Page 40 of Lucy Loves Him Not
“From what I’ve seen, you favor romance and literary fiction. I was sad to see you only grabbed one book from fantasy,” he said.
“I do like fantasy, I promise. I just have very specific taste when it comes to that genre. But when it comes to romance, I’ll read pretty much anything,” I said. “I noticedyoureally hung around the fantasy and westerns.”
“I appreciate an adventurous journey.” Adam had turned completely toward me, his back to the table, not even pretending to look at the books like I kept doing.
I didn’t even know what the book in my hand was called at this point. I squinted at the back copy for show. “What’s your favorite fantasy book?” I asked.
“You know better than to ask a question like that.”
“Okay, okay. Which book would you recommend to me? As a fantasy dabbler.”
He looked serious. He took off his glasses and ran his fingers through his dark curls as he thought. Then, he put his glasses book on as he said, “Divine Rivals.”
“Really?” I was surprised. “I was expecting some Tolkien or Rowling.”
“You enjoy romance and, from what I saw of your literary picks, you’re drawn to historical fiction. Plus, I love a rivals-to-lovers situation,” he explained.
We started walking to a new table, both with arms full of books.
“Such a specific recommendation. You were really watching me, huh? Squinting across tables to see which books I was picking up.” I was in front of a bunch of children’s books. I had no idea what I was doing now. I grabbed a board book.
“To be honest,” he lowered his voice. “You are a dazzling redhead studying books with such serious deliberation, I’m fairly certain I’m not the only man here squinting across tables to look at you.” I felt his words like he had whispered them warm and soft against my neck.
My mind was completely blank. I swallowed. “Basically, men who read books are creepy gawkers?”
“Men who read books know a heroine when they see one.” He didn’t look away or laugh. He said this with complete seriousness. Instead, it was me who looked away.
Because what, now he was calling me dazzling? A heroine? Wearing jeans he looked unfairly good in?I was a mess. And impressed that he himself had to have read or at least kept up with reading to base recommendations off the books I’d been selecting.
“Stocking up your classroom?” he asked.
“What? No?” I looked up at him, confused.
He pointed at the board book in my shaking hands. I dropped it down.Was I sweating?
“So, what was your gateway book? The first one you really loved?” he asked, kindly distracting me.
“Little Women,” I said without having to think too hard about it. “I devoured it as a pre-teen. I read it over and over. I remember comparing my sisters to the March sisters. Who is a Jo? Who is a Meg? Laurie was my first crush, honestly.”
“Little Women,” he repeated. “Huh.”
Olivia met us at the children’s section. “Hi there, Adam,” she said. “How’re you liking our little book sale?”
“It’s small, but mighty,” he said warmly. Olivia smiled at this response. He sure knew how to work my family.
“Who are the kid books for?” she asked, turning to me.
“Just browsing,” I said quickly. “Ready to check out?”
“Sure,” she said. The three of us headed toward the checkout desk.
“Your assistant, Victor, has a lot of great ideas for my house, you know. He got my number when you two were over a few days ago and we’ve been texting. He’s really talented, from my completely in-experienced opinion,” Olivia said.
“He worked in construction for a long time. He can really help us out in city planning, I think,” he said.
The two started discussing Victor and the city. I made little remarks, but really on the inside, I was willing Adam toplease leave.
Adam took up so much of my mental space and that was just in relation to the little summer festival work world we lived in. I didn’t want to see what toll he would take on my body and mind if he started inhabiting all my other worlds. He was already marching into my book world.
