Page 15 of Driven Daddy

“Rita?”

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to check out.”

She gave me a soft smile. “It’s all right. BookTok is my business. And to be truthful, I am jealous of all the cool bookstores out there. I want a slice of that, even if my slice is in small-town New York.”

“I love your place.”

“I want to extend Every Line A Story into a bigger space for a real bookstore instead of just part of the gift shop.”

I glanced around. Books took the majority of the gift shop, but she had beautiful zones of thoughtful craft items that could create a perfect gift for anyone. Add in the cozy chairs to grab a book and chill out with and the vibe was flawless. Maybe slightly cramped, but it made you want to browse instead of getting overwhelmed. “I love this set-up. It works for locals and for visitors like me.”

“Thanks. I’ve been steadily growing for a few years, and we definitely need a little sprucing up. I’m actually doing a signingwith two other people. A graphic novelist and web comic who has her first printed book out.”

“Are you sure I’d fit in?”

“God, yes. It’s a different genre, but well…you are famous. Not that Penn isn’t. He’s huge, but he’s kinda doing me a favor since he’s a hometown boy.”

“Penn who?”

“Penn Masterson, he does the?—”

“Knights of Chaos,” I said breathlessly.

Colette gave a surprised laugh. “I didn’t take you for a graphic novels sort of reader.”

I wasn’t. At least I hadn’t been until I’d been in my self-inflicted jail in my freaking apartment for the better part of nine months. I’d left my cozy and safe apartment only when necessary to do the bare minimum in author duties.

But I’d found a box of them from someone who’d moved out of my apartment building and left them behind. I probably should have tried to find the owner, but I’d been so fascinated by the dark figure on the front with his purple eyes that I’d snatched the box and dragged it back inside my place like a rabid raccoon.

I’d lost myself in the five volumes in the box, and immediately, I’d bought the rest online.

“It’s impressively compelling. I have to admit I generally stick to my own genre for reading—both for research and just because I love romance. With a side of witchy cozy mysteries.”

Colette dragged me over to the paranormal section and pulled a book off the shelf. “You mean like these?”

I snatched the book from her. “I didn’t realize she had a new one.”

“She’s my favorite—well, besides you.”

I nudged her. “You don’t have to say that just to get me to sign.”

“Oh, I’m not kidding.” She looped her arm through mine again and I stumbled after her since I’d been reading the back blurb of the mystery.

She steered me toward the romance section, which was the biggest in the store, and settled me in front of five shelves of my books. Well, our books. My eyes misted over, and I hugged the mystery book against my chest. “Wow.” I glanced over at her. “You weren’t kidding.”

“I was not. I already have a case of the new covers forDate With Disasterwhen they come out—oh, that’s why you’re here!”

I blushed. “Yeah, they are having the photoshoot for the calendar I’m a part of. Well, reshoot.”

Colette bit her lip. “I heard about the cover model.” She shrugged. “BookTok is my favorite place.”

I laughed. “Yeah, it was a mess that was for sure. I was only supposed to come here to pop in on the photoshoot, but the photos of this town were so beautiful I decided to treat it like a writer retreat.”

“So, you’re sticking around?”

Caught in my own idiotic confession, I wasn’t sure what to do.

“It’s okay, I won’t force myself on you with crazy questions—unless you’re good with them. Over wine.”

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