Reaching for a tissue under the front counter, I dabbed at my eyes so I could continue my work. It wasn’t until I got down to the last page of the new inventory when I realized Cassidy’s music had stopped. Worried the lyrics had overwhelmed her, I turned for the middle of the store, making my way toward the tower.
Cassidy met me at the foot of the stairs. “I was wondering where you were,” she said, her face flushed and her voice lighter than I expected. “It’s almost one.”
Really? Surprised, I turned around to check the clock behind the front counter. “Huh, so it is. I’m sorry. I got wrapped up in my own head again while doing the inventory.
It’s a bunch of numbers and brainless stuff, so I tend to zone out when I do it.” Aside from listening to her music, of course.
She crossed her arms over her chest and passed me a knowing smile. “Your eyes are red.”
I released a small laugh and waved her look of concern away. “Music does that to me sometimes. It’s as beautiful on your tapes as it is in person.”
She blushed at that, averting her gaze in the most adorable way. “Thanks,” she managed, her voice squeaking at the end.
The way she stood in front of me then with her head tilted to one side, I couldn’t tell if she was trying to hide herself or if it was another part of her charm. Her hair shielded her eyes from view, but when she spoke again, her words were just as endearing as before.
“Does this mean you need to skip lunch?” she asked, offering me a sly grin once she looked at me again.
“It’s just one more page, which I can easily finish after we eat.”
Had I realized what time it was, I would’ve stopped as soon as I was able. Instead, I let my mind drift, completely neglecting the task at hand in exchange for Cassidy’s music and the emotions I’d kept bottled up inside for far too long.
“You want a burger this time?” Cassidy asked, reaching behind the front counter to grab her coat.
I considered her question a moment, then smiled. “A burger sounds great.” I’d already had three salads this week. A little comfort food wouldn’t hurt.
“Be back in five.”
She waved back at me, not waiting for an answer. Stunned, I watched her walk out the front door as the Cassidy I’d come to know instead of the one who’d hid under a million layers.
My stomach bunched with nerves as she walked out of view, a smile playing on my lips as my chest filled with warmth.
“She did it. “She really did it.
Alone in the front lounge, my fingers itched to touch her, my feet begging me to run after her just in case she needed a
human shield. I should’ve gone with her, but then maybe that’s why she left as quickly as she did. Soon, her life would revolve around the interactions she had with her fans, on stage that is. She rarely took interviews and thinking back on what she’d said, she almost never went out until she had a hat and sunglasses to hide her face.
My breath hung in the back of my throat, never leaving my lips as I anticipated her return.
She didn’t take long, and as soon as I spotted her up the street, I opened the front door in case she needed to make a hasty retreat.
To her credit, she stopped to sign someone’s paper, talking as she did, before finally returning to the shop.
Once she was back inside with the doors locked, I spoke.
“You know they’ll come looking for you,” I told her, making sure everything was saved on the computer before shutting it down. “They saw you come in here.”
She shrugged, then placed our bag of food on the front counter so she could take off her coat. “That’s okay, right?
Because I thought it would be nice to have some foot traffic inside the shop again. You know, like old times.”
Like when we were kids. She hadn’t said as much but it was implied. She was trying to help the shop. She’d gone out there without any cover… for me.
She went on when I didn’t say anything, grabbing our food as she did. “I’ve seen how hard you work and how much you’ve struggled. It takes everything you have just to keep the lights on.”
“It’s been easier,” I admitted, “but I don’t think folks coming into the shop looking for you is going to be much help.” If anything, it would just mean more potential customers leaving without a single book.
“Trust me,” she said with a hint of excitement in her voice, quickly making her way toward the spiral staircase. “I have a plan.”