I mean, take the last time I saw him. I was tryingsohard to be helpful with those travel books and he couldn’t have been any more ungrateful if he tried.
I replay the moment where he got annoyed as I rambled on about that Appalachian Trail book, and something clicks in my brain.
No. It couldn’t be… could it?
I set my teacup down, turning to Agnes. “Thank you so much for the tea, Agnes, but I’ve just realized something and I have to run. I’m sorry.”
She smiles. “That’s okay, dear. It was lovely chatting with you.”
“And you. Thank you,” I say again, and I dash out the door and down the steps. I pause only to grab my bag from the apartment, then walk as quickly as I can to work, my mind in overdrive.
Geoff is cashing up the register when I arrive at the store, breathless.
“Alex!” He looks up, concerned. “Everything okay?”
“Just a second,” I call over my shoulder as I stride down the aisle to the travel section. I stop right at the spot where Michael leaned across me, the first time I smelled his scent and my heart skipped a beat. My eyes search the shelf and land on the book, the one I told him was terrible. I grab the spine and pull it out, reading the cover:Three Months on the Appalachian Trail by Michael Hawkins. My pulse is racing as I flip to the inside of the back cover. And there he is, staring right back at me: a slightly younger—but still insanely sexy—Michael.
Oh my God.
Geoff has appeared beside me, his face lined with worry. “What’s going on?”
I turn to him, wide-eyed, and hold up the back inside cover to show him.
“Wait…” His brows draw together in confusion. “Is that the hot guy who was in here a while back?”
I nod dumbly.
Geoff leans in closer to inspect the picture and his shoulders start to shake.
“I can’t believe it,” I mutter as Geoff howls with laughter. “I told him all kinds of crap about how this book had bad reviews and the author wasn’t well-respected.” I grimace, thinking of the awful things I said.
Geoff is wiping tears from his eyes with exaggerated mirth. “This is brilliant. You told him his book was shit, right to his face.”
I nod again. Fuck, I’m an idiot.
“I haven’t even read it,” I mumble, feeling a wash of shame. No wonder he was so annoyed with me.
Eventually Geoff calms down and takes a deep breath. “So, read it.”
“I think I will.” I owe him that much, I guess.
Geoff takes the book and examines the photo in the back. “Michael Hawkins. God, he’s sexy. Sexy Michael.” Geoff gets hearts in his eyes and I roll my own.
“Well, he might be sexy but he’s been an ass to me. Seriously, every time I see him—”
“What? How many times have you seen him?”
Whoops.
Geoff lowers the book, narrowing his eyes at me, and I release a long breath.
“He’s my neighbor, Geoff. He lives upstairs from Cat.”
“Really? Why didn’t you say anything?”
I shrug, feeling my cheeks warm. “I don’t know. He and I haven’t exactly seen eye to eye. I was worried you might tell Cat and she might get annoyed, or something.”
“Oh. Well, I won’t say anything.” Geoff hands me the book, and I think about what Agnes said.
