Fairy Tales and Cappuccinos (Everyday Love #1) - Taylor Rylan Page 0,9

if anything.

I turned right and saw an empty space that should certainly be utilized. It was a great space, and I could see a cluster of seats there, allowing people to sit and thumb through prospective purchases. Or better yet, there was room for a coffee counter along the back wall and a small group of bistro tables and chairs.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. Are you here to apply for the position?” that sexy voice said from behind me. I turned and found myself staring at a very full bottom lip that I’d love to suck and nibble on. I quickly recovered and found myself looking upward a few inches and into deep brown eyes that were staring at me with uncertainty in them. Position?

“Umm, that depends, I guess. What’s the position for?”

“I need help. And really, I’d most likely shove you in front of customers more than I would ask you to help restock. People aren’t really my thing.”

“Funny. They’re actually mine. I’m Sawyer. Sawyer Clifton,” I said, holding out my hand. Mr. Sexy Eyes took it, and mine was immediately enveloped in warmth.

“Hudson James. Welcome to Fairy Tales. I had a helper, but she moved to Oregon to be with her boyfriend.”

I wasn’t even going to ask about that because it really wasn’t my business. “And now you’re looking for?”

“I know it might not seem like it, but I do need help,” Hudson said while gesturing out into the store. “I can’t be in two places at once, and I can’t be in the back of the store stocking shelves if there is someone up here needing help. My only other option is to wait until evenings to stock, and I try not to do that if at all possible.”

I cringed a bit because that didn’t sound like fun. I’d worked more than my fair share of evenings and well into the night. It was something that I didn’t want to walk back into again.

“What are your normal hours?”

“Nine to six, and I’m closed every Sunday. I know it’s a lot of hours, but we’re not crazy busy all day long, and there are definite slow moments that will bore you.”

I wasn’t here looking for a job. I was going home to Breckenridge in a little over a week, so why wasn’t I telling Hudson that? Because I saw some serious potential in this place, and I wanted to see if I could help. That and the scenery wasn’t bad either.

“Honestly, I—” I was cut off by the bell chiming over the door.

“Hello? Oh, there you are, Hudson. Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“No, it’s okay. What did you need, Wells?”

“I put a couple of other book titles in my phone the other night. I stopped by to get them.”

“You should have brought them up. I could have held them for you,” Hudson said. He offered me a quick smile before he walked off with the guy he’d called Wells. I wondered if it was short for something or if he was actually named Wells. While they walked off, I turned back to the place to the right and studied it more. Definitely coffee counter. Thanks to certain big-box book chains, people tended to associate coffee and bookstores together. I could see it being beneficial to Fairy Tales.

The name of the store was cute, but it certainly had room for improvements. Although, I hadn’t been hired for anything, nor had I been asked. I needed to be sure to not step on any toes. The last thing I wanted was to irritate Hudson.

I turned at the sound of voices and watched as Hudson rang up a pair of brightly colored books before he put them in a bag. After he smiled at Wells and the other man left, Hudson glanced around before his eyes met mine again.

“You didn’t leave.”

“No. You would have heard me, wouldn’t you? The bell chimes going in or out.”

“True. Sorry about that. Wells works for my cousin, and he’s shopping for his niece.”

“No need to apologize. I didn’t come inside to monopolize your time. I was just looking around, honestly.”

“You’re not from around here, so I should have known you weren’t here to apply for the position. One can always hope though, and I’m not familiar with everyone in River Forge. So what can I help you with, Sawyer?”

“I’m not from River Forge either. I’m from Breckenridge, here visiting a close friend, but you’ve intrigued me with your job. What does it entail?