Chapter 22
Tim parked in the alley behind the bookstore and paused at the service entrance for a moment, wondering if this was the way to handle this. Maybe he should go in the front and give her a chance to tell him to leave. Except that wasn’t what he wanted. He had no doubt she’d tell him to leave, but hopefully if he caught her by surprise, with her defenses down, she’d give him an honest answer instead of the bullshit text she’d finally sent him.
The doorknob turned easily in his hand. He was going to have to talk to her about safety—after he got her to talk to him about what was wrong.
He entered the stockroom, crowded with stacks of boxes. Was she planning on shelving all these books herself or had she already hired someone to help her? It had only been two days since they’d really talked and he already felt like he was completely out of the loop of what was happening in her life.
He pushed through the swinging door into the main floor of the bookstore. Wow. His parents had taken them to England one summer and they’d toured a few castles. Zoe’s bookstore reminded him of the library they’d seen in one. Instead of harsh fluorescent overhead lighting, she’d installed rustic-looking chandeliers throughout the space. Matching lights on the walls kept the space from being gloomy while still making the space feel like he had walked into someone’s house instead of a bookstore. The high backed, overstuffed chair in a side alcove made him want to sit down and pick up a book…and he wasn’t much of a reader.
Tim wandered through the empty bookcases until he reached the front of the store. Zoe stood at a high desk with her back to him.
“Zoe.”
She jumped and spun, holding a hand to her chest. “Puta merda! What are you doing here?”
“You wouldn’t answer my calls or texts. I wanted to make sure you’re okay.”
“I told you I was fine. I’m just busy.” She turned back around and continued working on whatever it was in front of her. “So you can go.”
He stepped closer to the desk. “You’re not any busier today than you were two days ago, Zoe. What happened?”
“I think you should ask your girlfriend that.”
“I thought I was,” he said softly.
Zoe’s head snapped up and she glared at him. Finally, a response. Even if it was anger, he’d take that over the flat, dead voice she had been speaking to him with.
“Then ask your other girlfriend. The one that came into my store and warned me to stop seeing you.”
What the fuck?“Zoe, I don’t have another girlfriend. You are the only woman I am even remotely interested in.”
She left the desk and brushed passed him. “I don’t have time for this. Please leave.”
“You don’t have time for this or you don’t have time for me?”
Zoe spun sharply and faced him. Fuck. Tears spilled over her bottom lashes and tracked down her cheeks. The sight gutted him. He never wanted to be part of whatever was causing her to cry.
“I don’t have time to feel this way.” She pointed at the center of her chest. “I don’t have time to be hurt. I don’t have time to be with someone who would cheat, whether it’s with me or on me.”
“I am not cheating—with you or on you. I do not know who this woman is or why she warned you to stay away from me. I swear to you.”
Anguish filled her eyes. “I want to believe you. I do. But I don’t know how to trust what you’re telling me.”
Tim stepped closer until he was close enough to reach out and touch her. So when the time was right, he could gather her in his arms.
“Then trust this: I will never cheat on you because my wife cheated on me. Then she left me for her abusive, drug-dealing ex-boyfriend. I will never treat you that way, Zoe. Ever.”
She covered her face with her hands and her shoulders shook with her sobs.
“Zoe.”
“I don’t know what to do.” Her voice was muffled behind her hands.
Gently, he wrapped his arms around her until she switched her hands for his chest.
“I’m sorry,” she cried.
“Shhh.” He pressed his lips to the top of her head. “Don’t. It’ll be okay. We’ll figure this out.”
