by Deanna Chase
She had the urge to scoot back or clear her throat, but she did neither. Instead she swallowed her anxiety and blurted, “I massively over-ordered books that aren’t returnable… and after I paid the invoices yesterday, our current cash on hand is dangerously low.”
He blinked. Then his cheeks started to turn red with what she had to assume was irritation. “Non-returnable?”
She nodded. “Small and micro presses don’t do print runs, only print-on-demand. I… um… dang it! Isaac used to do all the ordering, and I was unfamiliar with the ordering software and just messed up. It won’t happen again. Trust me. I’m a fast learner.”
“I’m familiar with small and micro publishers,” he said.
“Okay. Well anyway, I did try to return some, but as expected, that was a nonstarter. So I came up with a plan on how to move these books.” She leaned in, projecting every ounce of confidence she could find. “Want to hear it?”
“I can’t wait,” he said, shaking his head in what she assumed was disbelief.
“First things first. The window is done. Thank you for your help. I think it will get a lot of attention.”
“That’s the hope,” he said and leaned back in his chair as he scrutinized Yvette. “But you know that a display’s main purpose is to get customers in the store. It doesn’t always translate to more sales of whatever we’re advertising.”
“Right. I’m well aware of that,” Yvette said. “That’s why the window was just the first step.” She pulled out a flyer that was an advertisement for Keating Hollow’s New Year Witch’s Festival. “This is happening this weekend, and the town is going to fill up with a bunch of tourists. Noel says her inn is completely booked, and so is the Book and Stone, the large Victorian that was turned into a bed and breakfast a few years ago. And I happen to know that Miranda Moon lives somewhere in Northern California. I was thinking maybe we could invite her to do a signing and advertise it around town. Maybe get Hanna to make some cookies that resemble the emblem on her books?”
“It’s already Tuesday,” Jacob said.
She blinked at him. “Is that your only response? It’s already Tuesday?”
He glanced at his watch and nodded. “That gives us maybe four days to track down the author, get paperwork signed, find a room for her—”
“She can stay at my house,” Yvette said. “I have the space. And it’s free.”
“That’s something at least.” He pulled out his phone, made a quick phone call to someone named Fran, and then ended up with Miranda Moon’s personal phone number.
“How did you do that?” She tilted her head to the side, studying him. “Have you met Miranda?”
He nodded. “Sure. At a conference once or twice before. And she was friends with my ex. I got her number from our former wedding planner. Miranda was supposed to be a bridesmaid.”
Yvette groaned. “You can’t be serious.”
He let out a humorless laugh. “Oh, I’m quite serious. Let me give her a call and see what I can do.”
Five minutes later, Jacob ended the call with a triumphant grin. “Miranda will be here Friday afternoon. She’ll stay for the festival through the weekend to meet fans and sign however many books come across her path.”
“How did you do that?” Yvette asked with a smirk. “She couldn’t see you, so it couldn’t be your charming smile or somewhat-decent looks.”
“Somewhat-decent looks?” He let out a loud laugh. “You’re not fooling anyone, Townsend. I still remember Saturday night.”
She flushed. “Never mind. I have work to do. I’m going to make postcards and flyers for all the local business, then I need to get the word out online.” She started to move back toward her office, but after a few steps she paused and glanced back. “I’m sorry about the blunder. It won’t happen again. I promise.”
He tilted his head to the side and studied her. “Yvette, are you under the impression I’m upset?”
“Yeah, I guess. Why wouldn’t you be? I made a giant error, and now we’re scrambling to figure out how to sell these extra books instead of settling in and working on new ideas for the store.”
“This is a new idea,” he said. “Book signings, especially with local writers, is a huge boost for us and for them. I’d like to plan at least one a month for the foreseeable future. And for the record, I’m not mad. Not even a little bit. Concerned about cash flow? Yes. But we’ll work it out. I’m not perfect, and I don’t expect you to be either. Everyone makes mistakes. Owning up to them is the most important part. And it’s fair to say you did more than that, so thank you.” He held out his hand, waiting for her to take it, but instead, she threw her arms around him and gave him a tight hug.
“Whoa,” he said, caught off guard, but he quickly wrapped his arms around her, embracing her.
“Thanks,” she said into his shoulder. “If this is how you handle things, then I think we’re going to make a great pair.”
“Does this mean our partnership is going to involve hugging on a semi-regular basis? Because I could really be on board with that,” he teased.
“Sure.” She giggled. “Just as long as you keep me supplied in cookies and lattes, it’d be my pleasure.”
“No, Yvette, the pleasure would certainly be all mine,” he said into her ear, sending a shiver all the way to her toes.
Chapter 9
Jacob spent the morning stocking the shelves with the inventory that was crowding his soon-to-be new office. His first order of business was to create a couple of display tables for the mountain of Miranda Moon books that Yvette had ordered.
He had to admit, he had been slightly alarmed when she’d first told him about her mistake. Bookstores were notorious for running on slim margins, and Hollow Books was no exception. He believed there were steps they could take to significantly grow the business, but if they were careless, they wouldn’t be in business long enough to even try.
