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“Yeah. Sorry, no, yeah, I’m good. What was your name again?” she asked the confused-looking woman in front of her, and quickly scribbled a note inside the cover.
Mack squeaked the chair back and leaned into Viviane’s ear. “My… ah… friend is here. I think for moral support.”
“Where?”
“Red hair. Green dress. About twenty-five people back.”
Viviane lifted herself a few inches from the chair and scanned the crowd. “Tattoos?”
Mack nodded.
“Damn, woman. She’s beautiful.”
Mack overheated again, but this time she welcomed the sensation. “I know,” she whispered, and motioned to the store assistant.
SEVENTEEN
CHARLIE’S DRINK SPECIAL: SUPPORTIVE RED-GINGER TEA
What am I doing here?
The overworn hardwood floors beneath Charlie’s feet absorbed all her toe-tapping. Her nagging, internal voice from this morning nudging her to see Mack turned into a screaming, pushy voice by noon. She had called Lena into work and tossed her apron at Ben, who solidified his Best Hype Man of the Year Award with howls and ear-splitting whistles as she dashed to her car.
The size of the crowd was totally unexpected when she pulled up, and over an hour passed before she stepped into the shop. And now every shred of fortified confidence she’d had earlier evaporated as conversation swirled around her about Mack. Nother friendMack. Notthe woman she kissed a few nightsagoMack. Butinternational best-selling authorMack.
Seeing Mack like this, a star-like figure with her admiring, giddy fans and giant poster of her prominently displayed in the window, made Charlie’s heart pound so heavily she was pretty sure the woman next to her could feel the vibration. No way was this the same woman who sat on the floor with her eating pizza after installing hardwood floors. Nope, this wasM. Ryder. Best-selling author. Book club discussions. One hundred thousand social media followers.One. Hundred. Thousand. When she checked today, she nearly passed out.
She’d met her as Mack. An exciting outsider who asked great questions and made Charlie feel like the most fascinating person in the world. Charlie didn’t forget Mack was a writer—she constantly typed on her laptop. But in the backdrop of the Seattle tech industry, where everyone had a laptop, Mack blended into the population. But here, a light shone on her. And Charlie felt ridiculous.
Charlie froze as Mack whispered something to an employee, who stared at her. What the hell was Charlie doing? Mack was totally out of her league. Did she even want Mack in her league? No, yes, maybe? Okay,fine. She had feelings for Mack. A huge, crushing number of feelings. She wanted her.
But so did this crowd.
Charlie shuffled her tote and moved to return to where she came from—the land of the safe. Surrounded by Colombian coffee beans, blackberry scones, regulars, and zero potential heartaches.
A pencil-skirt-wearing woman tapped her on the shoulder. “Charlie, right?”
Charlie gulped and forced a nod.
“Ms. Ryder would like me to escort you to the back room.”
Wow.Even with a hushed voice, a dozen eyes shot her way, several containing scowls. Her heart soared like someone lifted their masquerade-ball mask and extended a formal invitation for her to join the Illuminati.
They ducked under the velvet rope and hurried past the line. Mack flashed a quick glance with the sides of her mouth lifted before she turned her attention back to the person standing in front of her.
The amplified paper and ink scent inundated her behind the curtain. The energy of the shop and its history soaked in through her feet. The thin, worn, hardwood planks creaked with each step. Stacked books filled every nook.
Heaven.
“Go ahead and take a seat, and she’ll be here in a bit. Help yourself to whatever.” The assistant’s hand flung toward a table with various grapes, cheeses, crackers, and flame-free candles.
“Thanks.” No way could her coiled belly ingest any snacks. She fiddled with her dragonfly charm bracelet and tapped her boots against the floor.
Ten minutes later, the curtain swung open. Mack had zero hesitancy when she marched to Charlie and wrapped her arms around her.
Damn.Mack always smelled so freaking good. Today a citrus meadowy scent traveled to her nose. Charlie nuzzled in a little closer.
“You came!”
