First Edition Romance

by Shannon M Harris

  “Good, I’ll see you then.” He walked quickly away.

  Justin shook his head. “Ainslon, I’m heading back to the store. We’ll discuss everything later.”

  Ainslon watched him until he crossed the street, then turned back to Lauren. “Lauren, I…” The look on Lauren’s face made Ainslon’s heart clench painfully.

  “Ainslon, please, let’s go someplace quiet and discuss this over lunch. Just hear me out.”

  “No, Lauren. I…I’m not sure now’s a good time…or anytime for that matter.” If she didn’t want to move things forward in their relationship because of the book, well, this was a much bigger deal. No matter what she felt for Lauren, she had to stick to her guns. Didn’t she?

  Lauren frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “We’re both competing for the same building. Plus, your book. We have a lot on our plates right now.” How had everything changed so quickly? All Ainslon wanted to do was escape back to the store. “Look, I think, for the time being, we should leave whatever this is between us on the back burner. At least until the matter of this building is resolved.”

  Lauren’s face registered shock, then hurt. After a long moment, she sighed in resignation. “If that’s what you think. Ainslon, I can’t back down from the opportunity to buy this building and I will be offering my best price.”

  “May the best business win.” The knife that had embedded itself in Ainslon’s chest tightened.

  “For the record, Ainslon, you look amazing today.”

  Ainslon swallowed hard, trying to loosen the tightness in her throat as Lauren turned and walked away. What had she done?

  Was competing against Lauren in her best interests? Was a business deal worth losing what she and Lauren had between them? She didn’t know, but she would ask her family for their thoughts on the matter tonight.

  Lauren strode into C and C, rushed up the stairs and into her office. She slammed her folder on her desk, slumped in her chair, and closed her eyes. What a mess. She never in a million years thought she and Ainslon would be in competition. All the progress they’d made, gone. If she hadn’t already invested so much time and energy in the building, she would, maybe, consider letting it go. However, it would be perfect for her business. She’d already had plans drawn up to knock down part of the wall between the two buildings to expand into one big showroom.

  She didn’t even open her eyes when her door opened.

  “Don’t get up,” Ollie said. After a beat. “What’s wrong?”

  She opened her eyes and sat up straight. “I had plans of ditching you for lunch, but those fell through.”

  “After I slaved over this meal.” Ollie spread her arms above the desk.

  “You would have shared with Carrie.”

  “Are you going to tell me what happened?”

  “As you know, Ainslon and I are at the stage of getting to know each other.”

  “I’m aware and happy for you. She’s all you talk about lately.”

  Lauren groaned and unwrapped her sandwich. “Ainslon and Justin were at my meeting with the realtor today. They are also after the building.”

  Ollie frowned. “So, what’s the issue?” She took a large bite of her sandwich.

  “The issue is that Ainslon was already weary about us mixing business with pleasure, since she’s looking for my book. This is a bigger deal than that to her.”

  “I can see her point. I wouldn’t necessarily consider her finding your book mixing business with pleasure, but the building is another matter. What are you going to do?”

  “I don’t know.” She picked at her fruit salad. “But, Ainslon made it clear, as of right now, whatever we were doing is on hold.”

  “I hate that for you, Lauren, but I’m sure everything is going to work out.” She pointed her fork at Lauren. “Just you wait and see. I do live vicariously through you, after all.”

  Lauren lifted her water bottle and Ollie lifted hers. “No truer words have ever been spoken.”

  “Hear, hear.”

  The five hours between the building meeting and the pending dinner with Edna and Shelly flew by. Justin had agreed to close for the night, and she stopped at Brew and Bake, picked up dessert and Easton, then to By the Slice and picked up dinner before driving to Edna’s house.

  She wasn’t looking forward to this dinner, not after the day she had experienced, but hopefully, Shelly wasn’t going to give her a hard time. Afterward, she planned to talk to Easton and Edna about Lauren and this building mess.

  The night before, she had talked with James about Shelly’s books. He had given her a number to quote to Shelly if, once he looked at the books, they were in as good as shape as he was hoping for. All in all, she hoped by the time the night was through she would have a promise of the sale of the books.

