Page 159 of Safe With You

He followed me a few feet down the shelf while I pulled out two hardcovers and switched their places.

“I was testing you.”

“Sure you were.”

I shook my head, unable to hide my smile.

“You know...” he said after a second, “I’ve never realized how much work goes into a bookstore after it closes.”

“Most people don’t.”

“I figured once the customers left...” He gestured around the store. “...that was pretty much it.”

I laughed.

“I wish.”

I started pushing the return cart toward the back of the store, and he fell into step beside me.

“Closing is almost another job by itself. There are always returns to shelve, things to clean, orders to place, payroll to deal with, some event I’m supposed to be planning.” I glanced over at him. “Half the time I’m thinking about tomorrow before today is even over.”

“That sounds exhausting.”

“Some days it is.”

“So why do it?”

The question caught me off guard.

I slowed my steps, looking out the front windows where the last streaks of sunlight were beginning to disappear.

“I don’t know.”

He raised an eyebrow.

“You own the place.”

“I know.” I laughed softly. “I just...”

I searched for the right words.

“When I was little, libraries were my favorite place in the world. They were quiet without feeling lonely. You could sit there for hours and nobody expected anything from you except that you enjoyed yourself.”

I ran my fingers along the edge of a bookshelf as we walked.

“When I opened Chapter & Charm, I wanted people to feel that same way. Like they could come in carrying whatever kind of day they’d had and leave a little lighter.”

Ellis was quiet beside me.

When I glanced over, he was looking around the bookstore differently than he was a minute ago.

“As cheesy as it sounds...”

“It doesn’t.”

“...I wanted people to feel safe here.”

His eyes met mine.