Chapter One
You’re gorgeous with your arms full of books.
Jenna Murphy pushed the tissue aside and took in the bookmarks tucked so snugly in the box. They were glossy and purple and exactly what she’d hoped for when she’d ordered them. On one side was the tagline she’d come up with. On the flip side, the name, address, phone number, and social media links were printed and all, thankfully, correct.
“Look at these.” She held one up for Shane to see.
One of her only two employees, he stopped dusting the bookshelves and crossed to her. “Oh, this is nice,” he said as he turned the bookmark in his hand. “I like the way it feels. The smoothness.”
“Me too.”
“That tagline is fire.” He grinned at her.
“Agreed.” She popped a stack of the bookmarks into a cup and set them near the cash register on the counter. “One goes in every sold book, okay?”
“Got it,” Shane tossed over his shoulder as he went back to dusting.
Breaking down the box, she flattened it, then simply stood there behind the counter, braced her hands on it, and took in her very own little bookshop.
BookLove was small, but a dream come true for her. Little Jenna Murphy, running her own business—a business she’d created out of something that gave her endless amounts of joy: books. Specifically, romance books, which she had been reading and loving since she was probably too young to do so. The shop was small, but that was okay,and she glanced around with pride, having one of those moments when she couldn’t believe the place was actually hers.
She’d expected that feeling to go away once she’d gotten into the swing of things, but it never truly had. It would fade away for a while, allowing her to do other things. But then one day, out of the blue, it would surge up like a little wave of emotion in her chest, and she’d be filled with pride all over again, chest puffed up, standing tall. She moved out from behind the counter and stood in the open area just inside the door.
“You okay, boss?”
Shane’s voice reached her as if from afar, but he was only feet away. She blinked several times, as if coming out of a trance, and smiled at him, gave him one nod.
“You basking again?” His grin was knowing.
“Can you blame me?” she asked with a laugh as she held out her arms and spun in a circle. “Look at this adorable place.”
“It’s the best,” he said, and Jenna loved him for that. He always played along when she slid into moods like this, ones where she couldn’t believe she owned her own bookshop.
“Little ten-year-old Jenna would never have believed it,” she said, moving to the window display and straightening the books there. “Sitting in the library reading her Baby-Sitters Club books…” She let the thought drift off, shaking her head fondly.
“So, you were super popular then,” Shane said, and she heard the teasing in his tone.
Jenna feigned a gasp of insult. “Hey. I had friends.”
“The library staff doesn’t count.”
“Oh. Never mind, then.”
His chuckle was good-natured. “I was kind of a loner myself.”
“You? But you’re Mr. Popularity with all the school moms now.” She turned a book slightly to the left for better visibility from outside. “Was that not the case at school?”
Shane gave a snort. “Please. I was the fat kid. I had a couple of buddies, that’s true, but no, I was far from popular back then.” He sighed softly. “The school moms now are only enamored with me because I’m such a rare breed.”
“The kept man,” Jenna teased.
“Hey, it’s not my fault my wife is a high-powered attorney and that she chose to marryme.”
“Nobody can blame you,” Jenna said, her turn to play along.
“Plus, have youseenmy wife?”
A laugh burst out of her. “I’m gay, Shane. Of course I’ve seen your wife.” She turned to regard him over her shoulder. “And tell her to stop leaving her underwear in my bed.”
