I looked up and saw East watching. His eyes stayed on our hands together, then moved to my face. The kindness in his expression was all directed at Maggie, but there was something else—something heavy and unsettling, as if he saw more than I wanted him to. My shop and my customers were my family now that I’d lost Grams. This little book club started as a way to keep the shop alive, but it had turned into so much more for me.
I cleared my throat and pulled back, turning to the group again. “Alright, last one for tonight. If you were stuck on the island and had to form an alliance, which character would you want to team up with?”
That question opened the floodgates. Half the room wanted Dr. Grant, a quarter swore by Ellie, and one brave soul said Malcolm, because at least the snark would make dying fun. Arguments flew back and forth, playful and loud.
I let it roll, watching people’s faces light up, their hands flying as they argued the merits of paleobotany versus chaos theory.
This was why I worked myself to the bone. For this. For the magic of people coming alive around stories.
The night wound down, as it always did. People gathered their coats, tucked books under their arms, and promised to return with notes and theories for the next chapters. Mia refilled travel mugs and packed leftovers in paper bags.
Maggie lingered, chatting with Janice about some old church bazaar they had both helped with decades ago. East stood nearby, arms crossed, watching the door like he was guarding it. He hadn’t said much all night, but he hadn’t looked away from the room either.
When it was finally quiet again, I stepped over to help Maggie with her coat. “Here, let me.”
“I’ve got her, sugar,” East said, his voice low and steady.
I froze, my hands still on the sleeve. His were there too, brushing against mine as he eased the cardigan over Maggie’s arm. Heat shot up my arm like I’d touched a live wire.
I stepped back quickly. “Thank you both for coming.” My voice was too bright, too casual.
Maggie gave me another of her warm, devastating smiles. “You put on a lovely evening, dear. I’ll be back for the next one. You can count on that.”
“I’d like that.” My voice softened despite me.
East didn’t say anything. He just nodded once, that same guarded look still etched across his face. But when he hovered by Maggie’s elbow to steady her in case she stumbled, I caught the faintest flicker of something.
It left me rattled, standing there in the warm glow of the lights as they walked out into the cool night.
I told myself it was nothing. Just East. Maybe his walls were thicker than mine were. Even if I were ready … he wasn’t. There was still the matter of him being Sage’s brother. It’d be messy.
But long after the door shut behind them, I stood in the empty shop, pulse still racing, wondering why my heart wouldn’t settle.
20
Easton
It wasn’t raining tonight, but somehow there was still enough moisture to bead on the windshield of my truck. Maggie hummed next to me, just the sound of her happiness spilling out. She hadn’t stopped smiling since we’d left Chapter & Crumb, and it brought back memories of my high school years when Levi was alive.
The Holt household was always a place of happiness, largely due to Maggie. She was always smiling, and her positivity made us kids, who’d never known anyone truly joyful, feel better. We were always cautious, waiting for something bad to happen or the other shoe to drop. The Holts were different, and that had been a wonderful adjustment.
“Did you hear Janice tonight?” she asked, adjusting the blanket I had tucked around her legs before we pulled outof town. “She about fell out of her chair laughing at that chaos theory nonsense. She still can’t work the microwave, bless her, and she’s got opinions on dinosaur cloning.”
I grunted in reply, which made her laugh. She knew me well enough to hear what I wasn’t saying.
The truth was, I hadn’t heard half of what Janice or anyone else had said. I’d been too focused on the gorgeous brunette.
Lila, hair curling around her face, laughing with her whole body as she wrangled that room full of book-clubbers. She had them eating out of her hand without even trying. Hell, she had me staring like a fool, sitting in the corner pretending I wasn’t listening when every word out of her mouth went straight into me like a hook, making my dick hard. There was no way I was going to be able to keep my hands off her.
Funny. Smart. Easy with people in a way I’d never managed to be.
And beautiful. Too damn beautiful for her own good. I had to adjust myself under the table without anyone noticing; she affected me that much. Every time she was nearby, I caught hints of vanilla as she brushed past me, and just today, when our hands touched, I nearly came out of my skin. All I wanted to do was toss her over my shoulder and carry her into the back, where I could dive between her thighs. I’ll bet she tasted just like sugar.
She’d caught me more than once. I’d looked away, of course, but the truth was I hadn’t wanted to. I liked watching her. The way her hands moved when she talked.The way she leaned into her customers as if they were the most important people in the world.
My fingers tightened on the steering wheel. I had no business thinking about her like that. Relationships weren’t my thing. Never had been. I was good at building walls, not at letting people in. But Lila made me curious, made me want to try letting someone else into the small circle I’d created. Even my men on my crew in Boise, I’d kept at a distance. Sure, they could loosely be called friends, but even they found me standoffish. Jett, maybe, was the exception.
“Earth to East,” Maggie said, her voice amused.
