Finding the Cure - SAMPLE

Chapter Three

I yawned as I rolled over, jolting awake as the book on my chest slammed onto the floor. I rubbed my eyes as I sat up, my body aching all over as I stood, grabbing a sweatshirt from my bedside chair and yanking it over my head. I headed to the door but stopped as I walked passed my mirror. I turned looking at myself.

I rubbed the dark circles under my eyes. I wasn't sure when I fell asleep, but I was sure of one thing I needed to go to the bookstore again. I glanced over at the clock, 9:00 AM. I stopped moving, my eyes glued to those numbers. I never slept that late; I usually wasn't able to sleep more than a few hours at a time. I ran my hand through my hair before grabbing a t-shirt and a pair of jeans and heading to the bathroom.

I took my time getting ready, because I didn't want to be the first one at the bookstore, and I wasn't even sure he'd be there...Nameless boy. I tapped my fingers on my steering wheel to the pop music I never listened to anymore. He wasn't nameless any more—Trent.

When I walked in the door he was standing at the registers leaning on his arm, and he smiled up at me.

"Don't tell me you finished it already?" he asked as he came around, stopping in front of me.

I laughed as I looked up at him. "Is there an alarm somewhere that says I'm coming in so you can greet me at the door?"

He smirked, placing the book he had in his hand on the bargain pile. I swallowed as I saw the cover— it was the one I had put there the day before to hide it from Stew.

"Not exactly," Trent said, leaning back on his heels as he looked at me.

"Wait," I narrowed my eyes at him. "Where you watching for me?"

He shook his head. "Not at all," he crossed his arms; "I have spidey senses."

"You don't look like a comic book guy," I replied, laughing at him.

"What kind of guy do I look like then?" he asked. "Should we get you breakfast while you analyze me?"

I fought against the smile on my lips, but gave in as we fell into step next to one another. "Did you eat yet?"

"I was waiting for you," Trent replied. "Same as yesterday?"

"Surprise me," I replied, watching as he walked around the counter.

"Don't look so shocked," he said as my jaw dropped. "I have to multitask." I blinked at him and he began to brew the coffee. "So what kind of guy am I?"

"Maybe it's the tattoos, but I see you more as the musician type."

"I guess you can judge a book by its cover," Trent commented. "So how was the book?"

I leaned against the counter, watching him as he skillfully steamed the milk. "I actually really liked it, and I think my dad enjoyed hearing something different."

I looked down at my hands, picking at the edge of my nail polish as I waited for him to question why a grown woman was reading to her Dad.

"So you live with your dad?" Trent asked, and my eyes rose to meet his. Today he was wearing a dark blue button up with the sleeves rolled up so I could see the artwork on his forearms. The color intensified his eyes as he slid the coffee across to me and he began to make his own.

I swallowed, looking down at the cup as I tried to figure out what to say. It was an easy question, but it was still difficult to answer.

"Not exactly."

He looked over at me, his eyes racing over my face, but he didn't press the subject. "Well," he began, grabbing a scone and handing it to me and then grabbing his coffee and scone before coming back around to me. "There's another one; Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters. It's by the same author."