by Sana Abid
"He's here." Lisa bit her lip before glancing at the staircase. My eyes widened with realization, heart pounding as adrenaline kicked in, an aberrant flow of blood to my cheeks. Was it hot in here all of a sudden?
"Really?" I couldn’t believe it.
"He's upstairs." She didn't need to tell me twice. I was already making my way upstairs, nearly forgetting how to walk as I almost tripped over my own feet. Behind me, I heard Lisa's giggles fade out just as the sound of my own heartbeat grew louder in my ears, but I didn't care. Nothing mattered. Nothing except the fact that he was right here.
"You came," he said with his back facing me. There was the sound of a book being closed shut. The light was dim like it had been before. The weird scent of old books remained in the air. The only difference now was what I was feeling.
"Hi." My mouth ran dry. He turned around all the sudden, nearly taking my breath away. The dress pants and the white button-down made him look mature and all serious, but the smile contradicted everything in a snap of a finger. He had a clean shave, his hair was combed back, and those eyes were… God, they were so beautiful.
"Hey." He checked me out, his eyes reflecting delight wherever they looked. "Where are your shoes?"
"I threw them at my boss," I said seriously, but that only made him chuckle. "I'm serious."
"I know," he said, "that's why I'm laughing."
He made me smile. "So, what are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same question." He shoved his hands in his pockets.
"It was raining, so I needed shelter."
"Is that all?" His eyes glimmered.
"Of course," I lied. "Why are you dressed like that?" I tried changing the subject, praying he'd let it go.
"You don't like the look?" he asked as he sank low to the floor.
Of course, I liked it. He looked hot as hell. "I mean, it makes you look all serious."
"And you like that?"
My breath hitched. "Where have you been?"
'"Everywhere," he said patting the space next to him. I rolled my eyes and made my way over to him.
"Why do you always have to be so vague? What do you mean by that?"
"Well, I've been in meetings all over the country, if that's what you are asking, but my mind has been everywhere."
"Mine too," I admitted, leaning my head back on the bookshelf. "You're into business. I thought it was just your brother."
"Well, he owns Stonepelt Co., but I have my small businesses here and there. And your mind has been everywhere too?" He turned to look at me. I did the same.
"Shops like this one, gotcha. And, of course."
"Because of me?"
"Especially because of you," I groaned. "You just left me."
His eyes softened. "I didn't."
"Then?" I whispered.
Jay shook his head. "I shouldn't have taken you there, that's on me."
"You feel guilty?" I asked.
"They said not to."
"Then why did you?" I wondered. "And who do you mean by 'they'?"
"Basically, everyone in my family. I just…"
"You just?"
"I just wanted to help," he said. "You looked so, so sad. Like right now."
"I'm not sad," I lied.
"Sure, you're not." He blinked before turning to the books in front of us. "I hope you aren't cold in those clothes."
"I came back for you every day after that night. You know that?"
"I know."
"Why didn't—"
"I couldn't."
"Why?"
"Because you weren't ready." He shook his head again. "You're still not ready."
"For what?" I lifted a brow. God, he was so puzzling. "Ready to get over the fact that you have some crazy power or whatever."
"Whatever?" He smirked at my choice of vocabulary.
"I'm being serious, Jay," I exasperated running my hand through my hair.
"I am too." He broke into nervous chuckles. "Trust me, I am. I haven't stopped thinking about you since we met." His words made my heart thump faster in exuberance.
"Really?"
"Yes." He turned to face me again. "Even books couldn't take my mind off you. And they usually help all the time."
"l told you they're dumb," I said with a cool, calm, and a collected voice. Inside, I was screaming with happiness. Jay rolled his eyes, trying to conceal a smile. Wow, those lips. "Why did you leave?" I asked. If he liked me, why the hell wasn't he there for me?
"I didn't leave. You did."
"What? You were gone when I woke up. Here." We were sitting right where we did last time.