But the fact that she’d told him immediately and stepped up with a plan to move the excess inventory had reaffirmed why he’d gone into business with her in the first place. When he’d spoken with her over the phone a few weeks ago, he’d found her smart and passionate and completely invested—the three things he believed business owners needed to be in order to succeed. But those weren’t the only reasons he’d taken a chance on Hollow Books. His aunt had been a major force, and so had his need to get the heck out of southern California. There’d been a lot of reasons to say yes, and only one to say no. The yeses had won.
If his life with Sienna hadn’t blown up, he couldn’t have seen himself investing in a place like Hollow Books. It wasn’t ever going to be more than a small-town bookstore, and that more than anything made the place a bad fit… or it had until the crap had hit the fan. Then he’d suddenly found himself longing for something simple. Something that meant more… something other than profits.
He just wondered how long he’d be content in the small town, running a single store, and not out making his mark on the business world. Time would certainly tell, but for now, he was thoroughly enjoying hanging out with his fiery business partner.
“Yvette,” he called. “Stop eating the cookies. We have books to stack.”
She was holding a cookie in one hand and a napkin in the other. “I have to eat them, otherwise there won’t be any left. Someone keeps swiping them on his way back to the storage room.”
He laughed. She was right. He couldn’t help himself; they were that good. “Just put it down. I could use another hand. I promise I won’t eat your share.”
She gave him a skeptical look but placed the cookie on her napkin and turned to wash her hands in the small wall sink where the new café would be. Jacob stared at the almost-intact cookie and seriously considered swiping it before she turned back around, but his hands were full of books and he really did need her help.
“Okay,” she said. “What do you need?”
“See those books there?” He nodded to a pile of books in front of him. “I need you to stack
them right in the middle of this table.”
“Okay. Now what?” she asked after she was done.
He dropped the large stack of books he’d been holding in the newly cleared space and explained how he wanted the table arranged for maximum exposure.
“I’m all over it.” She went to work, placing the books in a variety of positions so that visitors would see the covers from many different angles. When she was done with her section, she retreated to the door and studied the table with a critical eye. “It’s too much signage. We should take one of the banners down… the one on the left. And all the books on the right need to be shifted two or three inches. There, that’s it,” she said as Jacob did what she asked. “Perfect.”
He took a moment to study the table from her view and once he did, he was again very impressed with her eye for detail. He almost felt as if they were a match made in heaven. It also made him wonder why she’d been so upset after ordering too many books. As far as he could tell, she was everything he’d thought she was: smart, passionate, and committed. She didn’t need to worry about what he was thinking. She was damned good at her job.
But then just after one o’clock in the afternoon, Jacob discovered the answer as to why Yvette had let his reaction bother her so much. He’d moved on to stocking the shelves with their latest inventory when, wouldn’t you know it, Isaac Santini walked in and immediately spotted the elaborate display of Miranda Moon books.
“What is this?” he called as he stared in Yvette’s direction.
“A display of books,” she said calmly. “You should check them out. Moon’s books are fun, romantic, and full of heart.”
“Yvette, you know the store can’t carry that much inventory. It’s irresponsible. What are you trying to do? Put yourself out of business?” He picked one up and eyed the spine. Groaning, he added, “You can’t even return these for credit.”
She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. “Was there something you needed besides telling me what a terrible businessperson I am?”
“That’s not—” he started.
Yvette grabbed the book out of his hand and placed it back on the table. “You should leave. We have nothing to say to each other.”
Jacob moved to stand right behind Yvette, ready to back her up in case she decided her ex needed to be escorted off the property.
“I’m here to get a gift,” he said with a heavy sigh. “Jeez, Yvette. Don’t tank the store just because you’re angry with me.”
“We don’t need your business,” she said and pointed to the door.
“Clearly you do,” he said, eyeing the large display.
Yvette opened her mouth to dispute him, but Jacob spoke before she could get any words out.
“Actually, Isaac,” Jacob said, “we don’t. And the large inventory is part of the new business plan that we’re excited to roll out. Sorry we didn’t run it by you first, but since you are no longer an owner, we figured it wasn’t necessary. But thanks for your concern.” He placed his hands on Yvette’s shoulders, mostly out of reflex as a protective maneuver. But when Isaac’s eyes flashed with irritation, Jacob smiled, satisfied that he’d pissed the other guy off. “Now, what was it you needed? I’m sure Brinn would be happy to help you find whatever it is.”
Isaac ignored Jacob’s question and focused on Yvette. “I don’t know what’s going on between you two, but I do know that when it doesn’t work out, you’re going to regret it. And I won’t be coming around to pick up the pieces.”
Jacob could feel Yvette’s skin burning straight through her thick sweater. He was certain Isaac’s condescension had lit her inner fire. But instead of lashing out at her ex, she turned to Jacob and put her hand on his chest.
“Awe, isn’t it sweet? Now he’s worried about me. What do you say, Jacob? Should I be worried about you breaking my heart?”
Considering they’d both decided they should keep their relationship strictly professional, there was little chance of that. He shook his head. “No. Not at all.”
