Page 9 of Book and Ladder
“No need to shou …” Her words die at the sight of me.
“Patrick is here to pick up Maeve’s order.”
Daisy’s eyes travel from the ball cap on my head, down my torso, taking in my plaid button-up and white t-shirt, and then my jeans.
“I heard about the barn fire,” Winona says.
I answer Winona, but for some reason, my eyes are locked on Daisy’s. “We saved the livestock. It was a pretty big fire.”
“I heard you went running in and saved all the animals,” Winona says with more adoration than I deserve for simply doing my job.
“Dustin saved the animals. I basically manned the hose.”
“I don’t know how you do it,” Winona says with an airy tone to her voice.
Daisy’s eyes narrow as if she’s trying to solve a puzzle.
I snap my gaze away from Daisy’s and glance at Winona.
“It’s … just mind over matter, I guess.”
Winona smiles. “I could never.”
“Maybe it’s a touch of insanity,” I add.
“Definitely that,” Daisy mutters, her arms crossed overher chest. “More than a little.” Then she adds, “I’ll get Maeve’s books.”
At the wordbooks,her face betrays her—softening before she can stop it.
I know the feeling.
Daisy and I might disagree on nearly every subject, but we both love books.
She’d be mortified to know we had anything in common, especially books.
Daisy emerges from the office, a brown paper bag in hand, the words Moss and Maple stamped on the front. There’s a bow tied around the handles. Extra touches. The perks of a local shop.
She hands the bag over. Her eyes lock on mine again—dark as 70% cacao, and just as bitter when aimed at me.
“Thank you, Daisy,” I say, suppressing a yawn.
Never show weakness.
I turn for the door and add, “See you at home.”
“Not if I see you first,” she adds, and then the bookshop door shuts behind me.
I text Maeve from my driver seat before I leave Moss and Maple’s gravel parking lot.
Patrick: Got the books.
Maeve: Can you bring them to family dinner?
Patrick: Thanks for reminding me. I was heading home to hit the sack for an hour or two. Nearly forgot about tonight.
Maeve: You can’t avoid family dinner, Pat.
Patrick: Who said anything about avoiding?