Jay pouted. "It was my fault. I should have told you that I kind of lag behind sometimes. It kind of drains my energy."
Now I knew what I was about to ask was going to sound ludicrous as hell, but I said it anyways, for the sake of it. "You're saying that you going in and out of books drains your powers. So, you sent me away first. Then you were still inside the book while I was out here?"
He nodded. "Yes."
"Okay." I sighed, processing everything. "You really should have told me. I had so many questions. Have many questions."
"That was my fault. Yes. Like I said, I don't know what the hell I was thinking taking you there. I didn't mean for you to get scared. I didn't think about it. I'm sorry."
"It's okay," I said, bringing my knees up. "It was sweet of you, if I think about it. If I wasn't so freaking scared, I'd actually enjoy it."
"It was a nice place. You chose a great book."
I shivered. "The sun sounds great right now, for real."
"You okay?" Jay jerked up once he realized how cold I really was.
"I'm fine," I replied with my damn teeth chattering. "I was fine before. I don't know why it's so cold all of a sudden."
"Seems like you've been in those wet clothes too long."
"Yeah, I'll be fine," I said standing up.
"Where are you going?"
"To ask Lisa if she has some extra clothes here or is there a fireplace or something here?"
"No fireplace here," he said.
"Dry clothes, then." I was just about to turn when Jay grabbed my hand.
"Don't leave."
"I need dry clothes." I shivered, half-frozen to death by my office attire, half-melting from Jay's warm touch.
"May I?" I raised an eyebrow and watched him blink at me before something changed. When I looked down, the carpet was no longer soaked. There was no more water leaking from my silky blouse. Wet fabric didn't cling on to me like another layer of skin. I widened my eyes totally horrified and nothing more.
"You're cute when you're spooked." He chuckled, sitting back down. Each cell in my body buzzed in celebration—he just called me cute—but at the same time they held up their red flags again when I remembered: oh yeah, Jay had freaking magical powers.
"How— how do you do that?" I asked, trembling but not because of the cold anymore. My clothes were all dry like how they were when I had ironed them this morning.
Jay shrugged. "I told you generations of magic."
"I know. Your great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandmother," I recited.
"Wow, someone was paying attention," he remarked, amused by my exaggeration.
"But how do you do it? Is it like a spell like in Wizards of Waverly Place?"
"Oh, come on!" He laughed. "Seriously? You're comparing me to a fictional character?"
"Hey, I'm not an expert!" I crossed my arms in defense.
"Okay, okay. You're right. I'm sorry."
"So how do you do it?"
"I just think it."
"You just think it?"
"It only works if you focus really hard," he explained.
"Right. Because sometimes your brain thinks of many things at once."
"Exactly." He smiled.
"It's just so crazy. It's unbelievable."
"Many things are," Jay said, "but we believe them anyway."
"Like what?"
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"God, love, miracles," he listed on the top of his head.
"I guess."
"You just have to be a believer."
"I know what happened to me wasn't a dream."
"That's a start."
"I really wanted to see you again," I admitted letting go of my ego.
"I'm here." He held out a hand for me.
"I searched you up."
"I figured." He smirked when I grabbed his hand. Before I could even process anything, he pulled me down, so I fell on his lap. My heart started racing a thousand miles per second or even worse, nanoseconds. The cliché butterfly feeling settled itself in the pit of my stomach, my head spinning when the fluttering reached my heart.
"There's some crazy shit written about you online," I continued, ignoring the fact how close we were.
"There is."
"You're not going to say anything else?" I locked my arms behind his neck while he rested a hand behind my back as if it was the most casual thing to do. It wasn't. My heart wanted to explode right inside my chest.
"What do you want me to say?" He stared down at me with those attractive eyes.
"About your parents."
"I didn't kill my parents," he said rolling his eyes.
"I— I didn't mean—"
"You meant exactly that. It's okay."
"What happened?"
"That, I'll tell you another time. I don't really want to talk about it."
