The shop was still closed when she arrived, and she used her key to let herself in, relishing the quiet moment before the day began. She'd just started the coffeemaker in the small back room when the front door rattled.
Emery opened it to find Ollie balancing precariously on one foot, a stack of packages teetering in his arms.
“Morning, sunshine,” he said cheerfully. “Special delivery for The Turned Page.”
“Let me help,” Emery said, grabbing the top few packages before they could fall. “You're early today.”
“Route change,” Ollie said, following her inside. “Got a big delivery up in Hampstead later, so doing the smaller stops first.”
Emery set the packages on the counter and began sorting through them while Ollie placed the rest beside them. Her heart nearly stopped when she spotted an envelope addressed to “Emerald Pearl, c/o The Turned Page.” She recognized Domi's flowing handwriting immediately.
“What's that?” Ollie asked, peering over her shoulder.
“Nothing,” Emery said too quickly, snatching the envelope and shoving it into her back pocket. “Just, um, junk mail.”
Ollie raised an eyebrow. “Fancy envelope for junk mail.”
“The scammers are getting smarter,” Emery said, her voice unnaturally high.
“Mmm,” said Ollie, clearly unconvinced. “Well, sign here, and I'll be on my way.”
Emery scribbled her signature on his clipboard, willing him to leave before Eveline arrived. The last thing she needed was a conversation about why fancy junk mail was coming to the shop.
“All sorted?” Eveline's voice came from behind them, making Emery to jump.
“Yep!” Emery said brightly. “Just the usual deliveries. Nothing unusual or noteworthy at all.”
Eveline gave her an odd look. “Alright then.”
Ollie smirked, glancing between them. “I'll be off then. See you ladies tomorrow.”
As the door closed behind him, Eveline moved to inspect the packages. “Anything important?”
“Just some new releases and a few special orders,” Emery said, casually placing herself between Eveline and the spot where the envelope had been. “I'll get these unpacked right away.”
The day grew progressively busier as the hours passed. Emery threw herself into her work, determined to focus on anything other than the envelope burning a hole in her pocket or the conversation with Jax that kept replaying in her mind.
By late afternoon, the shop was fuller than Emery had ever seen it, maybe Zara's social media posts really were drawing in curious new customers. Emery found herself in her element, effortlessly connecting readers with books they didn't even know they wanted yet.
“Have you read this one?” a woman asked, holding up a historical fiction novel.
“Not yet,” Emery said. “But I loved the author's last book. Her research is amazing, and she has this way of making historical figures feel completely human.”
The woman smiled. “Sold. And maybe I'll take these two as well.”
The scene repeated itself throughout the day, with Emery's genuine passion for books translating into sale after sale. When the last customer finally left, the register drawer was stuffed to capacity, and the shelves looked noticeably barer.
“Well,” Eveline said, leaning against the counter with a look of surprise. “That was… impressive.”
Emery blushed. “Just a busy day.”
“No,” Eveline said. “It was more than that. You have a gift, Emery. The way you connect with customers, understand what they're looking for even when they don't know themselves… It’s a pleasure to watch.”
The compliment sent a warm flutter through Emery's chest. “Thank you,” she said softly, not knowing what else to say.
Eveline held her gaze for a moment longer than necessary, something unreadable in her dark eyes. Then she cleared her throat and looked away. “We should count the register. I think this might be our best day in months.”
As they worked side by side, counting up the day's sales, Emery was very aware of Eveline's presence. The subtle scent of her perfume, the way her fingers moved deftly through the stacks of bills, the small smile that played at the corners of her mouth.
