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“What?” Logan asks, darting toward the discounted books section.
Mara turns to join him, but before I can follow, Memphis approaches me.
“Hey. Can I ask you something?”
My chest tightens as I glance up at him. I can still feel Mara’s watchful gaze as she waits to see what I’m going to do. Eventually, I nod. “Uh, sure.” I glance over at her. “Go ahead. I’ll catch up with you guys.”
She hesitates. “You sure?”
“Yeah, go ahead. I’ll be right there.”
Once she’s gone, I return my attention to Memphis. “So? What’s up?”
He puffs out the question on a breath. “What do you think of this place?”
“Huh?” That wasn’t what I was expecting.
“Like, what do you think they’re doing right?”
I look around then back at him. “Wait, are you doingmarket researchright now?”
He grasps the three books he’s holding in front of his stomach, squaring his stance. “I can’t help it. They’re set up very differently than we are, and it has my mind going. I wonder which setup you prefer. There may be things they’re doing here that I could incorporate into my store.”
“Your store is fine, Memphis. You really don’t know how to relax, do you?”
“I shopped,” he says defensively, lifting the three books in his arms as proof.
I study them. “Hmm… Two out of three are independent authors. Let me guess…you don’t carry them in your store and are going to see if you should?”
His face falls. “Fine. I’m researching. Sue me.”
I laugh. “Well, for the record, I like the way your store is set up, but I do appreciate the options here. And the way each section is labeled. So many independent bookstores just have a fiction section, but I like when they’re labeled by specific genre. It helps narrow it down so there’s a better chance I’ll find what I’m looking for.”
“Noted,” he says, pulling out his phone and quite literally jotting down the note. “Genre…labels.” He slips the phone back into his pocket with a nod. “Give me a week, and it’s done.”
“Okay, now, for ten seconds, let’s pretend you aren’t a hardworking business owner and just shop for cheap books. What do you say?”
He scowls but follows me to the back of the store where our group has already picked through the selection of discounts.
“Lena, come look at what I found,” Mara calls, holding out her hand. I join her, sifting through the piles. “What was that about?” she whispers, leaning closer to me while still pretending to shop.
“Nothing. He was just asking about how this store compares to his.”
“You two certainly seem to be getting chummy,” she says with a sly grin.
“He’s not so bad.” As I say it, I shoot a glance across the table of books, watching as a small smile forms on Memphis’s lips, though he isn’t looking my way. I can’t help wondering if he’s listening in, though we’re being quiet.
As if he senses me staring, his eyes lift to find mine, though he doesn’t move his head.
Immediately, I look away, feeling my cheeks flush with heat.
“What about you and Austin?” I nod my head in his direction.
“Baby steps,” she says simply, shrugging one shoulder. “But I’m wearing him down slowly.”
“He’d be an idiot for letting you get away.”
She bumps my arm with hers and tosses a bit of hair over her shoulder. “Oh, trust me, I know.”
