Page 53 of Safe With You

I stepped out from behind the register and motioned toward the romance section.

"Tell me about her. Is she a happy ending no matter what kind of reader, or does she enjoy having her heart ripped out before it's put back together?"

She stopped walking.

"...Those are options?"

"They're very different options."

She thought for a moment.

"I think...a little bit both?"

“Perfect. My favorite kind of reader. That narrows it down."

Behind me, Naomi snorted from the café.

"Only Luna could call 'both' narrowing it down."

"It makes sense in my head."

"I'm sure it does."

The customer laughed as we disappeared more into the romance section.

An hour later, she left with three books instead of one and promised she'd be back if her sister approved.

I watched her walk out carrying the bookstore bag against her hip before turning back toward the register.

“Three books,” Naomi said. “You did it again.”

“I didn’t do anything.”

“Mhm.”

“I didn’t.”

“You also handed her a fourth book before she left.”

“That one was a recommendation.”

“That she bought.”

“I never said I was good at self-control.”

Naomi laughed and disappeared back behind the espresso machine.

My phone vibrated against the counter.

I glanced at the screen.

Ellis Monroe

Subject: Open Mic Gallery

I stared at the notification for a second before locking my phone again.

"You're not gonna open it?" Naomi asked without looking up from the latte she was pouring.