Braxton Boy

Ch. 5

Warning: This chapter does get a little rougher than the others and there may be adult themes.

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I look up as the bell above our door chimes, signaling the arrival of a customer. Usually Saturdays are our busy days at the book store, but today has been uncharacteristically slow, despite all the people I've seen out and about.

I set my paper work down and greet the customer. Seeing it's one of our regulars, I smile.

"Hello, Mrs. Edwards. Back so soon?"

"Good morning, dear. I've finished The Handmaid's Tale just as you suggested. So it's time for something new. Plus," she says, gesturing to the boy next to her, "my grandson here thinks all books are boring. I brought him along to teach him a lesson."

I laugh. This book store is probably the last place this pre-teen boy wants to be, but I humor his grandmother anyways. "Oh, no. I believe no book is boring. You just haven't found one you like yet," I say to the young boy.  "Mrs. Edwards, I've updated my suggestion list at the reading table, why don't you take a look and I'll help your grandson find a book."

I lead the young boy to the other side of the store where our newer books are located. "Here they are...Gordon Korman is just the author for you."  I pull one off the shelf and hand it to the kid.  "If you think his books are boring then you have no sense of adventure and there's no help for you." I tease.

The boy lets out a nervous laugh and starts looking through the books I pointed out. I start to head back to the counter but suddenly stop as I notice a figure leaning against the far corner of our building. At first my heart beat goes up. Taking in his stance and attitude, he could be one of Joe's boys hanging around.  Even from this distance, I can see the tension in the guy's shoulders and the agitation as his head swings around to look down the opposite street.  

My heart calms only slightly as the figure's head turns more in my direction. I recognize the strong cheek bones, plush lips, and furrowed brow. What is Brax doing hanging out outside our book store?

I wonder how long he's been there. From our front desk, where I've been camped out most of the day, none of him is visible, but from here I can see his perfect profile. Glancing around, I notice that Aunt Tess is gabbing with Mrs. Edwards now and I know she hasn't noticed Brax; otherwise she would have taken care of "that Braxton Boy" already.

I feel myself yearn to go outside and simply talk to him. I want him to explain why he was so upset that Joe saw us together. I want to hear his gruff voice say my name again. I've never had this feeling before. What is it about this boy that makes me want to be close to him; that makes me want to feel the solid muscle of his arms against my hands again?

This realization makes me feel too flustered to go talk to him now, but I know I must before Aunt Tess notices. I quietly walk towards the door, my heart speeding back up. What's wrong with me that I can't even go talk to a boy without getting jittery?

I open the door and feel the warm sun on my face. Hopefully Brax will assume my red cheeks are a product of the hot weather and not of his effect on me.

"You know if my aunt sees you, she'll blame you for scaring away all of our customers," I say, trying to be clever, but my voice come out as more of a whispering squeak.

"I'm better than the ones you may get if I leave," he replies without looking at me. His eyes scan up and down the street.

"Oh yeah, you're so much better than all the old ladies we get in..."