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No one would ever think a handsome, famous guy like Mason would want to date the local bookstore owner.
"Sounds good, I’ll stop by tomorrow and we can iron out the details. I can give you one of my credit cards to use. Besides a dress for the gala, you might need some casual clothes that are a little nicer than jeans and cardigans too, there are some events in the afternoon we will have to attend."
I look down at my lived-in jeans and hunter green cardigan and nod. He is right, this is a little too casual for the socialites of New York.
"Sounds like a plan." I smile at him and he waves as he walks to the door.
"I really appreciate this Em, you are really a lifesaver and the best friend a guy could have."
"It is really hard to dress up fancy and get a free trip to New York," I tell him and he laughs before walking out.
I hurry behind him and put the “closed” sign up.
I’m closing up a few minutes early, because I don’t think I can pretend to work for another ten minutes.
Swiftly walking into the back room, I sit at the little table and put my head in my hands. The tears come in big wracking sobs.
Any hope I ever had that he would look at me differently was crushed today. That was the final nail in the coffin of the fantasy of Mason looking at me like a woman and not the kid sister of his best friend. It's time that I quit holding on to that and start looking around.
There are some really cute eligible bachelors in town. The new lawyer, for instance, who comes in and buys books (that I don’t think he is actually reading) is a possibility. Next time he flirts,I'm going to flirt back. I can't keep sitting around waiting for Mason to wake up and see me as relationship material.
"Hello Emily, do you happen to have the new Zack Williams book in?"
I look up and see Stuart in his suit and tie standing in front of the cash register. I put down the book I'm reading and give him what I hope is a warm and flirty smile.
"A Little Busman's Holiday?" I ask him as I come around the corner to one of the displays at the front of the shop.
"I can't believe that I didn't see it when I walked in. I can't wait to see if he gets the cop to believe that the Judge is crooked."
"I've read it, maybe we should chat about it when you're all finished reading it. I would love to hear what you thought of the story from a real lawyer’s perspective."
He laughs and it's a rich throaty sound that should give me tingles. He is handsome, single, has a good job, and is established here in Cottage Grove. I just need to be open to a new idea of how I see him.
"I hate to burst your bubble, but being a small-town lawyer is nothing like the epic court battles Zack finds himself in."
I shrug and ring up his book. "Just the same, it would be interesting to hear your thoughts on the story."
"How about we go to dinner next week and discuss?" He says as I hand him his bag.
"That would be lovely."
"Thursday at six?" He asks and I nod as I hear the bell jingle. I look up to see Leah come in. She holds the door for Stuart as he walks out.
"Please tell me he finally found the courage to ask you out. There is no way that man is reading some of the books he's bought."
"I think he will read that one. We have a date next Thursday to go to dinner and discuss the latest Williams novel."
"A lawyer reading a book about a lawyer? I wonder if he finds that boring."
I shrug. "He says that Zack's cases are much more exciting than his. Maybe he lives vicariously through him."
"Like you and your happily ever after stories?" She grins at me and I roll my eyes.
"I just hope that you aren't living out your serial killer fantasies when you read one of those books."
"If you ever need a body buried in the woods, I'm your gal," she smirks then changes the subject. "Word around town is that you are quite the hot commodity. You are going to New York on the arm of our most eligible bachelor? Thinking about reviving that old crush, are you?" She bats her eyelashes at me, making me laugh.
“So much for keeping it quiet. I hope Mason doesn’t think I told anyone,” I murmur, reminding myself to text him later. "I never should have told you about that when we were kids. If I had known you were going to hold it over me for the rest of our lives I wouldn't have."
