Page 108 of Words of Love
Chapter 30
Two nights before the Bliss Cove Book Fair, Sam turned the Closed sign in the window and locked the door. He logged out of the computer and did his usual rounds of the store, straightening books and putting away misplaced items.
Rumor had it Brooke would be back from New York the day after tomorrow to attend the fair. No one had given him details on her arrival, but then he hadn’t asked.
He also hadn’t heard from her since he’d sent his letter a few days ago. Probably for the best. He’d already contacted a broker to find out about selling Title Wave, and he’d let his real-estate agent know he wouldn’t be renewing the house lease.
Picking up a few stray mass-market paperbacks, he started toward the genre fiction shelves. He wasn’t happy about the idea of leaving Bliss Cove, but he didn’t want to stay here without Brooke. And since there was no way of staying herewithher…
Shaking the dire thought out of his head, he began shelving a few romance novels. Pirates, again. Billionaires. Firefighters. Navy SEALs. Lot of half-naked men. Lots of flowers. Lots of embracing couples in various states of undress.
He opened one of the books and skimmed the first sentence.
As it turned out, Cheetos dust incited Polly Lockhart’s come-to-Jesus moment.
Curious, he sat on the floor and continued reading. Though he’d gotten Brooke’s many points about a romance novel plot, this was the first one he’d actually read.
After he finished the story about a sweet, sexy bohemian heroine and the rigid CEO of a candy company, he picked up another book with a darker cover. The second romance was about a doctor who moves to a small town and butts heads with the local sheriff.
The heroine was a smart, headstrong neurologist, and the hero was a cop battling guilt after the suicide of his best friend. After finishing the book, Sam read a cute, funny story about a dog-walker’s repeated encounters with the package delivery guy and their eventual path to love.
He finished the book and picked up a Regency romance about a duke and a commoner. He read it cover to cover and started another.
The evening light outside the windows began to darken. He moved to a chair with a stack of romances and read until midnight came and went. He kept reading. There were stories featuring heroines who were teachers, lawyers, shop owners, bakers, CEOs, FBI agents, and artists. They were intelligent, ambitious, creative, and sometimes klutzy.
The men were often stubborn and overprotective, but with an underlying vein of decency. Even when they fumbled and stumbled—which was often—they got their shit together in the end and frequently pulled off an impressive BRG.
There were romances about sports, espionage, bodyguards, the mafia, vampires, and novels set in many historical eras. The sex was hot and erotic, sweet and easy, and everything in-between.
And the love…that was what Brooke had been talking about. No matter how different the couple was, how big the obstacles, how impossible it looked that they would ever find everlasting love together, they always did.
Always.
They made changes, accepted flaws, worked out compromises. The men weren’t invincible superheroes who had it all figured out, but by the end they were determined to try.
Because a romance hero learns the truth about love. He finds a woman who fills a void he hadn’t known existed. A woman who makes him want to be a better man. A woman he needs like air, whose smile increases the beat of his heart. A woman he wants to hold close every night and kiss every chance he gets. A woman who makes the stars whirl and the earth move under his feet.
As morning light broke through the gray clouds, Sam hauled himself up from his chair and reshelved the books he’d pored over all night. He went into his office and leafed through the notebook in which he’d scrawled notes about the romantic movies he and Brooke had watched together.
Scraping a hand through his hair, he opened the front door and stepped outside. Java Works across the street was already open, which meant it must be past six.
He turned and locked the door behind him.
“Morning, handsome.” Destiny Storm walked past in a bright green caftan, a large takeout cup in her manicured hand. She ran her eye over him speculatively. “Rough night?”
“Just didn’t get much sleep.”
“The sexy, scruffy look works for you.” She winked. “I’m pretty sure Brooke thinks so, too.”
His heart bumped against his ribs. “Is she back?”
“She gets in on Saturday morning before the Book Fair starts.” Destiny pursed her red lips. “You know, it’s a shame about the cabin. Everyone was rooting for a snowbound romance between you two.”
Sam’s shoulders tensed. “Why’s that?”
“Oh, your sexual and romantic energy has been off the charts for ages.” Destiny waved her hand. “Not to mention, Brooke is a Pisces, which highly compatible with Aries.”
“Uh.” Sam had a pang of both guilt and embarrassment. “Actually, I’m a Scorpio.”