Book Store Blues

Her

"Of course she wants a kitty book for her birthday." I mutter locking my phone and shoving my hands in my pockets. "Yes Jessica. Whatever you say Jessica." I mutter, mocking my ex-wife. She called to let me know she was tight on money so she needed me to buy Daisy some kitty books for her half birthday or some shit like that.

I breath out heavily looking around the streets of Houndersville looking for some place to buy some books for my daughter. The wind is blowing and my shirt isn't the best for this "spring weather". I sigh to myself scratching my beard and heaving a large sigh before heading into a building called Pages, only slightly happy when it does turn out to be a book store. The door squeaks and chimes ring next to me. It smells musty and wet. It's small and the only thing keeping this place bright is the sun and three lamps in every corner. I turn my head towards the front desk looking for someone to talk to and I'm stunned.

"Hi." She says pushing her glasses up her face and standing fixing her burgundy cardigan to wrap around her body. She says a few other words but I'm to wrapped up in the way she looks. She's not petite by all means, she's to my beard at the very least. She's curvy too. Small and wide. Thick and thin. She's beautiful. She has brown hair and I can barely make out her green eyes past her glasses, but they're glowing. Her smile is radiant though. Her teeth are just slightly crooked, I could stop staring at her face. It was beautiful. She was beautiful. It was crazy.

"Um...do you have any books about cats?" I ask nervously scratching my beard and looking away, I don't think she saw me staring, but I couldn't help it.

She nods her hair falling behind her shoulders and she leads me to the back corner pulling out three books. She runs her hands over the pages and it makes me smile, it was obvious she cared deeply for the typed words on the yellowed pages. We talked briefly about my daughter before I hold out my hand.

"I'm Thomas." I say holding back a large smile on my face. She slides her soft, oddly cut up, hand into my rough one and shakes it twice. She pulls away but I wanted it to linger.

"I'm Baylee." She says smiling sweetly at me. Her name was fitting, I couldn't place it, but the way she said it sounded like she hated the way it sounded from her own mouth.

I buy the books and was about to take them when her throw me a curve ball.
"You want to learn more about me?" I question utterly confused, I barely knew the book store owner and now she wanted to know about me.

"Yeah of course. I love learning about new customers." Baylee says happily. "Would you like tea or coffee?" She says standing up and going into a closet and pulling out two mugs peaking out to look at me.

"Coffee." I say gruffly slightly confused. "Please." I state right after it.

"Cream or sugar?" Baylee asks gently coming back over and sitting in a chair motioning to the window seat for me.

"No. I like strong coffee." I say grabbing the mug and wearily sitting on the dusty cushion.

Baylee eagerly looks at me sipping her own coffee after adding milk and lots of sugar.

I laugh gently and shrug. "There's not a lot to tell. I'm twenty seven. I have my daughter Daisy....I got divorced 4 years back." I say glancing at her gently before sipping my coffee. "I'll do anything for my princess though." I say sternly looking at my coffee. "That includes getting her a tea cup pig named Piglet." I say shaking my head and biting back a fond smile. "And a big big Caucasian Shepard called Mitzy." I say laughing softly. "Daisy is amazing. She's such a joy to be around." I say shaking my head and scratching my beard.

"You should bring her in here." Baylee says eagerly fixing her legs. "I'd love to meet her. And your pets!" She smiles even brighter at the thought of my pets.

I smile and blush slightly, glad my beard hides my embarrassment away. "I'd love to." I say gently. "Does tomorrow work for you?" I ask softly. "I can bring them in whenever."

Baylee nods and smiles at me. "Tomorrow works fantastic." She says softly. "11 on the clock?" She says tilting her head softly.

I smile at the words and nod. "11 on the clock."