Books that tie us together

Shock

I look up from the stack of books I'm organizing, directing my eyes to the book trolley at my right. A low sigh leaves my lips as I realize I'll probably need to stay all night if I want to finish the Romance section. It's been two days of me trying to finish it while Ashley works selling the flowers, because more and more Romance books keep coming.

I'm happy though, that way I have more to read too, but the part I like the least about having a flower shop/bookstore is refilling the shelves every weekend. Plus, since Book Tok is a thing people don't seem to like anything that isn't Romance anymore, so we pretty much need that genre in our shelves to not go bankrupt. We even have a section called Spicy Book Tok, and NO, it was NOT my idea...ok, maybe it was.

I hear the doorbell ring telling me a costumer just walked in and taking in my current position I start to go over the chances that Ash might not be busy and can go right now to attend them, because I'm too comfortable sitting on the carpeted floor to do it myself, sorry not sorry.

"Is someone here?" I hear a deep voice ask, and then someone struggle with...I don't know what "Hi. Welcome! Yes, there is someone here, she's over there" and there goes my business partner sticking up for me like always "in that corner to the right, by the Romance section. She can help you with anything you need."

I stand up, or try to, because the almost 100 books all over me and at my sides weren't making it easy.

After what felt like half an hour, I finally manage to do it without breaking any of my bones and any of the books, which is actually a big surprise. I turn around heading toward the front desk. "Oh hi! I heard you asking for help, what can I do for you?" I say as I bump into a hard chest and take a step back so I can look at his face without breaking my neck in the process.

My eyes go wide when I realize who is standing in front of me. I feel my mouth hit the floor and I'm pretty sure I look like a fish right now. Here he is, rooted to the floor like a motherfucking statue, with a blank expression, and those honey irises staring right back at my blue ones.

Pulling my shit together, I roll my shoulders back trying to look taller, which is not working if I'm standing next to this tree of a man. Yes, you heard me, a man, not the 18-year-old I last saw, but some things never change I guess, because the smug look hasn't washed out of his face yet.

I wonder if he remembers me, but why would he? I clear my throat dismissing the feeling and asking again if I could help with anything, because he hasn't responded yet.

"No, nothing specific." I nod, waiting for something else but that seems to be the end of his sentence.

"Well what kind of genres do you usually read? I can recommend you something if you'd like" I say with that smile I reserve only for costumers. I see his eyes leave mine for a brief second as he scans our surroundings, and then to the copies of It Ends With Us that I'm clutching in my right hand.

"Romance"