  Hopefully, one thing would go right today. How in the hell, in the span of a few hours, could she possibly not only lose the opportunity to date Lauren, but the building that would be perfect for them?

  “You’re quiet,” Easton said.

  “Just have a lot on my mind. We’ll talk about it after our dinner with Shelly.”

  “I’ll hold you to that. You know you can tell me anything.”

  “I know. Don’t worry, we’ll talk.”

  They sat in the car for ten minutes listening to the radio until Easton mentioned Edna was on the porch watching them.

  “Right.” They gathered all the food and stepped through the front door Edna held open for them. Shelly greeted them when they walked in. “Good evening.” Her day might have been shot to hell, but she could still salvage the rest of it.

  “You look nice,” Shelly said. Ainslon hadn’t bothered to change out of the clothes she wore to the building meeting.

  “Thank you. There’s plenty of food. Let’s eat before we talk business.”

  “That’s sounds good.” Edna patted Ainslon on the arm.

  Ainslon found it hard to concentrate on the conversation that occurred during dinner, her mind going over the events of the day. She caught the concerned looks from her nana and Easton. After popping the last piece of pizza in her mouth, she stood and grabbed a plate to clear the table. She masked her surprise when Shelly stood to help her.

  Ainslon then pulled the cheesecake out of the fridge and set it along with four saucers and forks on the table. “Why don’t we each get a piece, then head into the living room and talk things over?”

  “Sounds good,” Easton said.

  Once they were seated, Shelly spoke. “Ainslon, are you feeling okay? You seem, I don’t know, distracted.”

  “I haven’t had a great day, but we all have those. I’ll be fine.”

  “If you’re sure.”

  She nodded and took a bite of the cheesecake, then pulled out two pieces of folded paper from her purse and took a deep breath. “Shelly, I know we’ve gone back and forth on this, but I would really like to complete this tonight.” She held up her hand to stop anyone from talking. She saw the looks Easton and Edna exchanged but ignored them. “I would like to take another look at the books, as would James, but if they are as good as I know they are, the plain paper has my offer written on it for the seventeen books I emailed you about, and the lined paper has James offer for six books I know he would be interested in. If you agree, he’s prepared to travel here next week to look at the other books you have and give you an offer on those. I’ve done my research and I’m sure you’ve done yours. These are our best offers. You can take it or leave it.” She pushed the papers toward Shelly, then leaned back on the couch with her arms crossed.

  “Just like that?” Shelly said, setting her saucer on the coffee table. “Take it or leave it?”

  “Don’t get upset yet. You haven’t even looked at them and yes, it’s like that.”

  Shelly swiped the lined paper up first and opened it, then the other one. Her face didn’t give anything away, but Ainslon could see the slight tremble in her fingers. “I did do my research, but these prices don’t ma
tch what I came up with.”

  Ainslon kept her voice firm. “It’s all I can offer. I can’t pay retail.”

  “Stop,” Shelly said. “You’re taking my words out of context. This is a lot more than I figured up. Are you sure you estimated correctly? I didn’t want you to cheat me, but I also don’t want you to offer more than they’re worth. After all, we’re both trying to make a profit.”

  “Oh.” Ainslon felt all her pent-up aggression vanish. “Your grandpa’s collection is in fantastic shape. Better than a lot I have seen, and he took exceptional care of his books. Edition and printing are a huge factor and the books I want, and a lot of his, fit the criteria I look for. I want to be upfront with you. I’m confident you could make more money if you took the books to an auction house, but there are a lot of variables you would have to consider going that route. This way you will have the check in a few days. It’s your choice.”

  Shelly laughed. “I don’t think it really is a choice. I would be a fool to turn down your offer, and a fool I am not.”

  “So?”

  “You can come over anytime this week and look through the books.” She stood and winked. “Don’t forget to bring your checkbook.” Ainslon joined Shelly at the back door. Shelly ran her finger along Ainslon’s collar bone. “No chance for us?”

  Ainslon took her hand. “No, but I have no objections to us moving toward acquaintances, then maybe friends.”

  “I can live with that.” She paused on the porch. “Whoever she is, is lucky.”

  Ainslon closed the door, then leaned her forehead against it.

