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Chapter One
Emily
He rides through thesmoke and crush of men, fighting the sound of clashing swords surrounding him. He has only one mission in mind as his horse plows through the battlefield, his sword slashing anyone in his reach, his heart pounding. The smoke clears, and he sees her surrounded, her sword flashing silver as she takes down the enemy. He rides hard toward her, sweeping her up onto his horse…
“Earth to Emily.” An amused male voice cuts through the sounds of battle in my mind.
I blink a few times and feel my face getting hot..
“Really into that one, were you?” Mason flashes me a grin that makes me want to melt into the stool. I’ve had a crush on him for years. One that I thought I’d be able to get rid of when he went toplay professional football. Now he’s back, and this stupid crush hasn’t abated one bit.
“Yeah, it’s a good one. I think I will put it in the Valentine’s display. What can I get for you?”
“Those Danishes look great. How about one of those and a cup of coffee?”
“Coming right up.” I take one of the Danishes out of the case and put it in a paper sleeve before grabbing a to-go cup and filling it with coffee.
“How is the knee?” I ask him. Mason is back in town after suffering a career ending knee injury in the last thirty seconds of the Super Bowl. His team won, but he lost his career in the process.
“All healed up. I’m continuing with the physical therapy exercises to keep building strength, but otherwise all good.”
“How are things in the book business these days?” He takes a sip of his coffee. He doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to get to work, and it makes my heart give a little leap. Could he possibly be spending extra time with me for a reason?
“Good, the skiers from The Camden Snow Bowl are giving us business. It’s been a really good year. They opened up those new runs, and it has brought a lot more people in.”
“Any of them wearing a kilt?” He asks, tapping the cover of my book.
“Unfortunately not,” I laugh. My love of romances and happily ever after is well known around town. I spent the better part of my teen and young adult years with my nose stuck in one romance novel or another.
“You never know who will come sauntering into the bookshop. Your happily ever after could be just around the corner.” He winks at me and picks up his danish. “I better get going. You know how the Captain gets if I’m late. See you around, ‘happily ever after’ girl.”
I wait for him to leave before I let out a sigh. Mason is not looking for a ‘happily ever after’ girl. He made it clear at the end of his last relationship that “ever after” is not in the cards for him.
“He’s just as cute as ever,” Leah says, coming around the corner and sitting a stack of books on the counter.
“He is, and nice too. He didn’t let the fame go to his head. What’s with all the books?”
“It’s a bookstore,” Leah laughs and I shake my head.
“Mrs. Robertson is coming in for her monthly haul. I’ve spent the last hour on the phone with her wandering the stacks picking out books and reading blurbs.”
“She keeps us in business,” I say and Leah laughs.
“That is true. I think she pays our monthly expenses all on her own. Imagine living her life in a cozy cabin in the woods, a huge stack of books to read and all that quiet. It sounds like heaven,” Leah sighs.
“Still watching the kids on Saturday?” I change the subject.
“I don’t know how Tiff does it. I love my niece and nephew, but taking care of them is exhausting.”
“I’m sure you'll get used to it.” I start scanning and packaging the books.
“What was Mr. Handsome doing here?” She asks as she walks to the back for the next stack.
“He was just here for a coffee and a Danish.”
“Still got that crush from high school?”
I feel the color drain from my face. Can she tell I still have feelings for Mason? I’m glad to have a few moments to collect myself while she is in the back.
