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“Leo needs me at nine in the morning, but I’ll definitely take you up on the offer to come check it out today. I just need the place to be… I don’t know. I’m so overwhelmed here.” She pauses. “Thank you.”
And then I swoon visibly. My face heats from neck to ears and I can’t hide this stupid smile on my face. I didn’t like Reggie this much after months together. I am so screwed. Developing a crush on the new woman in town who is at least ten years younger than me is exactly what I need. Definitely. It’s all totally going to be okay and not leave me heartbroken. Again. I should back up and stop this crazy train now, but I do the exact opposite.
“We can go now. I’ll make a list of things you want to get done while you show me around and we can prioritize. There’s no reason to be on the couch when you have half a dozen bedrooms to choose from.” I finally let my hand slide the rest of the way across the table and rest on hers. Her skin is soft and warm. I’m really, really screwed.
“Thanks.” She says it quietly, and there is nothing else in the entire building other than Rowen and me.
Until a crash of chairs and a loud grunt comes from next to us and we both jump causing Rowen’s latte to spill. She squeaks, boxes topple to the floor, and I turn to see Noralee standing in the middle carrying a box. “Shit!” I start grabbing napkins from the dispenser on the table to clean up the latte while assessing Nora to make sure she didn’t fall.
“Sorry!” she calls from behind the box she’s carrying. I can only see the top of her wild black curls and her legs, but she looks like she’s dressed as… Peter Pan? Green leggings, brown boots, and a red feather in her hair. Nora is a different character every time I see her. “I’m okay!” She shuffles forward, finds the table, and drops the box on it with a thud. Her glasses have slipped down her nose and her green shirt says, ‘I’m so fly, I Neverland.’ Definitely Peter Pan.
Rowen is still trying to clean up the sticky, wet, latte mess. I turn back to help her, grabbing more napkins until Tuesday appears with a mop and a rag. I take the mop. “Sorry,” Rowen mumbles.
“Nora spills at least one drink a day, either directly or indirectly. It’s no big deal.” Tuesday points at our Peter Pan and laughs.
“That was my fault, huh? Sorry!” Nora approaches and smiles wide at Rowen before giving me a side hug. I hug her back and stand the mop against my chair until Tuesday grabs it. The mess is gone, and Rowen gathers all the soggy paper towels into a wad to toss them in the trash next to our table. “I don’t recognize you. I’m Noralee and this is my comic shop.” Tuesday yells something from behind us. “Our comic shop. Tuesday owns half. Are you a friend of Janet’s?”
“I’m trying to be.” Rowen holds out her hand. “I’m Rowen Madison. I own Cover to Cover Books.”
Nora’s eyes go quickly from confusion to sorrow. “Oh. I am so sorry for your loss. Leo talked about your aunt all the time and adored her. If you need anything let us know, seriously. We don’t just say that around here. We mean it.” Nora pats her arm softly and I step aside to go get the box she was carrying.
“Where does this go?” I heft the box up and glare at her. “Don’t pick up anything this heavy again.”
Nora’s eyes go wide. “Are you going to tell Wyatt?”
“Do it again and I will.” She knows better than to lift heavy things. If her doctor hasn’t mentioned it, I know Wyatt has, and he’s probably mentioned it more than once. Very loudly.
“Fine. I promise. I’m so used to doing things, I keep forgetting. By the podium. It’s the speed dating stuff. I can’t believe I got talked into doing this again.” I heft the box higher and carry it past the cafe and some glass cases of collectibles to the podium surrounded by tables. Some nights this whole area is Dungeons & Dragons, once a year for a month of Saturdays it’s speed dating, and other times kids are in here playing card games, doing homework, or painting miniatures. I leave the box on the stage area and walk back to see Nora ticking things off on her fingers, but the talking stops as soon as she sees me.
I ignore that they were talking about me. “No more lifting.” I give her the face my mother always used on me and the brothers. She nods. “So, if you’re done talking about me, Rowen and I are leaving. I’m going to help her fix up the house she inherited.” I lean over to kiss Noralee on the cheek and wink at Rowen. It has the desired effect. A blush starts at her neck and creeps up slowly until her cheeks are pink. Nora blushes too.
Nora and Rowen say their goodbyes, I grab my comics and toss my cup in the trash, and we pass by Tuesday before we go. After a few more stops to tell everyone bye, we make it out the door and into the cold. “I am not built for cold.” Rowen crosses her arms the second we walk outside and my body reacts. I don’t think, my arm lifts on its own accord and wraps around her shoulder. Rowen freezes.
“Is this, okay?” I stiffen, realizing I’ve crossed a line. Maybe she’s not cool with touching, or touching in public, or women touching her in public. I’m pretty sure I haven’t misread any signals, but I should have asked first. Her shoulders relax and she leans into me. I let out the breath I was holding.
“Yeah. Of course.”
I rub my hand up and down her arm to warm her. “My car or yours?”
CHAPTER4
ROWEN
Oh my God.
Oh my God.
Oh my God.
Janet has her arm around me, rubbing my arm, and I am a puddle of goo melting to the ground. Also, Janet is really buff. Like shockingly buff. I can feel her bicep flex along my skin and wow. Looking into her hazel eyes, her arm around me, close to her, and my heart is doing all kinds of weird shit. My stomach is carrying a… whatever a lot of butterflies is called. I know I’m blushing. I always blush. This feels amazing. I’m not even cold anymore.
Janet’s looking at me expectantly and I realize she asked me something or told me something that requires a response, and here I am having a full on freak out because her arm is around me. I should probably tell her I’m not a lesbian. I mean, I am, but only like fifty percent. Well, right now it’s more like eighty percent because her eyes are so intense on mine and her arm is around me.
“Sorry. What?” My words come out breathy and I sound like a total moron.
“We can take mine.” A smile creeps onto her lips and my eyes go there, watching it.
“Okay. I need some things from my car, and it’s over there.” I point to the lot across the street.
