and floor-to-ceiling shelves crammed with paperbacks. The fairy lights flicker again, and his jaw tightens.
"Storm's going to get worse before it gets better." He adjusts the cap on his head, and I catch the emblem stitched onto his uniform.Ridgeway Air Force Base. Fire and Rescue. A firefighter. Of course he is. "You planning to close up and head home soon?"
"As soon as the rain lets up."
"Good." His voice drops lower, and his words bring butterflies to my stomach.
His voice settles over me like a protective touch. I don't know this man, not even his name. But the way he’s talking makes me believe he'd come back if I needed him. That he's the kind of person who shows up when things go wrong.
He reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out a business card, writes something on the back, and sets it on the counter between us.
"In case anything else sparks." His voice is matter-of-fact, but his eyes hold mine a beat too long. "Electrical issues don't always show up right away."
I reach for the card at the same time he pushes it toward me. Our fingers brush. The contact sends electricity racing up my arm that has nothing to do with faulty wiring. His hand is warm, rough with calluses, and so much larger than mine that the size difference makes my breath catch.
He pulls back first, but slowly, as though he felt it too.
"Thank you," I say.
"Anytime." He adjusts his cap, and I catch the emblem stitched onto his uniform again.Fire and Rescue. "You shouldn't be alone in here if the power goes out."
The words settle over me like an invitation. Or a promise.
The door chimes again. Sophie sweeps in on a gust of wind and rain, shaking out her umbrella. She stops short when she sees him, and a grin spreads across her face.
"Brooks Maddox." She says it like she's greeting an old friend. "What brings you to my humble bookstore?"
Brooks. So that's his name.
"I thought it was coffee, but you have a faulty outlet." He nods toward the coffee bar. "Thought I'd make sure it didn't turn into a bigger problem."
Sophie's expression softens into something knowing. "Well, aren't you a lifesaver. Literally." She glances at me, eyes twinkling. "Elorie, this is Brooks. He’s with fire and rescue over at Ridgeway. If you ever need someone to save the day, he's your guy."
Heat crawls up my neck. I duck my head, pretending to straighten the scattered bookmarks. "Nice to meet you."
"You too," he says. When I glance up, he's still watching me.
The door chimes a third time. A younger guy in a matching uniform bursts through, grinning like he just won something. "Brooks! Didn't know you were here. Just grabbing coffee for the night shift before we head back."
He waves at me. "Hey, Elorie. The usual?"
Elijah. He comes in three times a week, always orders a caramel latte, always talks too much. "Sure thing."
I move behind the counter, grateful for something to do with my hands. The familiar rhythm of pulling espresso and steaming milk steadies me. When I hand him the cup, he takes a sip and sighs dramatically.
"Best coffee in Pine Valley. I keep telling Brooks he needs to come here more." He grins at his boss. "See? Told you."
Brooks' expression is somewhere between resigned and uncomfortable, but he doesn't argue. Elijah taps his phone to pay, waves, and heads back into the rain, leaving the three of us in sudden quiet.
Sophie glances between us, then at the windows where rain lashes the glass. "I'm going to grab my laptop from the car before this gets worse." She says it casually, but the look she gives me is anything but. "You two good out here?"
