“I like your scarf,” I said as I held the door open for her. “Another one of your knitting creations?”
“Yes,” she said, snuggling down into it. “It’s ancient, but it’s my favorite.”
I could see why. It looked well-loved but very cozy.
We headed to the bookstore, walking side by side down the sidewalk, the warmth of the early afternoon sun making the chilly day somewhat tolerable.
Perfect weather for ice skating, I thought to myself.
“Oh gods!” Pam shrieked as she lost her footing, her boots sliding along a patch of ice.
“Whoa there.” My hand darted out, grasping Pam’s palm tightly as I pulled her to her feet.
“T-thank you,” she said as she looked up at me.
Her chest was heaving, her hand still gripping mine.
She felt so small as I stared down at her.
So small, yet so close.
I wanted to lean over and kiss her—but was that too forward? She was a widow, and from the sound of things, her only real experiences had been with her late husband.
Before I could do anything drastic, she made the decision for me, turning her head away and pulling her hand from mine.
A small frown tugged at my lips, but I forced myself to grin instead. It pained me to do it, but this was for the best. I was acting irrationally.
We were silent for the rest of the walk to the bookstore and managed to avoid any more awkward near-kiss incidents.
“Here we are,” I said, opening the door for Pam and following her inside.
The Briar Glenn Bookshop was like something out of a magazine. The small store was lined with shelves and tables overflowing with books. It had become one of my favorite places here in town, and I was glad Pam had agreed to accompany me on what would probably be my last visit.
Well, until the next time I visited Chai, that is.
“Hey, Mrs. Rollins!” The petite goth girl behind the counter greeted her with a little wave.
It was charming how everyone knew each other here. I couldn’t help but wonder what our date would mean for the town gossip mill, though. In the long run, it wouldn’t matter. Tomorrow I’d be on a plane headed back to the Rockies.
Pam loosened her scarf, her eyes already scanning the rows of books in the romance section.
“Romance, eh?” I said with a laugh.
She looked at me and pushed her glasses up her nose. “It’s always been my favorite genre. There’s comfort in knowing the characters will always get their happy ending.”
“Well, I like happy endings.” I sidled up beside her, my wide body rubbing against her shoulder. “Which book would you recommend for a romance novice?”
My preferred genre was historical fiction, but for her, I was willing to give anything a try. Plus, I could use a little romance in my life.
“Hmm.” Pam trailed her finger over the colorful spines before stopping on one in particular. She slipped the book off of the shelf and handed it to me. “This is one of my favorites. It’s about aliens on an ice planet.”
I looked down at the cover. There was a frozen tundra with a beautiful brown-haired woman and a giant, blue alien male.
A little far-fetched, but okay.
I flipped it over and read the blurb. “Oh, this does sound good. I think I’ll get it.”
The look she gave me was priceless. Like I was some sort of saint for taking an interest in the things that interested her. Little did she know, I wanted to know everything I could about her. Everything we could possibly cram into this short period of time together.
