I glance back at Saffron again, and before I can stop myself, I answer, “Saffron.”
“Saffron,” my mom repeats, like she’s tasting the name, savoring it. “Oh, I like that. Pretty name. So, when do we get to meet her?”
I inwardly curse myself again. This is getting out of hand. “I don’t know, Ma. We’re... still figuring things out,” I hedge, trying to dig myself out of the hole I’ve just dug.
“Well, bring her with you! You can come before Thanksgiving or even after if that works better for you two. You know your father and I don’t mind adjusting the schedule. Just let me know when you’re coming.”
I grimace, trying to keep my voice neutral. “Yeah, I’ll... I’ll talk to her about it.”
“Good! I can’t wait. You know, I’ve been waiting for you to settle down, Nolan. You’re not getting any younger, and I’d love to see you with someone special.”
I want to groan, but I keep my mouth shut. “Right. Well, I’ve got to go, Ma. I’ll talk to you later.”
She chirps something cheerful in response before hanging up, and I’m left standing there, staring at my phone like it’s personally betrayed me.
Great. Now I’m screwed.
I glance back toward Saffron, who’s still cleaning up, completely unaware of the mess I’ve just created for both of us. How the hell am I supposed to explain to her that I just told my mom we’re dating? She’ll probably laugh in my face. Or worse, she’ll think I’m a complete idiot.
I run a hand down my face, feeling the weight of my own stupidity settle over me like a heavy blanket. I’ve always been a man of few words, someone who prefers to keep things simple. But this? This is anything but simple.
Now, I’ve got to figure out how to convince Saffron to pretend to be my girlfriend for Thanksgiving.
Perfect. Just perfect.
THREE
Saffron
I lovemornings in the bookstore, the quiet before the rush of regulars who come in for their latest reads or to sip on coffee while browsing the shelves. Shelf Indulgence had become my little corner of the world, a safe space where I could escape into books and stories—where everything made sense.
But today, I can’t seem to focus. My mind keeps drifting back to yesterday, to the feel of Nolan’s hands on my waist, steadying me when I’d nearly fallen off the roof. His touch had been firm but surprisingly gentle. And for just a moment, as he caught me, I’d let myself imagine that I was the heroine in one of my novels, and Nolan was the brooding hero coming to my rescue.
But that’s not real life,I remind myself. Nolan isn’t some fictional knight in shining armor. He’s just my grumpy neighbor, a man who barely speaks to me, let alone sees me the way I secretly wished he would.
I sigh, running my fingers along the spine of a book I was supposed to be shelving. The truth was, I had a stupid crush on him. I’d noticed him the moment he moved in next door, tall andbrooding, with that jawline that looked like it belonged on the cover of one of my romance novels. But he hadn’t noticed me—not really. Not until yesterday, anyway.
The bell above the door jingles, and I glance up, expecting to see one of my regulars, but when my eyes land on Nolan standing in the doorway, all thoughts of shelving books fly right out of my head.
“Nolan?” I blurt, my heart skipping a beat.
He never comes into the bookstore. In fact, I’d never seen him set foot in here before. I’d always figured he wasn’t much of a reader.
He doesn’t say anything at first, just stands there, looking around the store like he’s searching for something. Or someone.
“Are you... looking for anything in particular?” I ask, my voice coming out a little higher than usual. I tried to steady my nerves, but it was hard when he was standing there, all serious and intense.
His gaze flicks to mine, and for a moment, I could have sworn the air between us shifted. “Yeah,” he says slowly, his voice low and rough. “I’m looking for you.”
My heart thuds in my chest.
Me?He couldn’t possibly mean that the way it sounded.
It feels like something straight out of a romance novel, and I swallow hard, trying to rein in the flood of feelings threatening to overwhelm me.
“What... what do you mean?” I manage, my voice is a little shaky as I force myself to meet his eyes.
Nolan steps further into the store, his presence suddenly filling the space in a way that makes it hard to breathe.