Page 289 of Safe With You

“What time do you close?”

“Seven.”

“I’ll be there.”

“All right.”

“And Luna?”

“What?”

“You can call me.”

“I know.”

I smiled.

“See you later.”

“See you.”

The call ended.

I set my phone beside the keyboard and looked back at the photograph I’d been editing.

I looked at my phone again.

Luna had called me because she wanted to hear my voice, and somehow I was supposed to get work done for the next two hours.

I reached for the mouse and looked at the photo on my screen.

The first edit was definitely better.

By the time I pulled up outside Chapter & Charm, the sun had started to drop behind the buildings across the street. The lights inside were still on, but the OPEN sign in the front window was dark.

Seven on the dot.

I locked my truck and headed toward the door, but before I could reach for the handle, it opened.

Naomi stepped out with her bag over one shoulder. She looked at me, glanced back through the glass, then smiled.

“I’m off the clock.”

I stopped. “I didn’t ask you anything.”

“Good. I’m not getting involved.”

I shook my head. “Y’all are strange.”

“Have a good night, Ellis.” She started down the sidewalk, then called over her shoulder, “She’s in the back.”

“I know where her office is.”

Naomi laughed and kept walking.

I pulled the door open before she could say anything else.

The bookstore was quiet, but not the after-hours quiet I’d gotten used to, with Luna moving between shelves while I helped her put something back together after an event. This felt different.