  “Are you ready to tell us what’s been bothering you?” Easton asked from behind her.

  “Yes. Just give me a minute and I’ll join you both in the living room.”

  “Okay.”

  When Easton’s footsteps receded, she poured herself a glass of milk and joined them. After taking a large gulp, she rehashed her feelings on Lauren, and the problems with the building. “What do you think?”

  “For one,” Edna said. “I don’t see what the problem is. You like her, she likes you. If she was to get the building, would your feelings for her change?”

  “No.”

  “What’s the problem then?” Edna patted her hand.

  “I…”

  “Second,” Edna said. “Whoever the building ends up with, it’s out of your hands. Yes, you both want the building, but this isn’t Lauren’s fault and at this time, neither one of you will have a say in who the building goes to. Nothing you can do about it. If it was all about money, Lauren would have already gotten the building.” She picked up Ainslon’s hand. “I know it’s easier said than done, but let your worries go. Go home and get a good night’s rest. Tomorrow you will feel better and please don’t think on something so much you create a scenario that isn’t there.”

  Ainslon finished her milk. “You’re right. Is it really that simple?”

  “Why wouldn’t it be?” Easton said. “Nana is right. You don’t have a say over the building, but you do about your feelings for Lauren.”

  “What would you do?”

  “I would go for it. There are plenty of ways you can expand your business but finding a woman that makes you feel…that opportunity doesn’t come around every day.”

  “I don’t know why I’m feeling so out of sorts, but I’m not sure I can go on with her with this hanging over our heads. This is a big deal.”

  Edna finished her tea. “You’re intimidated and feel like you’re not good enough. But, Ainslon, you are. I’ve seen the way she looks at you. Don’t judge her on something you think she’s going to do. Talk to her. In all my years, I know countless rifts that have been created by people simply not communicating.”

  Ainslon threw her arms around Edna. “I know that, Nana, but I’m not sure. Yes, I like her, but this is a big deal. It’s the future of my business and I can’t put that in danger no matter how much I like her.” Ainslon fell back on the couch. “I’m not sure. I need to sleep on it. Next Thursday, Justin and I are going to the banquet the food festival community is putting on. Maybe that will take my mind off everything and we can make some new connections.”

  “Then that’s what you should do.” Edna patted her on the knee.

  “I don’t want to lose her.”

  Edna rolled her eyes. “Don’t be so dramatic. Her feelings for you won’t change that much in a week. Or at least they shouldn’t if she really cares about you.”

  “You’re right.” She took a deep breath and stood and decided to stop making assumptions, especially about Lauren. “Are you ready, Easton?”

  “Yes.” Easton kissed Edna on the cheek. “Nana, I’ll see you in the morning.”

  Ainslon looked from one to the other. “What’s going on?”

  “Just my annual check-up. No big deal.”

  “Are you sure? Is there something we should know about?”

  “No. I am fit as a fiddle for someone my age. You two should head out.”

  “If you’re sure.” Ainslon hugged her tight and kissed her on the cheek. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

  “Drive safe.”

  It wasn’t until Ainslon pulled up outside of Easton’s apartment that she said something. Ainslon knew she had been biding her time.

  “Don’t let this put the brakes on you and Lauren.”

  “It already has.”

  “Don’t let it, Ainslon. Trust me. Just go for it. You won’t be disappointed.”

  “I love you.”

  “I love you too.”

  As she lay in bed that night with Shady curled up by her head, the clip that kept replaying in her mind was seeing Lauren for the first time. The feelings that memory invoked were new and she didn’t want to lose that feeling, but how could she juggle Lauren and the building without one interfering with the other?

  The blinking cursor on her screen drew Lauren from her thoughts. Yesterday hadn’t gone as she had anticipated. What was, at first, so promising with Ainslon, had come to a complete and sudden stop. She wrote countless texts to send to her but deleted all of them. Ainslon insisted she needed space and that’s exactly what Lauren would give her. She wouldn’t seek her out but if they both happened to be in the same place, well, Lauren wouldn’t pass that opportunity up. How could she? Ainslon had already wormed herself into Lauren’s life and she liked it.

