Page 81 of Beyond the Darkness

Kit grabbed Austin by the arm and led him out of the chaos for a moment. “Hey.”

“Hey yourself!” Austin grinned at Kit. “So, was your ride in as tense as ours?”

“Oh yes. And we had a lot farther to go than you guys.” Kit looked around at everything that was being set up. “It looks really good. Did you get new swag? I don’t remember those stickers from last time.”

Austin nodded. “Chibi, I think they’re called. They seem to be really popular. I had all my characters done.”

Kit whistled. “I bet that cost a pretty penny.”

“It cost my publisher a pretty penny.” Austin snickered.

“Oh, nice.” Kit spotted Henrietta and her mates. “Hey, also, I want you to meet Connie’s parents. I hear that his mother, Henrietta, is a big fan.”

“Oh wow, really? She’s read me?”

“Look at you blush. And yes, she has.”

“It always throws me when I meet people who’ve read my stuff and liked it. No idea why, though. Imposter Syndrome is a real thing, you know,” Austin said.

Kit gently patted Austin on the back. “I’m not a writer, so I can’t imagine what that must feel like, but I’ve heard other authors talk about it. All I can tell you is that you are insanely popular, and the massive crowd that’s going to show up here shortly in front of my bookstore is a testament to that.”

“That always amazes me too. Okay, so introduce me to your mother-in-law and your fathers-in-law,” Austin said.

Kit opened his mouth and then closed it. “You know, I never thought of it like that, but that’s exactly what they are. Huh, I have a mother-in-law who doesn’t hate the very sight of me. Is that a thing?”

“I have no idea. I don’t have a mother-in-law, remember?” Austin said. “And knowing what I do of Kage’s parents, I’m probably fortunate.”

“That’s right. I forgot. I’m so sorry. But don’t worry, you’re going to love Henrietta. She’s the greatest.” Kit waved at Connie’s mother to get her attention.

Henrietta spotted Kit’s wave and excused herself from the conversation she was having with Leo and Ford, then made her way over, a beaming smile lighting up her face.

“Kit, dear, it’s so wonderful to see everything coming together like this,” she exclaimed, her eyes sweeping over the bustling scene in the bookstore.

“And I have someone I want you to meet,” Kit said, turning to Austin with a grin. “This is Austin, the man behind the books that kept you up too many nights.”

Austin stretched out his hand, a nervous smile flickering across his face. “It’s an honor to meet you, Mrs. Henriett—”

“Oh, please, just call me Henrietta,” she interrupted, shaking his hand warmly. “And the honor is all mine. Your stories are like a window to another world that I can’t resist peeking through.”

Austin’s cheeks colored slightly at the praise. “Thank you, that means a lot to me, especially coming from one such as you.”

Kit watched the interaction with a sense of satisfaction. It wasn’t every day he could foster connections between his family and friends and his professional life so seamlessly.

“I must say”—Henrietta turned to include Kit in the conversation again—“you’ve set up quite the event here today. Kit tells us you’re expecting quite a crowd?”

“Yes,” Austin replied, his eyes scanning the room, where volunteers were finishing setting up ropes to guide the expected lines. “It’s always a bit overwhelming but exciting too.”

Ford and Leo joined them then, clasping hands with Austin in hearty greetings.

“Just wait until they start lining up,” Kit said with a laugh. “It becomes real very fast.”

“As long as they keep buying books, right?” Leo added, winking at Austin, who chuckled in response.

Kit kept busy, and customers soon began forming a neat line that snaked around the velvet ropes. The buzz of excited chatter filled the air as people discussed their favorite parts of Austin’s books and speculated about what his next project might be.

Kit stood back for a moment and observed it all—the culmination of weeks of planning and coordination unfoldingexactly as he’d hoped. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Beckett giving him an approving nod.

“Looks like everything’s under control here,” Beckett said.

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