Page 52 of To Love a Beast

Callista strolled to the front of the shop, determined to set disappointments aside and focus on her blessings. She found her father's copy of Three Men in a Boat and quickly became engrossed in the comedic travelogue.

Absorbed as she was, it took a moment for her to register the sound of the bell as the shop door pushed inward. Using a blank sales receipt to mark her place, she quickly closed the book and pasted a friendly smile on her face.

"Welcome to Rosenfeld's Bindery, how can I . . ."

Her greeting dissolved like sugar in tea as she beheld the customer walking toward the counter. Tall. Broad-shouldered. Tawny hair flowing past those muscular shoulders in unfashionable waves. A piratical patch covered his right eye while the blue of his left shone with such vividness, she could not look away.

"Everett?" His name fell from her lips in a hushed whisper. She crept toward the end of the counter, the magnetic pull of her longings drawing her feet toward him before her mind could fully comprehend the ramifications of his appearance.

He'd come! Just as he'd promised. He didn't even wear a hat, as if shame no longer held any sway over him. Her heart sang at the thought.

The longer he stood staring at her without speaking, however, the more reality intruded. Nothing had changed about their situation. He was still far above her station, and she still wouldn't abandon her dear papa.

An older couple entered the shop, and their appearance yanked Callista out of the fantasy of Everett and into the reality of her profession.

She smiled at the stunning, silver-haired woman garbed in a well-tailored, sophisticated dress who stood slightly in front of a man wearing a dapper, dark gray suit. The man pulled a top hat from his head as he pivoted to close the shop door.

"I'll be right with you, ma'am." Callista returned her attention to Everett. "Mr. Griffin." The forced formality abraded like an itchy blanket. "How nice to see you again." Nice barely scratched the surface, but it would have to do until she could find a way to speak to him alone. "I have the books you ordered ready in the back room. I'll collect them for you right away."

She turned to leave, but he hurried forward and clasped her hand. "Callista, wait. Please. I'm not here for the books. I'm here for you."

A flock of startled hens would have fluttered less than her stomach at that moment. Oh, how she wished she could throw herself into his arms, rest her face against his chest, and breathe in his woodsy scent. But she couldn't afford to cause a scandal in front of witnesses, especially those of the wealthy, influential variety.

Cheeks flaming, she leaned close. "Shh. You can't say things like that in front of other customers, Everett. What will they think?"

He grinned at her. "They won't mind."

"Well, I mind. I can't have you ruining my reputation and the reputation of Rosenfeld's Bindery."

He tugged on her arm, reeling her in. She should resist, she really should, but she wanted to be in his arms so badly, she couldn't find the strength to break free. Once he had her close enough, he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her flush against his chest.

"I guess you'll have to marry me then. To save your reputation." He smiled like the rogue he once was, and she swatted his arm.

"Shame on you, Everett Griffin. You know very well I'd never marry a man for so paltry a reason." Her pulse raced at the very idea of Everett and marriage being mentioned in the same sentence, however. "I'll only marry a man I love and who loves me in return."

His gaze grew serious as his grip on her tightened. "Then marry me, Callista, because you own my heart, and I am lost without you."

Her eyes misted. "Oh, Everett." How badly she wanted to say yes. "I love you with all that I am. But what about your family? We can't just pretend their opinions don't matter. They'll never approve of me."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that." He loosened his hold slightly as he turned to address the couple behind him. "Mother. Father. May I introduce Callista Rosenfeld? She is the woman I wrote to you about."

His parents! Good heavens. Could she make a worse first impression? They must think her completely lacking in decorum. She pushed away from Everett, smoothed the apron draped over her third-best dress, and lifted a hand to her hair.

"Mr. and Mrs. Griffin. I—"

Everett's mother strode forward and embraced Callista before she could form a complete sentence. "You restored our son to us." The older woman's voice broke as she hugged Callista tight. "I thought I'd never see him again, but then you came, and now our family is mended." She pulled back and looked Callista directly in the eyes. "You have more than our approval, my dear. You have our deepest gratitude." She stepped back and lifted a lacy handkerchief to her eye. "Tell her, Bradley."

Everett's father stepped forward and dipped his head. "Quite right, Miss Rosenfeld. We couldn't be more delighted at the prospect of joining our two families. In fact, your father and I have been corresponding about a particular storefront in Graham that I've recently acquired. He thinks it will serve well as the new home of Rosenfeld's Bindery. And frankly, after seeing the exceptional quality of your work on display in my son's library, I am quite eager to invest in your family's company."

Hearing her father's shuffling step behind her, Callista closed her gaping mouth and spun to face the man who'd proven to be more secretly conniving than she would have ever guessed him capable. "You knew about this?"

His eyes twinkled, the sparkle made all the merrier by the sunlight gleaming on the wire rims of his glasses. "I did. Your young man wrote to ask for my permission to court you a fortnight ago—permission I gave quite readily, you should know. Even before his father hatched the wild scheme of moving the bindery to Graham."

"But, Papa. What about the clientele we've built up? We can't expect them just to follow us. Graham is lovely, but there are no colleges or normal schools there. How will the business survive?"

Papa's grin only widened as he cast a look past her. "Told you she had a good head on her shoulders, didn't I, Bradley?"

Everett's father chuckled softly as he moved to join them. "That you did, Mordecai." He turned to Callista. "Your father mentioned to me that his true passion has always been the artistic side of book binding, so I proposed that we change your current business model from catering to educational facilities where your focus is mainly on repairs, to a shop that specializes in custom designs for a more elite clientele. I can take samples of your work back to New York to entice new clients from among our acquaintances, and my wife can offer her artistic talents to customizing designs for clients based on their individual tastes."