"Oh." I pressed my lips in a thin line. "Sure."
"Just don't—"
"Believe everything I read," I finished his thoughts, which left him confused. "Your brother said the same thing."
"You met Tate?" He snaked his other arm around my waist. "You work with Miller?"
"Yes." I gulped. "He offered me a job."
"A job, huh?"
"Yeah. But when I called no one picked up. I tried a bunch of times."
"Let me see the card." I reached into the pocket near my breast and pulled the Stonepelt business card, but before I could even hand it to him, Jay shook his head.
"It's the wrong card."
"What?"
"He gave you his old card, by accident. He keeps it because that's the one our mother designed, but my dad said it was too simple."
"Oh."
"I'm sorry about that."
"It's okay. I'm sure I'll find another job."
"Yeah, don't do that," Jay said. "I'll give you the right number later."
"Maybe he gave the wrong card on purpose."
"Yeah, maybe he called me afterwards and said he's looking forward to working with you by accident, then."
"He called you?"
"Yep. He said you helped him big time."
I shrugged. "It wasn't a big deal. Liam was a jerk to play with him like that."
"And he got what he deserved." Jay laughed marvelously. "And you deserve a cup of coffee. My treat."
"You can't leave me if I can't leave you." I tightened my grip on him. I didn't mean to; it was kind of a reflex.
"I'm not leaving. We are." I looked nervously at the books. "Only if you want to," he said. Of course, I wanted to. What girl wouldn't want a magical evening with a guy like this?
"There's coffee in there?"
Jay's face brightened like Edison's first light bulb. "I'm sure there's a coffee shop scene in like every book out there." When I nodded, Jay tightened his grip on me before pulling out a book in front of us.
CHAPTER 6
The next thing I was aware of was the sound of an old song playing, the one that sounds like those tunes from a record player. I blinked and found the library gone, replaced by a vintage café with cream walls. Large posters of coffee in porcelain mugs hung over the glass walls as advertisements. Just like Hope's Café, there was a full house in here too. But long outdated dresses, khaki suits, and weird choices of hairstyles took the place of t-shirts, hoodies, and ripped jeans. This was so unbelievable.
"We're not in 2019 anymore," a voice said next to me.
"This is…" my brain searched for the right word. "Incredible."
"Now, for that cup of coffee." Jay smiled. "I'll be back." I remained in the tiny booth still gaping at the change of scenery—it was as if someone had switched the props and the backdrop in a matter of seconds—while Jay want to order. A man in a tall hat walked by, a thick cigar in his mouth, and looked at me with the most disgusted, perplexed expression. When he left, I glanced around and understood that my clothes were amiss; I was in work clothes and in this era, working women were like thorns on a rose. Damn. Gnawing on my lip, I started to fidget before I began to mentally go over the facts. I was inside a book (I wish I'd read this one before, so I'd have a clue what it was about, probably sexism from the looks of it). I was inside a book, again. Jay brought me here. Jay dried my clothes. Jay thought I was cute. Eva was going to kill me if she found out, but it didn't matter because Jay found me cute. And I was inside a freaking book. Those were the two leading thoughts in my head.
I was so deep in my thoughts that I wouldn't have realized the barista flirting with Jay if she hadn't laughed so loud. My eyes pierced at the direction of the two by the cash register. I already hated her for having her predatory eyes on Jay. And seriously? Did she have to have such a loud, vexatious giggle? I bet she did that to any good-looking man. Of course, she did. She was beautiful herself, looking like a perfect Southern Belle. I couldn't help but to unleash the green-eyed monster, my good pal Jealousy, and Negative Nancy, my other best friend besides Eva.
Negative Nancy was the leech that amplified every bad thought in my head. She made every situation ten times worse than it was. Like right now, she said, "You're kidding yourself, Vivian. Why would a guy like Jay ever fall in love with you? What's so special about you?"
