The Quietest Shop on Main (Shops on Main #3)

Chapter 3

3

S kyla shivered as she put another book on the shelf. It was getting colder outside, and that meant the library was feeling it. It almost seemed impossible to keep the large building warm during the winter months.

When the summer sun hit the skies, the library was the best place to be, either that or in the ocean. But during the cold, gray winter? It was utterly miserable.

She rubbed her upper arms. “Note to self,” Skyla muttered. “Bring your sweater tomorrow.”

“That’s an excellent note,” a deep voice said softly.

Skyla gasped and spun. Her eyes widened when she saw who was standing at the edge of the aisle, and her heart tried to beat right out of her chest. “Dalton,” she whispered, then cleared her throat. “What are you doing here?’

His eyebrows went up, and he took a couple of steps toward her. “I thought the library was open to everyone,” he stated. “Are boat captains on some kind of list I don’t know about?”

Skyla tried to smile, but her stomach was dancing too heavily and she tucked her hair behind her ear to try and buy a few moments to get control. “Of course not,” she replied with a small laugh.

Did it sound nasally? She definitely sounded nasally. She was in the middle of the library, for heaven’s sake, why was her body responding like a teenage girl at a rock concert?

“You just caught me off guard,” she continued. Straightening her shoulders, Skyla tried to look professional. “What brings you by today? Is there something I can help you with?”

His smile grew.

Heavens, he had a glorious smile. Wide, with straight, white teeth. It was the kind of smile that haunted Skyla’s daydreams. In a playboy’s hands, a smile like that was a definite weapon. It would be best if Dalton never became that type of guy because the string of broken hearts in his wake would be legendary.

“You could probably help me with a lot of things, Ms. Bowen,” Dalton said, “but today I’m looking for a book for my sister.”

Her heart flipped again. If only he’d been referring to something like helping him with a dinner date or even holding hands, or even kissing…what would the world be like if Dalton Saunders was interested in Skyla Bowen?

Skyla was positive it was as likely to happen as the sun shining 365 days in Oregon that year.

“Did she have something reserved already? Or are you surprising her?” Skyla asked.

Dalton shook his head. “I was wondering if the library had any cookbooks? Like for beginners?”

“Ah.” Skyla nodded. “We do, actually. But…” She scrunched her nose. “They're kind of old. Is that alright? If you’re looking for modern style stuff, you’re probably better off looking online.”

Dalton shrugged. “Old is fine. She just…” He rubbed the back of his head. “She’s not naturally gifted in the kitchen?”

Skyla smiled. “Is that a question?”

“No, I…” Dalton dropped his arm, stuffing his hands in his jean pockets and sighed. “I’m not trying to say anything bad about her, but our grocery bill is probably a lot higher than it should be for two people. How about that?”

Pushing her quiet self to the very edge of her courage, Skyla touched Dalton’s elbow. “You’re a good brother, Dalton. I think this is really sweet.” She removed her hand before he thought she was hitting on him and turned to grab her cart.

Wasn’t there a book somewhere that said touching a guy’s elbow was supposed to help him know a girl was interested in him? Had her small touch already given Dalton ideas? Would he be disgusted by the fact that she had a crush on him?

They’d known each other for nearly a year, and he’d never made a move to do anything with her other than say hi when they crossed paths during her working hours. In fact, Dalton had never even been to The Book Loft. They’d only ever seen each other at the library.

“This way,” Skyla said, keeping her back to Dalton and her worried face to herself. Just how serious was that elbow thing? Was it even real?

Skyla had never considered her own elbow very sensitive or important, but maybe to guys it was different?

She shook her head, trying to clear her wayward thoughts. Obviously, she’d read too many old books. Skyla absolutely blamed her grandfather for that one.

If she hadn’t been raised in a world full of romance and fantasy, she probably would have a better idea of what her body language was saying to Dalton.

Real life was stupid.

Which was exactly why she needed to write a book. That way she was creating her own world.

“Here we are,” Skyla said, stopping and pointing to a small shelf. “There’s everything from basics to advanced French cooking, but again…nothing within the last decade.”

Dalton stepped up next to Skyla and studied the shelves.

Forget the elbow. Apparently, shoulders were sensitive because Skyla’s was buzzing so hard from brushing against Dalton’s coat that she could barely breathe. Maybe she needed to try touching his shoulder instead.

No, wait. That would be a terrible idea. If he knew she had a crush on him, he’d probably stop speaking to her. If a man was interested in a woman, he didn’t only say hello to her at work, and he would definitely go out of his way to see her or ask her on a date.

Dalton did none of those things.

“What do you suggest?” he asked, tilting his head in her direction.

She was going to expire before ever reaching thirty…and all because a handsome, kind man asked her opinion while standing close enough for her to smell his cologne. She really needed to get out more.

“Uh…” Skyla blinked several times to ground herself. She was such an idiot in situations like this. Reaching out, she pulled out the first cookbook she saw.

“I’m not sure Jell-O is exactly what we’re looking for,” Dalton said, his amusement audible. “Though, I always loved it as a kid, but I’ve never had it in that shape or with vegetables in it.” He chuckled. “I’m not sure I want to, either.”

