Page 114 of Sporty Girls Don't Fall For Loners

“Not sure yet.”

We enter the bookstore, and I sigh happily. This is one of the largest bookstores in all of Edenbury. Silverton has a humongous bookstore as well, but the books there tend to be more expensive.

“I’m going to look through the adventure books,” I tell Kade. “Maybe you can browse the sections and find something you might like.”

He twists his nose. “Maybe, but I doubt it. I’ll look for something for you. The more adventure the better?”

“Definitely.”

He goes to the next shelf while I focus on the shelf before me. I’ve gotten pretty good at skimming the blurbs and deciding if it’s something for me. After ten minutes, I manage to find three books that look promising.

“Okay, this is what I got,” Kade says when he returns with a stack of about twenty books.

I gape at him. “Is all that for me?”

He lowers them on a nearby table. “All for you. This one?” He holds out a book with a cover of a dragon. “It looks like fantasy, but the description says it’s full of adventure. And this one?” He raises one with what looks like a ship caught in a storm. “It says it’s a pirate adventure. I don’t know if you’re into pirates, but the plot sounds really cool. And this one?” He holds out another book. “It’s a mix of adventure and mystery, which I think sounds pretty cool. Oh, and I think this one is perfect for you—Uh, have I done something wrong?”

I’m just staring at him in total shock and befuddlement.

Blinking, I shake my head. “Sorry. I’m just…I’m touched, Kade.”

“You are?”

“Yeah. You’re working so hard to find a book I’d like. That’s really sweet.”

He runs his hand through his hair. “Sweet…”

“You’re very sweet. And so kind. You have a very big heart, Kade.”

He just stares at me. Then he smiles. “Thanks.” He holds out the pirate book. “You think you’d be into this?”

“Is there romance?”

“Not sure.” His eyes skim over the blurb. “Yeah, looks like it. Sorry, I guess this is a no.”

“Actually…” I reach for the book and read the blurb. “Adventure with an epic romance sounds perfect.”

“I thought you didn’t like romance.”

My cheeks heat up. “I guess I didn’t know what I was missing out on.”

It looks like he wants to say something, but he focuses on the stack of books on the table. “Do you want to see the rest? I think you’ll really like some of them.”

Together, we go through the books. He did a really good job picking ones I’d enjoy. I now have thirteen options to choose from.

“What’s your limit?” he asks.

“Maybe three? Four if I really can’t decide.”

He puffs out his cheeks as he glances between all the books. “Looks like we’re in for a long night,” he jokes.

It takes maybe half an hour for me to narrow the choices down to four books. Then we check out the back of the store, where all the old books and ones people don’t want are stashed.

“Can I help carry them?” he asks.

“Thanks.” I pass half to him. “I usually don’t find anything good back here, but sometimes I hit the jackpot.”

Kade helps me look through the books and suggests many of them, but after fifteen minutes, I’m sad to say I didn’t hit the jackpot.

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