Page 25 of Loved Out Loud
“Thank you.”
I take his offered hand as I get out of the car. Instead of letting me go, he links our fingers and follows Jade throughthe door, putting me nestled between him and Adam. Warmth rushes through me as I follow him.
An older woman greets us, introducing herself as the owner of the store. She leads me out to an area in the center of the store with a table up on a small platform in front of dozens of chairs. Several large piles of my book are off to the side. After a few minutes of chit chatting, she leaves to open the doors.
“You good?” Jade comes over from the spot she claimed off to the side, just hidden out of view behind a shelf.
“I am.” Luckily there are two bottles of water on the table for when I inevitably drink the first one too fast. “Thank you for checking on me. Where’s Stone?”
“Right there.”
She points behind me, and I spot him hidden away in the row behind the table. His cap is pulled too low to see his eyes, but his lips are tilted upward in his signature smirk. It’s his rock star mask. I don’t understand how I know that, I just do.
“I’m nervous. I hope this gets easier as time goes on.”
“I’m sure it will.” She squeezes my shoulder gently. “I’ll make sure to get tons of content for you to post.”
“You don’t have to do that.” It’s so kind of her to offer.
“It’s literally my job.” She waves me off.
“Exactly. Something you should be paid for, and you’re probably out of my price range.”
“Don’t even worry about it. I’m just excited to be here.”
The bell to the front door chimes, and she uses my momentary distraction to step off to the side. I’m completely taken aback by the number of people streaming through the door and filling the seats in front of me. After a couple minutes I lose count of how many have filed through. It’s all at once intimidating and exciting.
As soon as I get through the reading of the section I chose and begin answering questions, I fall into a comfortable rhythm.There are so many great questions and comments from the audience that my earlier panic is erased. Nothing brings me more joy than listening to readers who loved or were moved by some part of my story discuss it.
It’s not until the line for signing the books and taking photos begins to fully dwindle that I start to feel the crash I have coming my way. The utter exhaustion from being an introvert forced to people too much, regardless of how lovely said people were. As soon as the final patron finishes speaking to me and exits the store, the owner locks up and turns to me.
“That was fantastic. Thank you so much for coming here,” she says as employees begin folding up chairs. “I hope you’ll keep us in mind for future tours.”
“Absolutely.” I shake her hand. “It was lovely, and everyone who came was so nice.”
We exchange a few pleasantries, and then I feel it. The weight of a heavy stare, the heat of his attention. I turn to find Stone watching me, rock star smirk still in place as he leans against one of the bookshelves. Adam stands behind him, a bag with the store’s logo hanging from his hand.
Good. I was hoping he’d do some shopping while we were here.
“Not quite as exciting as performing for tens of thousands of people, huh?” I ask as I join the two of them.
He shakes his head. “I loved seeing you in your element.”
“That’s kind of you to say. Public engagements like this aren’t really my thing.”
“I couldn’t tell.”
I look at him out of the corner of my eyes as Jade motions for us to exit through the back again. He chuckles and bumps my shoulder when he notices my expression.
“I’m serious. You’re a natural.”
Jade steps in front of the door and holds a hand up to stop us. “Somehow the paparazzi found out you were here, Stone. There are some out by the SUV.” She looks at me. “Will you be okay?”
“Yeah, I’m sure they won’t even pay attention to me. They’re here for the rock star not the author.”
“Alright.” Jade turns and pushes the door open. “Stay close to me.”
I’m wholly unprepared for the multitude of flashing lights that assault us as we step out into the dim parking garage. My name is yelled out as much as Stone’s is, and I freeze. A group of photographers surge into the space between Jade and me. They ask so many questions over each other, it turns into just one cacophony of voices.
