Page 22 of Just My Puck
“They definitely have a knack for it. Anyway, I’ll go have a look. Take your time.”
I walk across the street, once again admiring their Christmas-themed window display, the scene set inside a cozy winter wonderland. Twinkling lights wrap around stacks of books, and a small decorated tree stands proudly in the center. A wreath of holly and pine cones hangs above the display, and the rest of the window is decked out with festive touches—snowflakes, ribbons, and bows.
A cat comes meowing at my feet, rubbing against my ankle. “Oh, you’re such a cutie,” I say, leaning down to pet the purring tuxedo cat. As soon as I squat down, he jumps into my arms, so I hold him against my chest, standing up while I continue to admire the books. Are cats always this friendly? Maybe he knows me. He’s still purring, settled in my arms like it’s his favorite spot.
“Hey, there,” a girl with a pink pixie cut chirps, coming out of the bookstore. “Sorry about Mr. Darcy. He’s a cuddler.”
“Oh, not at all. He’s adorable.” I smile. “Is he yours?”
She nods, scratching Mr. Darcy’s head. “Yep. Well, he technically belongs to our bookstore. Our secret weapon for attracting customers, as you can imagine.”
I laugh. “Yeah, I can see that. By the way, your display is beautiful. Makes me want to read all the books in there.”
“Come on in. We have loads more inside.”
I follow her through the door, and the place is instantly welcoming. The cozy book shop is bathed in a warm, soft glow from hanging fairy lights and a few scattered desk lamps. There’s a reading nook right in the middle of the room with mismatched armchairs and a two-seater couch, and the shelves are filled with neatly organized rows of romance novels arranged by theme.
“Are you from around here?” she asks, turning to face me.
“I take it you’ve never met me before?” I ask, still petting Mr. Darcy.
“I don’t think so. Should I know you?”
I sigh. “I was hoping you would. I was in an accident, and I lost my memory. It’s a little compl—”
“Oh, you’re the girl who got hit during the game on Friday!” she exclaims, causing Mr. Darcy to jump out of my arms. “Max mentioned you were staying with Caleb. Is your eye okay?”
“Yeah, it’s fine. Just a scratched cornea. You know Caleb?”
“I do.” She smiles warmly. “He’s pretty much responsible for this place. Our contractor disappeared on us right before opening day, and the entire Raptors team came together to help. Caleb took over the role of contractor, since he knows a thing or two about construction.”
“Oh, wow. That’s impressive,” I say, doing a double take to admire the space. The interior definitely has that professional touch, everything put together with care. “I’m Aria, by the way.”
“Hayley.”
“So, how did you come to be friends with an NHL team?”
“My husband, Maxime Beaumont, plays for the Raptors. I met him when they helped us with the store. He’s my friend Alice’s brother. She should be back down any minute, by the way. She’s upstairs getting some lunch.”
“Wow. It must be great working with your friends.”
“It really is,” she says with a smile. “There’s three of us, and we even lived together right above the store for a while. Now, Alice lives here with her boyfriend, Deacon. He owns the bar next door, and they connected their apartments. Our other friend Emma lives with her husband. Anyway, enough about my life. Have a look around. Pick any book you want—it’s on us.”
“Oh, no. That’s very kind, but I don’t even know if I’m a reader, so—”
“Please, it’s my pleasure. That way, you’ll know for sure. We do only have romance, though.”
I chuckle. “That’s a good point.”
I wander around the store, trailing my fingers over the spines of the books, opening a few of them to smell the pages. There’s something so familiar about it. I’m pretty sure I used to do that often. Maybe I worked in a bookstore too? I’m instantly drawn to the romantic comedy section, where all the books have pretty, colorful covers and funky fonts.
I’m reading the back cover of a sweet romcom when something touches my boot. I glance down to find Mr. Darcy swatting at me, trying to get my attention. I squat down to see he’s in some kind of cat nook built into the bookshelves. “Well, you look cozy in there,” I say, petting him.
“Oh, yeah,” Hayley chuckles as she walks by. “Caleb built that for him, actually. Mr. Darcy will forever be grateful.”
Someone knocks on the window, and the front door swings open.
“Hey, Hayley,” Beth calls. “Just picking up Aria. We’re going shopping.”
