A Deeper Shade of Bad by Ella Price Page A

five and Granny went and locked the door. Granny lived in the
apartment above the book store so it wasn’t difficult to get home. I followed
her up and she cooked dinner. We ate then I watched TV for a while then went to
bed.

 
    I
woke up early and dressed in a pretty off the shoulder gray summer dress and
gray heels. I pinned my hair up and added a little bit of makeup then headed
down to open the store. Granny was already gone. I opened the store then walked
next door and bought a coffee and some breakfast.
    Most
of the day went by fast. I had several customers until around three then it
slowed down. It was almost five and I was arranging books when I heard the bell
ring. I looked up and smiled when Nicholas Price came in.
    “Are
you here by yourself Amelia?” He asked and smiled.
    “Yes
sir I am, Granny had some errands today,” I said and went back to arranging my
books. I noticed he had the book I gave him in his hand but didn’t comment.
    “This
book was interesting, not at all what I thought,” He said coming to stand next
to me.
    “Oh
how so?” I asked and smiled.
    “Well
I took you for a sappy romance type and this was somewhat of a dark sex novel.”
    I
laughed, “Yes it was, and I read pretty much anything,” I said and took the
book he offered back.
    “I
was hoping you might be free to join me for dinner,” He said quietly.
    “I
suppose I could, let me go get my purse,” I said and smiled. I went upstairs
and gathered my purse and phone then I went back downstairs. He was looking at
a book.
    When
I came back down he set the book on the shelf and smiled. “You guys really have
a diverse selection of books.”
    “Yes
we do, we try to anyway,” I said and he followed me out the door. I flipped the
sign and locked the store up.
    We
walked down the sidewalk to his car. He opened the passenger door of a sleek
black Mercedes. I got in the passenger seat and he walked to the driver’s seat
and got in. “Do you like Italian food?” He asked as he set off down the road.
    “Yes,
I do,” I said smiling.
    “Good
there is a really good Italian place not far from here.”
    “Sounds
good.” The type of food didn’t matter to me, I liked him, and he wasn’t bad to
look at.
    “So,
are you going to college here?” He asked.
    “I
don’t know yet, I am looking at several colleges, so far I am undecided,” I
said and smiled.
    “I
do not live here, I am primarily here for business.”
    He
pulled into the parking lot of a small Italian place. He came around and opened
the door and helped me out. I held his arm and he led me into the restaurant.
The hostess smiled and batted her eyelashes at him. We followed her to a small
private booth and we took our seats. He looked at the wine list. “Do you like
wine?” he asked.
    “Yes,
but I am not twenty one.”
    “That
doesn’t matter, I will order us some,” he said and smiled.
    The
waitress came over he ordered a bottle of wine. I was annoyed at the waitress.
She seemed to be making sure he knew she was open for any invitation he gave
her.
    “What
is good here?” I asked.
    “Everything,
the chicken Marsala is really good.”
    “I
will try that then,” I said smiling.
    When
the waitress came back with the wine he ordered for us. “So do you have a
boyfriend?” He asked.
    “No,
do you have a girlfriend?” He had to have a girlfriend. He was to good looking
and to nice not to have one.
    “No
I don’t do the girlfriend thing,” he said looking serious.
    “Oh
then what do you do?” I asked.
    He
smiled, “I have friends.”
    “How
do you keep yourself from getting attached to these friends?” I asked.
    He
smiled, “I remember how busy I am.”
    “Are
you saying you can’t be in love and busy?” I asked.
    “I
am saying love distracts you from doing what is important like work,” He said
matter of factly.
    “Have
you ever been in love?” I asked. He seemed so formal and closed off to even the
idea of love.
    “No,
I don’t let myself