Write Me A Love Story

07: ❤️️

[Reece POV]

I passed my hand over my face as I left Stan Groceries. I chuckled into my palm. Nervousness tore through me for days, weeks, or months, even. The first time I saw Camila, I was floored. She was beautiful and petite. Her laugh was like music to my ears. The first time I got close enough to her and smelled her sweet honey and flower perfume, I was hypnotized.

But I hadn't even spoken to her. I didn't know her name until recently. French fries were easy to remember because it was all she ordered. She ate them with a smile. Sometimes she'd read a book. I picked up on the tiniest details and now that I spoke to her, I wanted to know more. Something told me she thought the same thing.

I scratched my nails forward over my head as Phillon's library opened for me. I blew out a ball of air as excitement settled in my chest. "Shit," I whispered to myself, but glanced behind me and sidestepped as a woman and her young son walked inside. I nodded. "Morning," I said to her.

"Oh, good morning." She gave me a polite smile. "Are you off of work today?"

I shook my head. This woman sometimes came to the library in the mornings. She would bring her son to the kiddie corner, and they'd read books together. He was a fan of any kind of superhero, and I became their recommended librarian, no one else. I wondered if they'd ask for a new read today.

"I'm on and off." Laughing, I waved my hand from side to side. "Did you guys need anything today?"

"I do!" Her son, Marcus, jumped with an arm in the air. His dark hazel eyes beamed with happiness as the light brown curls on his head bobbed with his movements. I nodded, dropping to his level. He giggled. "I want a new book, Reece."

"That's what I'm here for." I smiled and balanced my arm on my knee. "Are we still doing the same thing? Heros? Or something different."

"Magic?" He scrunched his nose as he asked for a different genre.

His mother laughed. "We watched Harry Potter for the first time the other day, and he's over the moon about wizards and witches and—"

"Because they're so cool!" Marcus beamed. "I want to read magic."

Magic was a good read. I had recommendations for them. Swapping my small grocery bag into my other hand, I pointed at the children's section of the library. "There are books called Dragons and Fairies by Ellington South," I said to Marcus' mother because I glanced down at him. "In those stories, kids need to save the magic realm from an evil warlock."

"Cooool." Marcus quickly looked up at his mother. "Can you go read them, mom? Please? Please? Pleeaasse?"

"Yes, yes, yes," she laughed and turned him toward the sections. She peered at me. "If I'm struggling, can you help? Or can I ask Dolores?"

I shook my head. "If you can't find them, I'll help. They're pretty popular so you'll see them right away. But if you can't, I'll come over."

"Thank you." She sighed contently as she walked to the books her son wanted to read.

I watched her for a second before I called to her. "Hey, better yet—" She turned and looked at me as I spoke. "I'll be by in ten minutes. I'm sure the little guy wants to talk, too."

Her eyes lit up and she nodded. She let Marcus' hand go for a second to put hers together in a prayer and whispered, "Thank you."

***

Dolores smiled at me as I dropped my bag beside my computer. Her eyes passed over me, especially when I took off my black jacket. She puckered her lips. "You're supposed to be off today."

"I am," shaking my head, I chuckled, "but I need to be here later, so change of plans."

"Oh?" Dolores straightened in her seat and pushed her glasses higher on her nose. "Are we doing reads with Marcus today? I saw you talking to his mom."

I shrugged. Moving around the counter, I placed my jacket on my office chair and sat down. My fingers instinctively pressed buttons on my keyboard. "That was random, but I got it."

She blinked. "You hadn't planned it?"

I shook my head. My mouse hovered over my new emails. Urgent information about book deliveries. They would come in this week and I needed staff to be prepared.

"Reece." Dolores cleared her throat.

I chuckled and turned in my seat, facing her. "They came in when I did. When he asked for books, I mentioned one, but you know how he is. He has his mom, yeah, but without a male figure—"

"I know, I know." Dolores sighed as she came closer. Her hand passed over my shoulder. "He looks up to you."

I nodded.

She gripped my cheeks until my lips pressed together like a fish. "A girl will be lucky to have you."

"Ah, I'm glad you think so." I nervously rubbed my hands together as I reached for my boxed tea. "I'm meeting a girl here."

"Is it the girl that came in to see you last time?" Dolores batted her lashes. "She was cute."

I bit my bottom lip. I thought she was more than cute. Her interest in writing and her goal to become a writer was not only inspiring but sexy. Our minds were so close that I couldn't let her pass by. How often did someone meet their intellectual equal?

"She's coming by around four and we'll be in the quiet rooms upstairs." I looked back at my computer as I tongued my cheek.

"Are you going to be reading?" Dolores narrowed her gaze for a moment.

I laughed. "Yes, she's a writer."

"A writer?!" She happily clapped her hands over her lips as she smiled at me. "Que lindo, look at you."

I shook my hand at her. The last thing I needed was to be flustered before I read to this kid. I knew they wouldn't see it outright, but I'd feel warm and weird. Thinking of Camila did that to me, and a woman hadn't given me this feeling in a long time. "I'll just need some tea made by then if you can help me."

"Tea." Dolores grabbed the box. "I can make tea. By four. They'll be ready for you and—"

She paused and looked at me. She waited for me to finish her sentence. As I leaned back in my seat, I beamed at her. "Camila."

"Camila." Dolores hummed as she turned for her computer. She whispered to herself, "She's so pretty. Wuff, I can't believe it."

I chuckled under my breath as I stood from my chair. I agreed with Dolores, and I knew my body language confirmed it. Rounding the counter with that happiness in mind, I headed for the kiddie corner. "Marcus," I waved at him as I approached, "let's get some reading done!"

So, I can help the beautiful girl write her story later.