“See?” she said to Isaac. “We’re all good here.” Then without warning, she turned back to Jacob, lifted up on her tiptoes, and pressed her lips to his.
He stood there frozen for just a second, trying to get his brain to engage. He was not supposed to be kissing her again. But then he quickly realized this was just a show to further annoy her ex, and he was all in. He wrapped both arms around her waist, parted his lips, and deepened the kiss with an obvious spark of passion. She tasted of sweet gingerbread as her tongue met his, and her fire flickered through him like a gentle flame, warming him from the inside out.
Isaac and the bookstore seemed to fade into the background as all of his focus turned to the soft, pliant woman wrapped around him. The kiss turned tender, and he felt as if he could be content to stay in that moment for forever. He would have, too, if it hadn’t been for her ex clearing his throat.
Yvette pulled back but kept her hands fisted in his shirt as she gazed up at him. Her expression was soft and slightly awed. There was no denying that the kiss had all but knocked him right off his axis.
“I think you’ve both made your point,” Isaac said. “Yvette, I hope you know what you’re doing.” He spun on his heel and stormed out of the store.
“I think we just lost a customer,” Yvette said, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
“It was worth it,” he said as he stared down at her rosy lips.
The clock ticked loudly in the silent room, and it was as if the sound had broken whatever spell had come over them. They both stepped back at the same time.
Yvette gently covered her lips with her fingertips as she averted her gaze. “Books on fire,” she muttered. “I shouldn’t have done that.”
“Which part?” he asked, already regretting letting her go. “Deliberately irritating your ex or kissing your business partner?”
She winced as she made eye contact again. “The kissing part. We’re… that’s not what we should be doing. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”
Disappointment crashed through him, and he wanted to say he wasn’t sorry. Not one little bit. And that given the chance, he’d do it all over again. But he didn’t. They’d agreed that a romantic relationship wasn’t a good idea. She’d already almost lost her store once because her marriage broke up. And he’d lost Enchanted Bliss the same way. If they got together, once the relationship blew up, they’d be stuck in the same mess. And it would blow up. Relationships always did.
“No apology necessary,” he said with a cocky smile, trying to act as if she hadn’t just rocked his world. “I was happy to help.”
“I bet you were,” she said with a teasing eye roll. “Just don’t get used to it. Believe it or not, I’m not in the habit of just kissing random guys. Usually I wait until we’ve at least had a first date.”
“We’ve had a first date… sort of,” he said with a shrug.
She blinked at him. Then she shook her head as she chuckled. “I hate to tell you this, Jacob, but hooking up with a stranger after a wedding is definitely not a date.”
“It’s not?” He clutched his chest over his heart and pretended to be offended. “But that’s the way I meet all my girlfriends.”
“No wonder you’re single,” she said with a laugh.
“That’s cold, Townsend.” He shook his head. “What about dinner at your dad’s house? That was almost a blind date.”
She snorted and patted his chest. “Oh, you poor misguided thing. One day when you meet a nice girl you’d like to keep around, remind me to give you some dating instructions. Until then, let’s just get back to work, okay?”
“Anything you say, boss,” he said as he reached over and stole the cookie she’d left on the table.
Chapter 10
The sun had already set when Yvette walked back into the bookstore just after five, and she was surprised to see the place packed with customers. She’d taken the afternoon to run out to Eureka to pick up the flyers and postcards she’
d ordered for the signing Miranda Moon had graciously offered to attend that weekend. When she’d left, there’d only been one person in the store—Shannon Ansell. The woman worked half a block down at A Spoonful of Magic for Miss Maple, Jacob’s aunt. And Yvette had known right away the curvy redhead hadn’t been there for the books. She’d come in to check out Keating Hollow’s newest eligible bachelor.
Shannon had spent a good twenty minutes fawning all over Jacob, praising him for the book he’d written and clutching his arm while she insisted he show her around, as if she couldn’t possibly find her way to the mystery section. After watching Shannon pet his chest for the third time, Yvette had escaped. It was better than clawing the other woman’s eyes out over a man she’d told herself was completely off-limits.
Yvette walked up to the counter where Brinn was ringing up a transaction. She smiled at the older woman across the counter. “Hello, Ms. Betty, what brings you into the store today? Looking for more botany books?”
“Oh no. I have plenty of those, and my winter garden is doing outstandingly well. The lettuce is taking over.” She leaned in and lowered her voice. “That sassy girl that works at Miss Maple’s came by the bingo hall and mentioned a yummy new neighbor, so that got all of us in to see what we’d been missing.” She glanced over at Jacob, who was surrounded by a half-dozen senior citizens. After fanning herself she added, “He’s something else, isn’t he?”
“He’s certainly something,” Brinn said, doing her best to remain diplomatic about her boss.
Yvette chuckled and eyed the bag of books Brinn had passed to the woman. “Did you get him to help you pick something out?”
“Absolutely. He told me I just had to read the newest series by Miranda Moon, and then of course I grabbed a couple of Nora’s newest releases as well. Can’t go wrong with a good romance, especially when someone like that handsome man is helping you pick them out.”