Page 75 of After All This Time

How about the emotional damage you caused after you stopped talking to me?

She walks into the bookshop, with me trailing a few steps behind, and the bell dings as the door opens.

God, I haven’t stepped foot in here since Mom opened the place.

It still looks the same. Bright white bookshelves filled to the brim with romance books. There’s a ton of pinks and greens to make the space cozy and make sure people know that this is a romance bookstore when they walk in here.

You can’t get a bookstore that’s pure romance any more than Sweet & Salty.

Dani’s smiling like crazy which is having a domino effect on me, causing me to smile as she walks aimlessly around the shop.

Her smile is blinding, but it’s also incredibly beautiful. Her eyes are sparkling like fireworks lighting up the night sky.

She turns around to face me. “You know I used to work here full-time when I was in high school? Luckily, your mom let me come back to work here during the summer to earn some extra money.”

“Yeah, she told me she offered you a job.”

“Before working at Sweet & Salty, I called this place my second home because it was. And it still is. It’s surreal I’ve had the opportunity to work here. I’ve learned so much about running a small business and found out about self-publishing during my time here. I’m thankful for your mom, Noah. You have no idea.”

“She talked about you a lot. The way you’d light up when you had a book in your hand and when a customer would come up to you, asking for a book recommendation. She said you were in your element. And she isn’t wrong. You’re glowing.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

dani

“Do you think I look like Edward when he stepped out into the sun in New Moon?”

Noah’s looking at me like he doesn’t understand what I just asked him.

“Have you watched Twilight before?”

He flattens his lips, raising an eyebrow. “Of course I have. Lizzie watched it all the time when we were younger. I couldn’t help but sit down and watch them because I’d get immediately sucked in.”

I smile. “Yeah, those movies will do that to you.”

“For the record, I said you’re glowing. Not sparkling. There’s a difference,” he says.

“Whatever.”

I’m standing in front of one of the bookshelves closest to the register.

I can feel Noah’s presence behind me, lingering there like a shadow which has always been there metaphorically, but is physically here now.

“You’re much prettier than him by the way,” he whispers in my ear while his hands settle on the tops of my shoulders.

Goosebumps are popping up all over my skin.

I smile at the bookshelf I’m standing in front of, turning around to face him. “Am I really?”

He laughs. “Uh-huh.”

“Thanks, I’ve always wanted to know if I’m prettier than a vampire who sparkles in the sunlight.” Sarcasm is present all throughout my voice.

He rolls his eyes, lips twitching to stop himself from smiling. “Are you getting inspired at all?”

I shake my head, frowning. “Nope.” I take a deep breath. “It sucks. This place used to be where I found all my inspiration and now I’m getting nothing.”

“This is a bad case of writer’s block you got there.”

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