Because today, it is.
The store is packed, the crowd of eager kids and parents winding through the brightly lit stacks. There’s laughing and a fair amount of “racing” going on—games of tag and adults trying to wrangle their children as the line moves slowly.
Bethany, my assistant for the day, does her best to keep things moving smoothly, and a silly part of me wishes Tom was the one helping me instead. Thankfully there’s not too much time to dwell on it.
Hazel’s table is just as busy, her aunt hovering over her shoulder, and suddenly I’m thankful that Tom and the rest of the guys aremostlyout of sight.
I don’t need the distraction.
“Hi!” the next little girl says brightly, her hands clutching a well-loved book. I know these events are supposed to be store focused but there’s something so genuinely humbling about seeing my books in the hands of kids like this. “I’m Natalie!”
“Hi, Natalie,”—leaning forward, I hold out my hand—“I’m Kat.” She shakes mine with a little giggle. “What do you have there?”
“It’s my favorite,” she says, giving the book another squeeze before holding it out to me. It’s the one where Lulu and Poppy become mermaids and go on an underwater adventure.
“Can I tell you a secret?” I whisper conspiratorially and she nods. “It’s myfavorite too.”
“We’ve read it so much I think I have it memorized,” her mother says and I chuckle, my heart about ready to burst out of my chest.
I needed this.
Being at the schools was amazing, butthistime is priceless. Parents and guardians who look at me fondly even though they can recite the story in their sleep. It’s humbling just knowing that they’re trusting me to be part of their lives and routine.
I chat with Natalie and her mom for another minute, offering to take a picture and bracing for a nearly tackling hug that has me laughing as I catch my hand on the edge of my table to steady myself. Her mom mouthsthank youto me as they leave and I’m practically floating as I return to the other side of the table.
But just as I reach my chair, my gaze collides with Tom’s across the room. It’s intense.
Smoldering.
And my heart skips a beat in my chest.
I force myself to look away because this isnotthe time.
Running my palms over the skirt of my dress, I’m just about to sit when my eyes snag on someone familiar, and my stomach does a slow drop to the floor. What are they doing here? There are several people in line before them so I can’t see who they’re with.
It could be completely innocent.
It could be a coincidence.
But it’s too weird.
Right? Why would they come here?
Tom told me to alert him if anything felt off.
And this does.
Guilt and paranoia threaten to swallow me.What if I make a mistake?I hesitate, but keep my smile in place as I sink back into my chair, my decision already made, as my hand finds the pen, and as nonchalantly as I can, I knock it off the table.
TOM
“Everyone stand by,”I murmur quietly, a round of affirmatives echoing in my ear as I watch Kat’s body language change from carefree to restrained panic.
Her gaze is locked somewhere about a third of the way into her line, and even though her smile is the same, I can tell by the set of her shoulders that something is wrong.
Come on, Kat.
At a glacial speed, her hand finds the pen and I’m halfway to her before it hits the floor.
