Page 11 of Totally Geeked

“Yep.”

“You know I could have just given you a copy. It would be the least I could do for you driving me out here.”

“I figured this way you had to sign it. Besides, I want you to get paid for your work, not give it away for free.”

“Well, okay then,” he says, taking the book from my hands and flicking to the page where I’m pictured. He signs something, closes the book, and hands it back. “I can call a cab to take me home when this is done.”

“I’m good hanging here,” I say, then walk away before he can argue.

I stroll around in the bookshop, glancing back at the table as he talks with kids and parents. He’s more relaxed now, but his leg is bouncing under the table like it's focusing his nervousness out of sight. The last parent walks away smiling, and the woman who introduced him earlier places a stack of books down.

“Can you sign the rest of the store copies please?” she asks, her voice picking up into a high pitch that wasn’t there when she did her introduction.

“No worries,” he says, and I shift closer, pretending to look at the books on the shelf in front of me.

“Do you just want the signature, or…”

“You can do whatever you want. You are really talented. Have you always liked to draw?”

He nods and starts signing each book one by one.

“For as long as I can remember,” he replies.

She leans forward on the table.

“I’d love to see some of your other drawings. Maybe you could show me over coffee sometime?” she asks, batting her eyelashes.

Ohhh, she’s hitting on him. How fun.

Arlo’s signature wobbles a little, and he looks up at her.

“Ahh, sorry, I’m actually gay, sooo.”

“Oh, no that’s totally okay, I was just meaning, as like friends, we could maybe have coffee as friends,” she says, but her red cheeks give away her intentions.

“That would be nice,” he replies, finishing off the stack. “You have my number, shoot me a text anytime,” Arlo says, and I can’t help but smile. He’s totally playing it off like she really meant it as friends just so she doesn’t feel embarrassed. It’s sweet, really.

“Ready to go?” I ask, rounding the table.

“Oh, hi, I’m Lori,” she says, holding out her hand for me to shake.

“Harrison. Arlo’s ride, if you’re done with him?”

She blushes deeper. “Oh yes. It was just lovely having Arlo read today, wasn’t it? The children just loved it. Hopefully there’ll be a sequel to Gordie Goes Bananas, and we can have you both back.”

“Hopefully,” I reply, picking up Arlo’s original copy of the book he brought with him. “Ready?” I ask.

He nods, and I follow him out to the truck.

“I think I need a coffee,” he says, and I put our books into the back seat.

“Looks like there’s a cafe open up the street. We can grab food, too, if you’re hungry?”

“Sure.”

When we get to the cafe, I spot a couple of the moms from the reading sitting nearby with their kids.

“We can get takeaway if you like?” I offer, but he shakes his head.

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