“Fine.” I push the cart of stock toward her. “You’re right. I need a life. You can do this, and I’m going to head out early. Lock up at seven.”
“Good. Let your hair down.”
I shake it out and say defensively, “It already is!”
“Piper?”
I spin around to find Paisley McConkie smirking at me. Can blood actually drain from a human face? How much of that did she overhear? Any of the parts where Natalie was pushing me to try and hook up with her brother or just me calling him a creep?
“Hey.” I flash her an overly bright smile. If I pretend Paisley heard nothing, then she heard nothing. “What’s up?”
“Can I talk to you?”
She definitely heard something. My cheeks burn. I start walking toward the back of the store where the entrance to my apartment is, and she falls in step beside me. “I’m actually about to head out,” I say.
“It’ll be quick, I promise.”
We reach the door to my staircase and I pause. “Okay, sure.”
“I write this series called the People of Nashville forThe Nashville Rhythm. I don’t know how much Dorian has told you…” She reads my blank expression and adjusts the sleeve of her sweater. “If anything? No? Well, I do profiles on interesting people in the area, and I would love to do one on you.”
It’s flattering, but I don’t even know how to respond.
She must sense my surprise, because she forges ahead. “It would be great publicity for the store, of course. Free marketing.”
“Yeah, definitely.” I try to clear my head. Maybe she didn’t hear my conversation with Natalie after all. “I guess…yes, that would be great. Sorry, I’m just surprised.”
Her shoulders relax, and she pushes her curly hair behind her ear. “Is there a good time to meet and chat? It’s not a formal interview. I just want to get to know you, ask some questions about your background, the store, that sort of thing.”
I make a sweeping gesture with my hand. “This is pretty much my life, so I’m fairly open. I’m always here.”
“Are you available tomorrow—” Her attention shifts to something just behind me. “Dorian, hey. I’m almost ready to leave.”
The back of my neck prickles with awareness. He’s in my store.Inside my store. Forget this woman and what she might have overheard, the other side of the middle grade chapter book section is adult fantasy. What if Dorian freaking McConkie was walking through on his way to peruse his number one bestsellers and heard Natalie tell me that he watches me?
My entire body flushes cold. I grip the door handle to my stairwell.
“Did you find the book?” she asks.
“Yeah.” He comes to stand beside me, tapping his fingers against a paperback. “Hi, Piper.”
“Hey,” I squeak.
Dorian gives me a funny look. I briefly catch it, but I can’t hold his gaze.
“So, tomorrow night, maybe?” Paisley is either oblivious or intentionally ignoring my panic. “I have something during the day, but I can do the evening.”
The store closes early on weekends, so the timing is perfect. But words aren’t actually forming in the face of my possible humiliation.
Is there a way to find out if and what he possibly heard? Where’s Hermione’s Time-Turner when you need it?
Paisley begins to look concerned. “I can wait until the store closes if that’s easiest. You close at seven tomorrow, right?”
Words. Form some words. It’s not that hard.I clear my throat. “Yeah. Seven. Sure.”
“You aren’t coming to game night?” Dorian asks.
“Shoot. I was hoping to get this article into my next edition. Maybe I’ll swing by Luke’s after, if I have time.” Paisley chews her lip, looking at me. “Unless you want to come to game night with me?”