  Since no work would be forthcoming, Lauren shut down her laptop, closed the lid, and slid it to the corner of her desk, stood, then stretched. A.J. was due any minute with some samples, so she could justify putting off the invoices for a few more hours.

  Life really wasn’t fair, she decided. Happiness was within her grasp, and now, she wasn’t sure what would happen. For being a woman that always put her business above all else, she was having a real identity crisis. At some point it was bound to happen, she supposed.

  A knock on the door had her tearing her eyes away from the picture of her and Ainslon she kept on the desk. That Saturday at the farmers market would be one of her favorite memories.

  “Come in.”

  She sat, then leaned back when the door opened, and A.J. walked in. Lauren let her eyes wander from A.J.’s ever present cowboy boots, up her jean clad legs, over her tank top covered chest, to a smirk on those pink lips. Finally, she made it to her eyes and the sparkle there was a familiar and constant sight.

  “Do I pass muster?” A.J. shut the door behind her before crossing the room to take the chair in front of the desk.

  “You always do.”

  A.J. slid a folder out of her messenger bag and handed it to Lauren. “Should you really be checking me out? I heard you were taken.”

  Lauren grimaced. “Not so much.”

  “Oh, do you want to talk about it?” A.J. relaxed back in the seat.

  She didn’t. Not again, but maybe it would help. So, she detailed everything that had happened so far and waited for A.J.’s reaction.

  “So, you’ve spent time together as “friends” and y
ou didn’t know you were both after the same building. Now that she knows, she put a hold on you two spending time together.”

  “Yes.”

  “Sounds like she’s scared.” Lauren opened her mouth to speak but A.J. waved her off. “Listen, you two haven’t known each other long and she seems scared to me. I’ve been where she is. Maybe not the same circumstance but similar. Lauren, you’re a powerful businesswoman in this town. Everyone knows that. I know you do, but, sometimes, I don’t think you realize the power you do hold. You’re admired, successful, and let’s face it, the gossip sites salivate when they get a new piece of information about you. You don’t lose, at least, not when it comes to your business, and I’m sure she knows that. Hell, I would be intimidated if we were going after the same venture. You’re passionate about your work and I admire that. Half the town does.”

  “So, what are you saying?”

  “I’m saying that you need to give her time. This is a big deal no matter how you split it. Have you told her you still want to see her even if she gets the building?”

  “Of course I haven’t. If you were listening, this happened yesterday, and she blew my request for lunch off. We haven’t talked since. I haven’t had the chance to tell her that. I’ve composed several texts but never sent them. She wanted space, and I have to respect that. I’m not going to force my presence on her. I have more respect for Ainslon than to do that.” The smug smile on A.J.’s face put her on edge. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

  “It’s clear you care about her. Love, maybe?”

  Lauren waved her hand in the air, then opened the folder. “Don’t be ridiculous.” A.J. reached over and closed the folder. Lauren looked up, catching a smirk on A.J.’s face. “Do you have something more to say?”

  “You can deny it all you want, but it’s there. There’s nothing wrong with loving someone.”

  “I haven’t even known her that long. It can’t be love.” What an absurd notion. “We’ve only been out a few times.”

  “I knew from the moment I laid eyes on Leslie that I would love her for the rest of my life. Just because she isn’t here anymore doesn’t mean I don’t love her. It’s cliché but our eyes met from across the room and bam.” She smacked her hands together. “I was a goner. Some people have instant attraction. Some have instant lust. While others have an instant connection. That’s what Leslie and I had. We clicked on every level. I would do silly things just to see her smile. Her laugh could turn a bad day around in an instant.” She snapped her fingers. “Holding her in my arms felt like I was holding everything. Sometimes it’s instant, Lauren. And yes, it’s scary, but it is so much fun. We laughed together. Cried. Fought. Made up. She was everything. The first time I held her hand, I was humbled. The last time I held her hand, I was grateful. Grateful that I was there when she died. Grateful she allowed me into her life. Grateful for all the memories. That this amazing, beautiful, smart, sassy woman wanted me, blew my mind. Lauren, you can’t let those moments pass you by. Those are the moments that make life worth living. Being successful is fulfillment on one level, but there’s nothing saying you can’t be fulfilled on all levels.”