Page 20 of Any Second Now
“Yes,” I say with a nod. “That’s exactly right.”
“Follow me.” The woman looks over her shoulder as she walks away. “I’m Rose, by the way.”
“Atticus.”
Rose steps down one of the narrow aisles to a bookshelf labeledMemoir. She runs her finger across the spines and then plucks a book from the shelf that pictures the back of a woman standing on a cliff, arms open wide. The title is53 Stops.
“I really like this one. She got divorced and decided to travel to fifty-three places in the year ahead of her fifty-third birthday.”
I take the book from Rose. That’s pretty close, even though Raleigh’s twenty years younger.
“She’s is in her thirties, so might not hit exactly right. But I’ll hang onto it.”
“Is she your girlfriend?” Rose blinks pretty dark eyes at me. “Knowing that will help me make recommendations.”
“No, just a friend,” I say. I’m not sure how that knowledge will help her. Rose’s cheeks pinker, and I realize she thinks I’m flirting with her. Am I? I don’t mean to.
But I did just tell her Raleigh’s not my girlfriend. Which is a fact.
Six months ago, I’d turn up the charm a notch and obviouslyflirt. But when I search for that desire inside me now, it’s just not there.
“Right.” She turns back to the shelf and scans a few rows of books until she finds another. “This is about one woman’s sexual awakening after she split from a long-term partner and lost her job. She was thirty-five, so maybe closer to your friend’s age.”
I nod and take the book from her, imagining myself handing Raleigh a book with a couple—wait, no, there’s three people—entwined on a bed on the front cover.How I Found My Wild Side,it’s called.
Meh, why not.
“And here’s one about a woman finding herself after her parents pass away at the age of twenty-nine. She starts her own company. It’s more business focused.”
I accept the book, titledWoman Boss, from Rose’s hand. “I’ll take all three,” I say, trying not to overthink things.
Books for Raleigh feel like a great idea. She can read while lying in the hammock and looking out over the picturesque lake.
I follow Rose to the front.
“I’m new in town. Anything you recommend I do to get to know Fort Collins?” Rose asks too-casually as she scans the books into a tablet.
“Go to a Blizzard game,” I say automatically.
She pauses in her tapping and looks up.
“Are you a hockey player?” Her eyes flit down over my body.
I nod. “It’s the offseason, but we’ll be back in September.”
“Alright.” She smiles broadly at me. “I don’t know a lot about hockey, but I’ll give it a shot.”
Rose stares at me for another beat, and maybe I should offer her tickets or give her more suggestions or maybe even ask her out. But I don’t. I don’t want to make any more small talk with her, as nice as she seems.
Rose turns the tablet around so I can tap my card and sign.
“Let me know how your friend likes them.” She’s still got a smile on her face as I gather up the three books.
“Sure. See you around.” I dash out of the bookstore.
Maybe I should follow Lachlan and Kellen’s lead and get myself a girlfriend. Maybe I should try dating someone like Rose. She was obviously interested in talking to me, and I don’t think it was only to help me pick out books.
But…I don’t want to date Rose.