Skyla groaned internally. Why didn’t she read the cover before picking it up? Come to think of it, why did they even have this stupid book? Nobody ate Jell-O like that anymore. “Sorry. I was, uh…just grabbing it to look.” She fumbled in putting the book back and finally Dalton’s steady hand helped keep her from making a mess.

“What about this one?” he asked, picking up a different one. He flashed the cover and his smile at Skyla. “It says it’s for beginners. That’s what we’re looking for, right?”

“Right.” Skyla’s head bobbed like a doll, and she clasped her hands in front of her to keep from making another stupid mistake. Wouldn’t Grandpa find this story hilarious?

He would if she told him.

Which she wouldn’t.

No one could know.

It needed to be erased from memory.

Too bad that adorable twinkle in Dalton’s eyes said he had no intention of forgetting about it anytime soon.

Could he sound any more dumb?

He needed a cookbook? What man came into the library looking for a cookbook? Even if it was for his sister.

What made it worse was that he was completely lying to Skyla. Analiese would take one look at something like that and laugh Dalton right out the door.

In other words, this book was going to sit in his truck for a week or two, until he got up the nerve to return it. Then he’d have to come to the desk at least once or twice to see if Skyla was there before taking the time to return it, so he could wander the library and look for her.

If Skyla knew what an idiot he was, she’d never be so nice to him.

She tucked her hair behind her ear, making Dalton’s heart do a weird flip. “Was there any other book you wanted? Or just this?”

Dalton didn’t even bother to look at the cover as he held it up. “Just this.” He tried to give her his most beguiling smile and tilted his head toward the front. “I just need to check out, and then I was going to grab a cup of cocoa at the cafe. You, uh…don’t happen to have a break do you?”

Her gray/green eyes widened, and Dalton panicked.

“I mean…not that I’m trying to ask you out or something. I just…it’s cold outside, and I wondered, well, I thought maybe you…might…like hot chocolate?”

Someone kill him now.

Girls weren’t supposed to be this hard to talk to. He was an adult. Wasn’t it supposed to get easier as time went on? He’d had a couple of girlfriends in the past and Dalton didn’t remember it being this touch and go.

See a cute girl.

Get to know her.

Ask her on a date.

Boom!

Girlfriend.

Where the heck was he going wrong with this whole thing with Skyla? He kept wanting to ask her out, but she was so quiet and shy that every time he thought he’d gotten up the nerve, he backed down again, afraid of scaring her.

Like he’d done just now.

Dalton frowned when he saw her eyebrows pull together. Was she hurt? Upset? Ready to reject him and kick him to the curb?

Skyla pulled her hair over her shoulder and twisted it in her hand. “I actually love hot chocolate,” she said, her eyes not quite meeting his. “Let me see if Bastien cares if I take a break.”

“You don’t have to,” Dalton hurried to say. To his dismay, Skyla’s shoulders seemed to hunch a little. Somehow, he was doing this all wrong, but he wasn’t sure why.

“No, it’s fine.” She gave him a fleeting smile. “Friends have hot chocolate together, right?”

Friends.

Ouch.

“Uh, yeah…they do.” He didn’t want to be friends. Was there any hope for changing that situation? Apparently, not today.

Skyla’s smile trembled slightly, and she nodded several times. “Let’s get you checked out then.”

The next five minutes were near silent as Skyla took care of his newly acquired cookbook and grabbed her own coat.

Dalton stepped forward, his hand raised to take the coat and help her put it on, but the book in his arms shifted and he almost dropped it. By the time he’d recovered, she was buttoning up the front.

Her smile looked more at ease as she put her hands in her pockets and smiled up at him. “Ready! I have a half hour.”

Dalton studied her for a moment, feeling completely dejected. Now he knew why Analiese kept falling back into her hurt about her almost-marriage. Smiling back, Dalton walked next to her as they left the library. A blast of cold wind hit them right in the face, and Dalton tucked his chin into his scarf, only to see Skyla pull her collar up.

“Hold on,” Dalton said. He held out the book, and Skyla took it. Then he unwrapped his scarf and stepped closer, wrapping it around Skyla’s neck.

Wide eyes stared up at him, and Dalton’s hands slowed. It wouldn’t take much to lean down and…He cleared his throat and finished his work.

“There. It’s too cold for you to go around without a scarf,” he said, knowing his voice was a little gruff. He wasn’t upset with her, but his inability to act normally was making him frustrated at himself.

Never had a woman tested his patience or control like Skyla did.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

Dalton nodded, took the book back, and headed toward the parking lot. “Wanna just ride with me?” he asked. “I’ll drop you off before your break is over.”

Skyla opened her mouth, hesitated, then nodded. “That sounds great, thanks.”

Her response wasn’t exactly encouraging, but she’d said yes. Dalton had been waiting months to truly ask her out, and he’d sort of managed it. It might be as friends and it might only be for half an hour, but he’d spent a long time practicing looking at the bright side.

So he was absolutely counting this as a victory. And no one could talk him out of it.