Then there was the fact that, by his own terms, he was romancing her. That was something new. As long as theyd been together, as much as theyd meant to each other, old-fashioned romance had never been particularly a part of their relationship.
Oh, hed certainly been capable of sweetness, if he was in the mood. And surprise. But no one, not even the most sympathetic, would ever have called the Jordan Hawke she remembered smooth or traditionally romantic.
Then again, shed bleed his edges. Theyd attracted her and theyd aroused her.
Still, she wasnt about to complain about being courted for one evening by a charming, entertaining man who seemed intent on providing her with a dream date. “Tell me what you want for the bookstore.“
She took another bite of truly incredible sea bass. “How much time do you have?”
“All you need.”
“Well, first I want it to be accessible. The kind of place people feel free to stroll into, just browse around, maybe settle in for a while and read. But at the same time, I dont want them to treat it like their private library. What I want to establish is the neighborhood bookstore, where customer service is the priority, where people like to gather.”
“I wonder why no one ever tried that in the heart of the Valley before.”
“Im trying not to think about that,” she admitted. “If no one did, there might be a good reason.”
“They werent you,” he said simply. “What else are you after? Are you shooting for general stock, or are you going to specialize?”
“General. I want a lot of variety, but I worked in the library long enough to know what people in this area lean toward. So certain sections—romance, mystery, local interest—will outweigh some of the more esoteric titles. I want to coordinate with the local schools, know what teachers are assigning, and see if I can get at least one book club formed within the first six months.”
She picked up her wine. “And thats just for starters. Mal andZoe and I will be working together, and ideally well overlap our customer base. You know, somebody comes in for a book and thinks, Wow, look at that terrific blown-glass vase. Its just perfect for my sisters birthday. Or someones going up toZoes for a haircut and picks up a paperback to read while shes getting done.”
“Or they come in to look at paintings and decide they could really use a manicure.”
She toasted him, sipped. “Thats the plan.”
“Its a good one. The three of you look good together. You fit together, complement each other. Youve all got different styles, but they mesh nicely.”
“Funny, I was thinking almost exactly that just the other day. Its like if anyone had suggested Id be going into business—putting basically every penny I have on the line—with two women Ive known only about a month, Id have laughed my butt off. But here I am. And its right. Thats one thing Im absolutely sure of.”
“As far as the bookstore goes, Id bet on you any day of the week.”
“Save your money. I may have to borrow some before its done. But following along, tell me what you would look for in a good neighborhood bookstore. From a writers perspective.” Like Dana, he sat back, a signal to the waiter to clear. “You called me a writer without any derogatory adjectives.”
“Dont get cocky. Im just maintaining the mood of the evening.”
“Then lets order dessert and coffee, and Ill tell you.”
* * *
BY the time they were done, she was wishing shed brought a notebook. He was good, she had to give him that. He touched on aspects she hadnt thought of, expanded on others that she had.
When they spoke of books themselves, she realized how much shed missed that perk. Having someone who shared her absolute devotion to stories. To devouring and dissecting them, to savoring and wallowing in them.
“Its a nice night,” he said as he helped her to her feet. “Why dont we walk around the grounds before we drive back?”
“Is that your way of saying that I ate so much I need to walk it off?”
“No. Its my way of stretching out the time I have alone with you.”
“You re
ally have gotten better at this,” she replied as he led her from the room.
Her coat reappeared nearly as quickly as it had been whisked away. And, she noted, Jordan didnt miss a beat when themartre d presented one of his books and asked to have it signed.
He did that well, too, she thought. He kept it light, friendly, added some casual chatter and his thanks for the evening.