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You'd have to force me to send you away, Amelia.
I hated how that sentence haunted me. And I hated even more that just thinking about it made me want to grin like an idiot. The urge persisted even as I stared into the mirror, trying to convince myself all this was just a misfire of our hormones. I was aware that I was lying to myself, but I wasn't ready to officially admit it yet.
I also wasn’t prepared for Gray to use our conversation from three days ago during the barbecue as an excuse to scribble a book recommendation on a slip of paper, right next to a mini-map showing the location of the local bookstore, and stick it to the door of my cabin.
When I peeled off the paper, his credit card also fell into my hands. I toyed with the idea of resisting and just refusing to spend his money. Ultimately, I knew I wouldn't stand a chance against him, as he had always managed to get his way. But it was thrilling in a forbidden way to provoke reactions from him with my own actions.
The reflection in the mirror showed the beginnings of a sunburn I had acquired the previous day. I was surprised that the rest of my body didn't feel sore as well. My neck or my arms… until I remembered I had a personal shade provider named Gray, who had rescued me from the flower bed. Our conversation had evolved from one topic to another, and we had one of those discussions that made me feel warm for reasons that had nothing to do with the sun but everything to do with Gray alone.
Even now, I felt the same, even though he wasn't near me. At least not physically. The previous day, when he had been here to help me unpack and position the fireplace, he had left one of his white shirts behind.
Seeing him work shirtless had had a curious effect on my self-control, considering last night, I had dreamed of him again and recorded every detail I could remember in the morning into my dream diary. Maybe I should be worried—instead, I let my gaze in the mirror drift further down and enjoyed how well the said white shirt suited me as a dress.
If he was going to have that effect on me, then I was going to return the favor.
I eyed the card I had placed on the shelf next to the door and finally decided to just give in. By now, I knew that Gray never did anything without a reason, and if he wanted to add to my already monstrous collection of books, I could hardly resist.
A few minutes later, I was in my car and driving through Wolf Creek, the note attached to my steering wheel ensuring I found my way to the bookstore. For whatever reason, he hadn't given me an address to put into my navigation system. I arrived and parked my car in front of the inconspicuous building.
Like everything in Wolf Creek, the local bookstore turned out to be a real gem too. The double glass doors closed behind me with a gentle ring, and immediately, I felt like I was in another world.
This town really had a fondness for wood and glass, as evidenced by the large grid windows here as well. Even the roof had a few. As if that wasn’t enough to provide soft lighting, there were also several hanging lamps with shades resembling the white paper lanterns often released during special occasions.
To the right and left, the walls were lined with shelves that became shallower toward the top. The dark wooden floor was covered with rustic rugs, which only emphasized the choice of furniture. None of the armchairs and chairs looked like they came from a catalog. The setting was completed by a loveseat and several side tables, which also held a small selection of books or magazines.
Warm light, dark wood, unique furnishings, plants… all of this created a welcoming and cozy atmosphere. And it seemed that the locals enjoyed it too as the place was filled with people. A quick glance around revealed that all age groups were present, which was also reflected in the book selection.
I had expected a conservative assortment, but the closer I got to the shelves, the quicker I realized that this store was miles ahead of my trusted bookstore in Toronto. The new releases were practically calling out to me, including those that had only recently gained popularity on social media.
As often as I heard the cash register in the background, it became clear that I had landed in a town of avid readers. I lost a piece of my heart on the spot. Another piece, if I recalled how much I loved the mountain where thebed-and-breakfastwas situated… and what it had stirred in me seeing Wolf Creek for the first time from the bridge.
I spent what felt like an eternity browsing through the books until, with Gray's note in hand, I finally approached the one employee who was running the place on her own.
As soon as I stood in front of her, it was clear that she had been watching me.
"You must be Amelia, right?"
Her straightforward question made me want to leave the shop right away. Until I reminded myself that I was in a small town and I would like her to know my name for that reason alone.
"Gray's new girlfriend?" she continued, smiling warmly at me.
Three days.
It really hadn't taken long for not only my presence to become the talk of the town but also that something was brewing between us. And it seemed like all the nice folks of Wolf Creek knew more about it than Gray and I did.
A kiss and flirtations that nearly drove me insane.
But his girlfriend? Heck, we were nowhere near that. And maybe we would never get there. I had stirred the pot a bit, but I hadn't seriously expected Sergeant Williams to turn around and spill the beans to the town gossip, who made sure the news spread like wildfire.
"Amelia?"
"Hmm? What?" She suddenly snapped me out of my spiraling thoughts. I just nodded. What else could I do? I certainly wasn't going to stand in this bookstore and explain to a complete stranger the nature of my relationship with Gray.
"You're younger than I thought."
"And yet old enough," I replied, rolling my eyes to the ceiling before I read off what was written on my slip of paper. I definitely wasn't going to hand it over now—who knew if she wouldn't keep it as evidence that Gray and I were really an item?
"Ah yes… the title was ordered two days ago. That's why we have it in stock. Interesting choice of topic."
