Page 12 of Booked for the Holidays
“Right,” I say, swallowing hard as I push his hands off my hips and crawl to my feet. “Well. Thanks for your help.”
“Juniper—wait?—”
But I’m already rushing for the door, head high, chest splintering open with every step.
THIS CHRISTMAS
ONE
JUNIPER
I placethe last ornament on the tree in the window and step back to take it in. Pink satin bows, white sparkly snowflakes, and an assortment of mini book ornaments that I made at the crafting class I hosted last week. The tree goes perfectly with the pink and white themed décor of Blush & Binding, Cedar Hollow’s romance-only bookstore—my dream.
My store has been open six months, and I’m beyond excited to be celebrating its first holiday season. Romance books and the holidays are two of my loves, so putting them together is absolute magic.
In addition to the tree, I’ve decked the entire store out in festive holiday décor. The strands of greenery are the perfect complement to the pink scalloped-top bookshelves, while the twinkle lights framing the shelves give that cozy, warm glow.
I grab the extra box of ornaments and carry it over to the storage bin for safe keeping. When I pass the south wall of bookshelves, I let my fingers skim along a step of the sliding ladder. A handful of months later, and I’m still obsessed with it. It’s exactly the kind of detail I used to dream about, curled up with a romance novel and a mug of tea. Sometimes, when thestore’s empty, I hop on and slide from one end to the other just because I can.
It’s a vision come to life. Exactly how I imagined it since I knew I wanted to open a romance-only bookstore.
But no matter how beautiful it looks, I can’t stop the way the twinkling lights and familiar scent of warm vanilla chai with hints of fir balsam and cinnamon unearth the memories of last Christmas. Of Liam, and his rejection.
But Liam is a chapter I’ve already closed, I remind myself.
I have the receipts—college degree, signed lease, dream career, and a thriving book club. And the business plan that I worked diligently on in order to receive the small-business grant from the Cedar Hollow Chamber of Commerce.
As it turns out, I didn’t need Liam’s help because I joined the Summit County Small-Business forum and it’s been a wealth of information. One particular member,PourChoices, has given me a lot of good advice with budget and marketing, both not being strong suits of mine.
So, I refuse to let some nostalgic scent pull me back into the depths of humiliation that Liam’s rejection had written into my story, like a cruel plot twist I never saw coming.
I’m just about to mentally rewrite that scene with a more satisfying ending—maybe one that puts my bookstore ladder to good use—when the bell jingles over the door, tugging me back to the present.
Its melodic ring is my favorite sound in the store. Second only to the soft turning of pages as customers nestled in my cozy reading nook lose themselves in their latest bookish escape.
“I’ll be right with you,” I call cheerily. Even though the store closes in five minutes, I want every customer to have a top-notch experience.
I finish unpacking the last few books from the box. It’s Pippa Monroe’s latest bestseller, and though I’ve already read it, Iset a copy aside for myself to purchase later and place on my bookshelf at home.
“Welcome to Blush & Binding,” I say, approaching the man who just walked in. “How can I—” He turns toward me, revealing his chiseled cheekbones and warm smile. My words falter, and I stop dead in my tracks.
Standing there is Liam Hargrove, and he looks even more devilishly handsome than I remember.
My eyes drift over him, hungry for every detail.
He’s wearing a black wool coat, and his hair is dusted by the snowflakes falling outside. Also in place, a smug, cheerful smile.
I promised myself last Christmas was the last time Liam Hargrove would leave me feeling like an idiot. And yet here I am, twelve months later, my heart tripping over itself as he walks through the front door of my bookstore like he owns the air.
He glances around, taking in my store, and I hate that I care what he thinks about it.
“Hey, Juniper.” His accent wraps around me like the opening lines of a book I swore I’d never reread. And when he smiles at me, my heart pounds so loud, I can hear it in my ears. “You did it. And it’s bloody brilliant.”
My swoony, romance-loving heart wants to stay in this state forever, but all it takes is one instant replay of the night when Liam kissed me like I was his, then rejected me, to scatter all those feelings.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, not bothering to hide the suspicion in my voice. “Because unless you’re looking for a signed copy ofBillionaire’s Christmas Baby Pact, I can’t imagine what would bring you in.”
Liam doesn’t miss a beat. “I already have that one.”
