Page 13 of Battle of the Bookstores

“I…”

I step closer, poking a finger at his chest, saying what I wish I could say to every single person who has ever underestimated me.

“I’ll never be your assistant, Mr. Happy Endings. And you’d better polish up your resume, because I’m going to win this battle. And the first thing I’ll do? Fire you.”

With that, I turn and walk off.

I wish saying all that made me feel better. Instead, I’m left feeling like no matter what I do, if I stay silent or stay in control or let everything out, I’ll always end up in the wrong.

4

Ryan

What in theever-loving hell was that?

I’m blinking at the spot where Josie stood just seconds ago. I thought she’d be happy to know she wouldn’t lose her job, even if she lost Xander’s stupid competition.

The last thing I meant to imply was that I think she’s beneath me.

Cue my brothers’ voices in my head, suggesting that very thing: Josie, beneath me.

Fat chance of that happening. The fact that her eyes sparkle like emeralds when she’s angry and she smells like a lavender field on a rainy day is irrelevant. I have no doubt that if Josie Klein could summon lightning like Violet Sorrengail, I’d be a pile of ashes on the floor.

If she’d given me a second to explain, maybe she’d realize I’m not the enemy, Xander is. I’m the one person who understands that our jobs mean so much more than a paycheck, that we’d be lost, rudderless, without our bookstores.

It’s true for me, and I bet it’s true for Josie, too. She’salwaysat the Tab, from open to close seven days a week. Other than that young woman with the bedazzled cane, I never see anyone helping her. Another advantage: her profit margins won’t take the hit of any staff salaries.

I think of my employees and sigh. I can’t protect them from this news much longer. After all, they might be back on the job market come September.

“Don’t take all that with Josie personally,” Eddie says from behind the coffee bar.

My cheeks burn; of course he saw the whole thing. Everyone in here probably got a kick out of seeing that spitfire of a woman dress down the giant, awkward dude.

“Yeah,” I say, trying to brush it off. “That was something.”

“She’s got her reasons for being prickly,” Eddie says. “Try and give her a break.”

“Givehera break?” I repeat. “She’s the one who accosted me.”

“She had to overcome a lot to get here.” Eddie sounds oddly protective, and I don’t get it.

“What do you mean?”

Eddie shakes his head and starts wiping the counter. “Not my story to tell. I only know the bare bones, anyway.” He gives me a long, hard look. “Just…don’t give me any reason to spit in your drink, ’kay?”

“Okay,” I agree, wondering who or what Josie had to overcome.

Stop being such a pussy.My brothers’ voices are back.

But they’re right. Josie Klein may not be my enemy, but she is my competition.

And it’s about damn time I start acting like it.

—

“The last timewe had an emergency meeting, you told us Elaine had died,” Cinderella says, her voice pitchy with nerves.

“No one’s dead,” I say, locking the door and switching the sign fromOpentoClosed. I sent out an all-staff email this afternoon, asking everyone to come by before closing.

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