I roll my eyes but know better than to argue.
He flips open the book, and his lips twist. “Scarlett,” he reads. “Page seventy-seven, line twelve.”
I step closer as he turns the pages. Together, we count down the lines until we find:in the place she went to every time she needed to unwind.
“The bookstore,” he says without missing a beat.
I blink at him. “Wait… you think this is about me?”
He shrugs. “Want to spread your legs and check if the next clue’s in there? ’Cause that’s whereIgo when I need to unwind.”
My face heats as I grab the book out of his hands and flip to thefirst page. The handwriting isn’t familiar, and half the town could guess I spend money at the bookstore any time life mildly inconveniences me.
“So… bookstore?” I say.
He nods. “Bookstore.”
Goddamn it. Hikingagain.
I’m practically lifeless by the time we step into the bookstore, my feet dragging behind me. Rafael, still looking as fresh as if he just rolled out of bed, follows me in and exhales.
“Lots of books in here,” he says, glancing around the shop. “How are we supposed to find the right one?”
Good question.
“Scarlett, hi!” Dana calls from behind the counter. “We just got some new arrivals. I set a few aside for you.”
“Did you?” I ask, suddenly reinvigorated. She waves me over and starts pulling out a stack of books. She’s already mid-description of the first one—a historical forbidden romance—when Rafael steps up and kisses the side of my head.
“I’ll take a look around.”
Right. I forgot why we were here.
“Oh, I can—”
“Stay,” he says, smiling, like watching me around books is better than seeing me naked. “Have fun.” Then, to Dana, he adds, holding out his card, “Whatever she’s getting—it’s on me.”
He walks off, and Dana lowers the book.
“Wow, Scarlett. Does he happen to have a brother or something?”
“Sorry. He’s one of a kind.”
She lets out a low whistle. “That I believe.”
We go through the pile, and I’m not even ashamed to say I’m taking all of them home. He offered, didn’t he? And he always does—which is why he had to build me another bookshelf. It’s only polite that I fill it.
After thanking her, I wander back to him. I can already tell from his expression that he hasn’t found anything.
“There’s gotta be another clue, right?” he says, rubbing his jaw. “Something we missed?” When I smile, he smiles back. “Yes, I’m invested now.”
I scan the shelves, my mind spinning.
If this is about me, then the book has to be here. But if this is aboutme… then why was the first book inhisoffice?
I turn down the aisle, Rafael trailing behind, and stop in front of the romance section.
“This is where we were, right?”
