I nod. “Sounds fine, as long as you promise the lights will stay on.”
“Not to worry. You won’t be stranded in the dark, and if anything happens, I’ll be there to keep you safe.”
He says it casually, still snacking on the old book, but something about his easy protectiveness makes the moths in my belly return. The thought of spending the evening alone with him, cataloging titles?
Not the worst idea I’ve ever heard.
SPENSER
When I go downstairs for my shift, I see Jin at the counter, but there’s no sign of Juliet. Which is odd. She has a tendency to show up early.
“Juliet’s not here?” I ask.
Jin raises their brows until they disappear under thick black bangs. “Oh, she’s here. Having some sort of minor breakdown in the romance section. I left her to it.”
I notice a crime novel on the counter next to Jin and point to it. “Does that need reshelving?”
They slide the book to me. “Take it at your own risk.”
I grab the book with a frown and head to romance, where I find Juliet standing with her hands on her hips, flames practically coming out of her ears. When she turns and sees me, crime novel in my hand, she glares at it.
“Uh, are you mad at this book?”
“Maybe.” She glowers.
“Wanna tell me what’s going on?”
She takes a deep breath and runs her hands through her thick hair, pushing it back from her face. “Okay, so first of all, I was trying to shelve that book. It’s a crime mystery with an embossed cover, right? So I put it with the rest of the textured hardbacks in its section: Textured Leather Mysteries. But then some ogre lady came in and browsed the shelf and pulled this out. She got all offended, said that it smelled like decay, copper, blood, and old meat, and then took it off to Jin to complain about me and my ‘ineptitude.’” She makes air quotes around the word. “I still don’t know what that was about.”
“I think I see the problem. This is a crime thriller with explicit content, not a cozy read. The author deliberately used aged paper and metallic binding chemicals to create an unsettling aroma and atmosphere. This goes with Dark and Disturbing Mysteries, which is our section for heavier scents.The ogre customer, who I’m willing to bet was Trudy Irontusk, was looking for a pleasant-smelling mystery for her home.”
Juliet’s jaw flexes, and I can actually see her grinding her teeth. “I’m sorry, but your organizational system is just too complicated.” She throws her hands in the air. “You never told me some of the books smell bad on purpose!”
“It’s not that common,” I assure her. “Just a handful of books that are meant to be unsettling. I promise you’ll get the hang of it. Part of the trick is learning to not only identify the smells, but to understand theirintentions.” In her annoyed state, her pheromones are wafting around like crazy, and my antennae are flicking around, tracking them. I make a concerted effort to hold them still.
She huffs, looking slightly mollified, and I glance at the books piled around her on the dark green rug. “I take it this one wasn’t the only issue?” I say, raising the crime book.
“Not exactly. I’ve been battling paranormal romance,” she explains.
“No offense, but I think you might be losing that battle.” The shelf looks like a tornado blew through.
“Okay, so here’s the thing. I understand that the scent profile for Dark Paranormal Romance is moody florals and earth,” she says, and I nod. “But this book about a revenant and an archaeologist doesn’t really smell floral. It’s more like, I dunno, libraries and midnight air, if that makes sense. Slightly dusty, but with a sharp twist.”
She picks up another book, this one with a black and silver cover. “And this one, about the ghost hunter who falls for the ghost? It’s giving me old, tattered lace and lavender powder, not earth. As an experiment, I tried grouping them by the feeling the scents give me. This one”—she holds up a purple book that I think is the love story of a Notre Dame gargoyle—"feels cozy andnostalgic, so I grouped it with cozy paranormals, even though the romance leans darker.”
I consider what she’s saying. “So you’re organizing by vibes?”
She shrugs. “Yeah, I guess? But then I got kind of overwhelmed, and everything is a mess, and I knew you’d be annoyed…and, well, here we are.”
I flutter my antennae thoughtfully, having regained control of them. “I’m not annoyed. You may be making a mess, but you’re also making a valid point.”
“Seriously?” She stands up straighter and tucks her hair behind her ears, looking at the books stacked around her.
I nod. “You just created a secondary organization system based on…emotional resonance, let’s call it. It’s interesting that you recognized it.” I pick up one of the books from a pile she made and examine it thoughtfully. “We can’t have two organizational systems running simultaneously. That would be too confusing. But I think we can do something with this.”
Juliet is watching me with curiosity, her anger seemingly evaporated. I’ve noticed that about her. Her natural inquisitiveness always wins out, even when she’s grumpy. “Like what?”
"We could add a 'Mood-Based Recommendations' display near the register on a trial basis. Books organized the way you've just done them, with a note explaining the arrangement. Some customers might prefer to shop by feeling rather than the usual scent and texture specifications. It could add dimension. It would be your responsibility to maintain it, and we'll see if customers respond."
