Page 14 of Capture The Moment

The first woman laughed and said, “I’m Emma, the store owner, and this is my second-in-command and romance aficionado, Kelly.”

“Nice to meet you,” Harper said, “and yes, I’m looking for a romance novel.”

“Yay!” Kelly said as Emma turned away to answer a ringing phone. “Now, what kind of romance are you interested in: comedy, drama, suspense, erotica…?”

Harper swallowed hard and said, “Not erotica. I’d like to start with something on the lighter side, so maybe a romantic comedy.”

“Perfect!” Kelly said. “Follow me.”

As Harper followed her toward the back of the store, she noticed how Kelly’s hips swayed as she walked. Harper glanced down at her own narrower hips and inwardly sighed. She hadn’t been blessed with a curvy figure; her shape leaned toward the athletic side, with straight lines instead of voluptuous curves. Blake had always liked her body, but now she looked at it with a skeptical eye, thinking most men probably preferred a figure like Kelly’s.

“Ok, so, I’ll point out a few of my favorite authors, and then I’ll let you browse,” Kelly said enthusiastically.

It was obvious how much Kelly loved her job, and Harper listened intently as she described some of the novels on the shelf. After Kelly had walked away, Harper selected several books and carried them over to a corner chair to peruse them more closely. While she admired the cowboys’ physiques on the covers of some of the books, she discarded them, likewise the books about Navy Seals and undercover agents. And then she came to a book about a woman who loses her pilot husband in a plane crash and eventually falls in love with another pilot who happens to be her husband’s best friend. Suddenly, Harper felt overly warm, and she hastily peeled off her winter coat. Her fingers were damp where she’d clutched the book tightly in her hands, and just then, Kelly walked up.

“Find anything good?”

“I’m still looking,” Harper croaked, wondering if she looked flushed.

“No problem. Take your time,” Kelly said and sashayed away.

I shouldn’t read this. Pick a different one. Harper laid the book on the discard pile and continued looking. She found a few other books that sounded intriguing and that didn’t hit quite so close to home, and she set them aside. But a few minutes later, she picked up the taboo story again and re-read the summary on the back cover. The plot wasn’t an exact depiction of her life, but it was close enough to be tempting and disturbing at the same time. Yet when she returned the rejects to the shelf, she hesitated to put that one back.

Just then, the bell over the front door rang, announcing another customer. Harper quickly shoved the book to the bottom of her stack and moved toward the check-out counter, realizing as she did how stupid it was to feel guilty over buying a book! Placing her selections on the counter, she glanced over to see Kelly hugging a tall, muscular, dark-complexioned man who’d just walked in.

As if she sensed they were being watched, Kelly let go and hurried toward the counter, with the hunk trailing a few steps behind.

“Oops, sorry! My husband just stopped by unexpectedly,” she explained as she began ringing up Harper’s books.

“No problem,” Harper said, shooting a quick smile at Kelly’s husband.

“Good choices!” Kelly exclaimed as she held up each book before placing it in the bag.

Harper shifted uncomfortably, wishing that she were still alone in the store. Not that Kelly’s husband was paying attention, but he was hovering nearby, and if he’d wanted to see the books she was buying, he easily could have.

“Would you like to be on our email list? We have book club meetings, ladies’ night, and all kinds of other events in the store,” Kelly said, smiling broadly.

“No thanks. Not today,” Harper added, glancing down at her watch. She didn’t have an appointment until after lunch, but she wanted to appear like she was in a hurry.

“Ok. Well, maybe next time. Enjoy your books!” Kelly said, handing Harper the bag.

“Thank you,” Harper said and hurried past the hunk on her way out.

Once she was in her car, she leaned her head back and took several deep breaths until she felt calm again. She hadn’t started the car yet and relished the crisp, cold air against her heated skin. You’re being ridiculous. There’s nothing wrong with reading that book. It’s just a story. It’s got nothing to do with you.

It wasn’t until she’d pulled back into her driveway that she realized she’d driven all the way home with the windows cracked open and the heater turned off even though it was only sixteen degrees!