Mari's eyes scanned the worn pages of the book she had picked up from the small, local Bristol Cove bookstore earlier that day. It was a quiet afternoon in the cafe, the soft murmur of distant conversations and the waves of the nearby beach the only sounds to keep her company. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee and the faint scent of the sea wafted through the air, melding together to create a comforting ambiance that she...
"It's wrong, what you and I are doing." I say this even as I hold him close. He lifts his head from my shoulder to regard me with those large, guileless blue eyes. "How can love ever be wrong?" For weeks now, he's used that word—love—to describe the way we feel about each other. Not once have I uttered it, but I've never disputed it, either. Still, I'm consumed by uncertainty. The young man sitting in the back of my car,...
I went to see Chris late in the day when I knew most of the offices around his would be empty. You know that saying about feeling as if your heart is in your throat? That's exactly how I felt approaching his open door. I was showing up outside of his scheduled office hours, but I sensed he would be there. Smoothing a hand over my shoulder-length brown hair, I glanced down at my outfit. My blue dress, while suitable for su...
"Good morning, and welcome to The Book Worm," I said as the door chimed. "I'll be right with you." "But I need help right now," a familiar voice insists. Swiveling around, I spot April standing at the door, also known as my boss. "I don’t know how you've survived a year with that kind of customer service," she teases, walking over with a cup and a pastry box in hand. "Happy 1-year anniversary. I thought a cupcake and coff...
