Page 16 of Then Came You

“It will be. We got this.”

We? Since when are he and I a we?

She was distracted when Savannah joined them and handed Sam a cup of coffee.

“I would have brought one for Gillian too, but it’ll just make her more jittery.

“For the last time, I’m not nervous!”

“She’s only rearranged the chairs ten times in the past few minutes,” Savannah said and rolled her eyes.

Then Lauren came over, wearing a bright smile. “Hey, Sam. Gillian, we’re all set next door.”

“Next door?” Sam asked.

“After story time, we’re offering the kids and their parents a free cookie and lemonade,” Gillian said.

“Great idea.”

She glanced at her watch. “They should start arriving soon. Do you want to practice reading first?”

Lauren and Savannah broke into laughter.

“I think he knows how to read.” That from Savannah.

“It was a required part of officer training,” Sam said and winked at her.

Does he ever get nervous? Gillian thought not. He always seemed to be in control, unlike her. Her stomach was in knots, her palms sweaty, and her heart rate elevated.

Yes, they were kids, but they were also consumers, and she wanted to make a good impression on them and their caregivers. If this went well, they’d want to come back, which meant increased visibility and sales—at least in theory.

Lauren and Savannah drifted off, leaving her and Sam alone.

“Sorry for teasing you. I was just trying to lighten the mood.”

She looked directly into his eyes, which were a rich, dark brown that made her think of chocolate. He was smiling sweetly, and his dimple had popped out. He really was handsome now that she’d taken the time to notice, but he wasn’t cocky about it. He had a softness about him that contrasted with his muscular build and commanding appearance. In other words, he was dangerous.

“Gillian?”

“I’m fine. I’ll be fine.” She’d repeated it to convince herself as well as him.

Then the door to the bookstore opened, and in walked a couple of young boys and two women.

“Showtime,” Sam whispered.

Savannah stepped forward to welcome them and pointed to the back of the store where the chairs were set up. Gillian had appointed Savannah official greeter since she was naturally outgoing and gregarious.

Gillian, on the other hand, preferred to work quietly behind the scenes, but since this had been her brainchild, she’d wanted to see it through.

“Hey, guys,” Sam said, greeting the two young boys as they sat down. He held up his hand and gave them each a high five while Gillian turned her attention to the two women.

“Welcome to our first story time. We’re glad you came.”

“I’m so happy there’s a bookstore in town,” one of the women said enthusiastically. “I’ve been here a few times, but this is the first time my son has wanted to come.”

“Mine too. He was so excited to meet a real policeman,” the other woman said and laughed.

“You’re welcome to sit with your kids or browse around while Officer Nichols reads.” Since she’d started calling him Sam, it felt strange to use his formal title.