He’s make-you-stupid handsome. Witty. One hell of a nurse, but that’s it. Something has to be wrong with him. What other reason would he have for not wanting to tell me his name?
Anxiety washes over me.
I wish I hadn’t toppled off my stool. If he hadn’t been so sweet and charming while he helped me, I might have been able to tell him no. I really wish now that I had told him no. I don’t want to tell Reid the whole town knows about me, let alone admit I agreed to a date with the first guy who happened to pass by my tent. I slump over, placing my head in my hands. I knew this book sale was a bad idea.
“Sweetheart?” A voice speaks softly off to my right.
I raise my head to see Sera standing at the edge of the table. Her faint green eyes are worried. The guilt starts to multiply.
“Hi.” I slump further over the table. “I didn’t know you were stopping by today.”
She glides over to me, running her fingers across the books. “I would never miss your first festival sale, and I figured you might need a helping hand during lunch.”
I take one long look down the empty street and then back at her and smile. “I honestly don’t know how I’m going to manage without you.”
She playfully smacks the back of my head before joining me behind the table. “You’ll be surprised how many people like to book shop during their lunch hour,” she says, re-stacking a pile of books that toppled over during my graceful exit off my stool.
My injuries catch her eye. I quickly pull my hand behind my back, cupping it in hope I can heal it before answering questions, but she jerks my scraped elbow up instead. “What happened to you?” Her brow knots with concern. “How did this happen?”
My face contorts into a scowl, because I’m embarrassed to admit the truth. “I fell off the stool.”
Her eyes widen, and I swear I almost see her smile. “You fell off the stool?” she repeats, leaning over to look at the stool behind me.
“I was startled.” I blurt it out, my natural instinct to defend myself kicking in, but I suck in a breath to keep myself from continuing. However, it’s too late. Sera is too perceptive and my expression too easy to read.
“Who startled you?” The tone of her voice tells me avoidance will not be accepted.
“I don’t know his name,” I say softly, looking away from her.
Her concern turns to amusement almost instantly. “His?” She grins. “He must have been cute to sneak up on an Innocent.”
“He was.” My face flushes like it’s on fire.
“Why don’t you know his name?”
I let out an annoyed huff. “He wouldn’t tell me. At first he assumed Abby and Sadie had already told me about him. When he found out they hadn’t, well, he kept avoiding the question.”
She studies me for a moment, her fingers playing along the edge of the books. “That is interesting.”
I bite my lip nervously. “There’s more.” I pause but know I have to tell somebody. “He asked me out on a date, to the festival tonight. He said if I come, he will gladly tell me his name.”
Sera takes in a deep, even breath, and I suddenly become worried I have indeed made the wrong decision. “Did you agree?” I’m surprised to find no judgment in her voice.
I nod once. “He was very charming.”
“And cute,” she adds, sighing to herself.
I move forward, placing my hand on her arm. “I won’t go. I know I should have said no.”
She quickly shushes me, turning to place her fingers over my lips. “Don’t apologize. He obviously knows the girls, so I will send them with you. If they suspect he isn’t safe, they can let you know.”
“And if not?”
Her frown turns into a smile. “Then they can report back to me about exactly how cute a boy must be to send such a pretty girl toppling off her stool.” She pulls my hand up to examine it, and within seconds I feel relief from the lingering sting. “I’m quite curious to find out.”
I try to hide the blush, but there is no
Anxiety washes over me.
I wish I hadn’t toppled off my stool. If he hadn’t been so sweet and charming while he helped me, I might have been able to tell him no. I really wish now that I had told him no. I don’t want to tell Reid the whole town knows about me, let alone admit I agreed to a date with the first guy who happened to pass by my tent. I slump over, placing my head in my hands. I knew this book sale was a bad idea.
“Sweetheart?” A voice speaks softly off to my right.
I raise my head to see Sera standing at the edge of the table. Her faint green eyes are worried. The guilt starts to multiply.
“Hi.” I slump further over the table. “I didn’t know you were stopping by today.”
She glides over to me, running her fingers across the books. “I would never miss your first festival sale, and I figured you might need a helping hand during lunch.”
I take one long look down the empty street and then back at her and smile. “I honestly don’t know how I’m going to manage without you.”
She playfully smacks the back of my head before joining me behind the table. “You’ll be surprised how many people like to book shop during their lunch hour,” she says, re-stacking a pile of books that toppled over during my graceful exit off my stool.
My injuries catch her eye. I quickly pull my hand behind my back, cupping it in hope I can heal it before answering questions, but she jerks my scraped elbow up instead. “What happened to you?” Her brow knots with concern. “How did this happen?”
My face contorts into a scowl, because I’m embarrassed to admit the truth. “I fell off the stool.”
Her eyes widen, and I swear I almost see her smile. “You fell off the stool?” she repeats, leaning over to look at the stool behind me.
“I was startled.” I blurt it out, my natural instinct to defend myself kicking in, but I suck in a breath to keep myself from continuing. However, it’s too late. Sera is too perceptive and my expression too easy to read.
“Who startled you?” The tone of her voice tells me avoidance will not be accepted.
“I don’t know his name,” I say softly, looking away from her.
Her concern turns to amusement almost instantly. “His?” She grins. “He must have been cute to sneak up on an Innocent.”
“He was.” My face flushes like it’s on fire.
“Why don’t you know his name?”
I let out an annoyed huff. “He wouldn’t tell me. At first he assumed Abby and Sadie had already told me about him. When he found out they hadn’t, well, he kept avoiding the question.”
She studies me for a moment, her fingers playing along the edge of the books. “That is interesting.”
I bite my lip nervously. “There’s more.” I pause but know I have to tell somebody. “He asked me out on a date, to the festival tonight. He said if I come, he will gladly tell me his name.”
Sera takes in a deep, even breath, and I suddenly become worried I have indeed made the wrong decision. “Did you agree?” I’m surprised to find no judgment in her voice.
I nod once. “He was very charming.”
“And cute,” she adds, sighing to herself.
I move forward, placing my hand on her arm. “I won’t go. I know I should have said no.”
She quickly shushes me, turning to place her fingers over my lips. “Don’t apologize. He obviously knows the girls, so I will send them with you. If they suspect he isn’t safe, they can let you know.”
“And if not?”
Her frown turns into a smile. “Then they can report back to me about exactly how cute a boy must be to send such a pretty girl toppling off her stool.” She pulls my hand up to examine it, and within seconds I feel relief from the lingering sting. “I’m quite curious to find out.”
I try to hide the blush, but there is no
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