will give you a cookie or three."
Jax, the little traitor, was easily bought off. He thrust the book into his dad's hand. "Bye, Ms. Cady. Thanks for finding a book for me."
"Bye, Jax. I hope you'll enjoy it. It's been one of my favorites since I was your age." Cady waved as the little boy dashed out of the store ahead of his grandmother.
Micah glanced down at the paperback book in his hand. "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I think I remember this one. Something about a forest and winter and talking animals, right?"
Cady made her way back behind the counter. It was safer for her libido to have something solid between her and this man. He was even more enticing than the treats she'd seen in his shop the other day. She couldn't remember feeling this attraction to anyone, especially not her former fianc茅. "Yes. I thought it would be a safe one for someone his age. Not too scary, but still adventurous enough for a little boy."
"How are you settling in?" He pulled out his wallet as she rang up the book.
Cady shrugged. "I'm still finding my feet. Finn is?? challenge. But I think I'm going to like working in the store. I just wish more people came in. I know Finn can be unfriendly, but I didn't think that would be enough to drive people away."
Micah chuckled, a deep rumbling sound that sent a little shiver of delight down Cady's back. A dimple creased the olive-toned skin near his mouth. "You'd be surprised. No one really knows what to do about Finn. Everyone loved his mother, but when he took over the store after I graduated from high school, he started scaring away customers and hasn't stopped. Most people get in and get out as quick as they can or just order on-line if the library doesn't have the book."
"That's what I suspected." A frown crinkled her brow. She braced her hands on the counter in front of her. "It just doesn't seem right. A bookstore is a place to feel welcome and comfortable. It should be a place you want to prowl around in for hours."
"Well, maybe having a pretty lady behind the counter instead of a crotchety old man will get people to come in more often." Micah winked at her.
Was he flirting with her? Except for some overly ambitious students, she couldn't think of anyone who had ever flirted with her. Jeremy certainly hadn't. Neither of her two boyfriends in the undergrad put forth much effort in the flirtation department either. "We'll see. I think I might have to do a bit more than stand around smiling at people to get them in the door."
Small towns were tricky. Learning how to navigate the dynamics had been the hardest part of moving from college town to college town when she was a kid. Some were easier than others.
"Get to know the people in town, especially the business owners," Micah suggested. "Most of them stop by the bakery every morning for breakfast. Come by one morning and I'll introduce you."
"Thanks," Cady said. "Any other words of wisdom?"
She wanted him to stay a little longer, to keep her company. His presence comforted her for some odd reason.
He shook his head. "Just be yourself and relax. Everyone around here is pretty friendly except Finn. You need anything, just let me or Mom or Mel know. Between us, we know everyone in town."
"I'll keep that in mind." Cady watched him leave, enjoying the back view as much as she did the front. She couldn't stay in Unknown forever, but she certainly intended to enjoy it while she could.
#
Micah couldn't keep down the little jump of happiness his heart did when Cady Saunders breezed into the bakery Monday morning. The light blue sundress she wore made her look sweet and fresh as the morning. Perfect for meeting the Old Guard as he liked to think of the regular crowd of storeowners that gathered in Carr's Cakes. "Good morning." A cheerful smile danced in eyes the color of the blue M&Ms he'd baked into cookies that morning.
"Morning." He felt his own lips curve up to answer her smile. He shouldn't feel this energized after waking up at five this morning, but there was something about this woman. "What can I get you?"
"Hmm." She pursed her lips, studying the chalkboard menu behind him. Her lips distracted him for a moment, free of gloss and perfectly shaped for a man to