Page 61 of Jax

"Thanks, guys!" the customer grinned, taking both books from Jax and Mia before heading to the cash register. They exchanged a quick look, pleased with their successful recommendations.

"Damn, we're good," Mia thought, noticing how well they worked together.

Just then, another customer walked in, brows furrowed in frustration. "Excuse me, I've been searching everywhere for a specific book, but I can't seem to find it. Can you help?"

"Of course," Jax replied smoothly. "What's the title?"

"Um, it's called 'The Veiled Shadows' by Maria Zanetti," the customer said, uncertainty lacing her voice.

Jax glanced at Mia, who was already scanning their mental inventory. As she processed the information, Mia recalled the exact location of the book in question.

"Got it," Mia said with a knowing grin. "It's a hidden gem, tucked away in the suspense section." She led the customer through the maze of shelves, Jax following closely behind.

"Here it is," Mia announced, pulling the novel from its spot on the shelf. The customer's face lit up with relief and gratitude as she took the book from Mia's hands.

"Thank you so much!" she exclaimed. "I've been looking for this book everywhere."

"No problem," Jax replied, his smile warm and genuine. "We're always here to help fellow book lovers."

As the customer left with her newfound treasure, Mia smiled happily to herself. She glanced over at Jax, who was already scanning the room for the next person in need of assistance.

Mia went over to the young adult section, her favorite part of the bookstore. Her fingers glided along the spines of books as she organized the shelves, her heart swelling with pride at their teamwork. Her phone buzzed in her pocket, pulling her from her thoughts. Glancing down, she saw a text from Savannah.

"Hey, how's it going at the bookstore?" her friend asked.

Mia grinned, tapping out a response with ten book emojis and ten hearts. She loved the new smartphone Jax had bought her—it made staying connected with her friends so much easier. "It's amazing," she added. “You still coming to visit next weekend?”

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world, girl!” replied Savannah. “Plus, Daddy’s taking me to an age play store downtown. He’s promised me a new pacifier AND an I Heart Bloomington stuffie!”

“Nice!” Mia shot back. “How’s crimefighting in the Windy City?”

“Pretty chill, actually,” replied Savannah. “Things have been quiet since taking down Viper and his gang. Mostly we’re just dealing with petty criminals. Still feels good though!”

Mia sent about twelve more heart emojis, before slipping the phone back into her pocket and returning to her task with a content hum.

"Break time," Jax announced after a while, beckoning Mia over to a cozy corner of the bookstore surrounded by stacks of books. They sank into comfortable chairs, a warm sense of camaraderie between them.

"Okay, favorite literary character—go!" Mia challenged, leaning forward with a playful glint in her eyes.

"Easy," Jax replied, smirking. "Lisbeth Salander fromThe Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. She's brilliant, resilient, and doesn't take any crap from anyone."

Mia nodded in agreement. "She's definitely badass. But I have to say, my favorite is Jane Eyre. I know she might not be as fierce as Lisbeth, but she's strong in her own way. She stays true to herself, even when it means facing incredible hardship."

"Good choice," Jax conceded. "Now, let's talk genres. I'm a sucker for a well-crafted thriller or suspense novel. What about you?"

"Young adult romance, all the way," Mia admitted, feeling a blush creep up her cheeks. "There's just something about the emotional journey, the chemistry between characters in romance . . . it gets me every time."

"See, that's where we differ," Jax said, grinning. "I need a book that keeps me on the edge of my seat with twists and turns I never saw coming."

"Hey, don't knock romance," Mia countered, her green eyes flashing with mock indignation. "There can be plenty of suspense and surprises in a good love story!"

"True," Jax conceded, his gaze softening as it met hers. "I guess I just never knew how thrilling romance could be until you came into my life."

A warm breeze rustled through the open doors of the bookstore, carrying with it the scent of freshly brewed coffee and the faint chatter of people passing by. Mia smiled. “I’m so happy we did this. You and me. Running Tiger Tiger Books.”

“Me too,” replied Jax. “I love our life here.”

He reached out for her arm, a little snatch of his tattoo showing. Since the two of them had gotten together, Jax had got himself a new tattoo. It was on his forearm and was a black line drawing of Baloo fromJungle Book. Not the cartoon Disney version, but the original drawing from the Rudyard Kipling book. It made a great counterpart to Mia’s Shere Khan tattoo, and Mia liked to call it his “Daddy bear” tattoo.

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