"I can get you something to eat if you're that hungry," Jay said as he slipped into the booth in front of me. I quit biting my nails, a terrible, terrible habit and snatched the cup of coffee from him. It gave my hands something to do.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing." I shrugged.
"We can leave," he said in a rush, "we don't have to be here."
"No." I shook my head. "It's not that."
"Then?" I continued to avoid eye contact, running the pad of my thumb up and down the hot cup.
"Viv…" Jay said with a patient voice.
"It's stupid."
"Tell me." He grabbed my hand and peeled it off the cup. I was really holding hands with him, Jay.
I sighed, a blush as hot as the coffee in front of me across my cheeks. "The girl was flirting with you."
"What?" He actually looked puzzled when I glanced up at him.
"The barista. She was flirting with you."
"She was?" Jay cocked his head.
"Don't play dumb," I groaned ripping my hand away from his.
"I'm not playing." He reached for my fingers. "I really don't know what you're talking about."
"She was practically all over you." I clenched my jaw as I turned my head to glare at the blonde pouring coffee for another guy around the age of twenty.
"Did she get it?" Jay's voice broke me away. Good thing it did because I was planning on shooting darts at her from my eyes.
"Huh?"
"Did it get my attention?" he repeated.
"I don't know," I mumbled.
"It didn't."
"Oh."
"Did you think it would?" I didn't answer it first, but when he squeezed my hand I nodded.
"Yes."
"Why?"
"You know."
"Maybe I do. Maybe I don't."
"Because… she's pretty and you're good looking. I was having doubts about myself, okay?"
"Oh, Viv," I heard him say.
"I don't want to talk about it."
"Can you look at me? Please?"
"Do I have to?" I'd rather just stare at the coffee and wait for the ground to open up and swallow me whole. I was so embarrassed.
"I'd like you to." I m
entally groaned once more before tearing my gaze away to meet his eyes. "What?"
"I find it super cute that you got all jealous."
"Stop." He didn't listen.
"But I don't like it that you think about yourself in that way."
"Hmm."
"Seriously, Viv." He glared at me. "I don't know why you thought she would get my attention when I'm here with you."
"She's pretty," I mumbled under my breath, so only I could hear. Didn't I already say that to him?
"So? And you're not?" Damn, I sucked at keeping to myself. When Jay didn't get a response out of me, he sighed and sunk deeper into his side of the booth. "You are. God, you're a wonder to look at. Even when you're upset."
"Do you say that to every girl you meet?" I chuckled, lifting my cup to drink and hide the color on my cheeks. Pretending that Jay's compliment was not a big deal was hard work, especially when he looked like that.
"Do you go on a lot of dates where guys say that?"
"No." I gritted my teeth when Ron's face flashed in my head. "I haven't been on a date in a long time."
"Me neither." He smiled, one tiny dimple on his cheek.
"Do we have to go soon?" I asked.
"No, we have time." He looked behind me. "You see that couple over there?" I turned my body around in my seat and followed Jay's eyes to find a guy and a girl walking into the shop. The guy in the navy suit held the door for the girl in the pastel pink dress, and once she slipped inside, he snaked an arm around her waist and pulled out the biggest smile I'd ever seen.
"Main characters of the story. Joe Riverstein and Elle Austin."
I frowned. "Never heard of them". Now, I really wished I read more often.
"They're on a date. Joe finally had the nerves to ask her out."
"They look happy." I grinned as I turned back to face Jay.
"They are. But in a couple of minutes, Elle's brothers are going to come in here and beat the shit out of Joe."
I gasped. "Why?"
"Because they don't want their sister near him. Elle is rich and Joe is poor."
"Ah," I said, "the rich/poor theme. Kind of typical, no?"
"Typical, yes." Jay awed at the protagonists. "Beautifully written, though. It's worth it."
"I don't want to see a guy get beaten up, even if it's fiction."
"We'll be gone by then," he assured.
"What are we waiting for?"