Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Jada

The sound of the bell dinging above the shop door used to make me happy. Now, every time I heard it, my stomach filled with anxiety, and I was ready to throw up until I saw who had walked in.

Candace had only walked into the store one time, but it had been one time too many.

I walked out from behind the first bookcase of books and smoothed my hands down my shirt. I really needed to get back to the usual attire I wore to work, but lately, it had just been hard to get out of bed.

It was crazy how just one person could totally change my world. Today, I could only muster the strength to throw on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt without a stain. If I could have gotten away with wearing my pajamas, I totally would have.

Tatum had the day off today, so it was all up to me to take care of customers.

I pasted a smile on my face and called, “Hey!” to the man who had walked in. The man had his back to me as he looked at a display of Colleen Hoover books. “Looking for anything in particular?” I asked.

He turned his head toward me, and my stomach dropped to my feet. My god, he was handsome. I would have thought I was dreaming if I hadn’t known better. He had a chiseled jawline that could cut glass, and his deep mahogany eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief. His dark hair was neatly styled, complementing his perfectly tailored slacks and crisp white button-down shirt. He had an air of confidence and sophistication that made him blend effortlessly with the uptown crowd of Chicago that wandered in and out of the store.

“Just browsing,” he replied, his voice smooth and warm like honey. He smiled, and I felt my knees weaken.

“Well, Colleen Hoover is a great choice,” I managed to say, trying to steady my voice. “She’s got a way of pulling you into her stories. I also have a mile-long list of other authors you could try.”

“Is that so?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. “Any recommendations?”

“Uh, yeah,” I stammered, my mind racing. “Maybe start with ‘It Ends with Us.’ It’s one of her best.” It was the only book I could think of, even though there was a display of her books right in front of me. Talk about being tongue-tied.

“Thanks,” he said, flashing me another dazzling smile. “I’ll give it a look.”

As the man turned back to the books, I couldn’t help but steal another look at him. His side profile was just as breathtaking—his strong jawline, slightly aquiline nose, and the way his lashes cast faint shadows on his cheeks made my heart flutter. Butterflies filled my stomach, a sensation I hadn’t experienced because of a man before. At least, not a man who wasn’t fictional.

“Are you really looking for a romance book?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

The man glanced at me, his eyes sparkling with a hint of amusement. “Looking for something for my mother. Her birthday is next month.” He grabbed a copy of ‘It Ends with Us.’ “Do you suppose this is something your mother would like to read?”

“Uh, well,” I stammered, feeling a bit flustered under his gaze. “My mother isn’t really the reading type. She’s more into... crafts.” I suppose you could call my mother’s hobbies crafts. Reading certainly wasn’t something she did these days.

The man put down the book and stepped toward me, closing the distance between us. I felt a rush of warmth and tried to suppress a nervous smile.

“Crafts, huh?” he said, his voice smooth and inviting. “My mom’s pretty eclectic, too, but she loves a good story. Maybe I’ll go with something else.”

I nodded, feeling a bit more at ease. “There are plenty of other options. Do you know what kind of stories she likes?”

He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “She enjoys stories about strong women, overcoming challenges, that sort of thing. Do you have any recommendations?”

I thought for a moment, scanning the shelves. “Well, if she likes stories about strong women, maybe something like ‘The Nightingale’ by Kristin Hannah. It’s a powerful story set during World War II about two sisters and their struggles.”

His eyes lit up. “That sounds perfect. Thanks for the suggestion.”

“You’re welcome,” I said, feeling a sense of satisfaction. “It’s one of my favorites.”

He smiled, and I felt that familiar flutter in my stomach again. “I’ll take your word for it. I’m Creed, by the way.”

“Jada,” I replied, extending my hand. His firm yet gentle grip sent a tingle up my arm.

“Nice to meet you, Jada,” he said, his voice like warm honey. “Do you work here, or are you just really knowledgeable about books?”

I laughed softly. “I work here. But I do love books. They’ve always been a big part of my life. I actually own Happily Ever After.”

“That’s great,” he said, genuinely interested. “I wish I had more time to read. My life is rather busy these days.”

“I get that,” I nodded. “But it’s nice to escape into a good story every now and then.”

“Absolutely,” he agreed. “Maybe I should make more time for it.”

“You should,” I encouraged. “It’s worth it.”

He glanced around the store, then back at me. “So, do you have any hidden gems I should know about? For myself this time.”

I smiled, feeling a bit more confident. “Well, what kind of stories do you like? I’m sure I have something that might interest you.”

“Hmm,” he mused, crossing his arms and leaning casually against the bookshelf. “I guess I like a mix of things. Thrillers, a bit of sci-fi, and even some historical fiction. As long as it’s well-written and engaging, I’m in. I can’t even tell you the last time I read a book the whole way through, so I’m open to anything.”

“That’s a good range,” I said, scanning the shelves again. “If you’re into thrillers, you might enjoy ‘Gone Girl’ by Gillian Flynn. It’s a real page-turner with lots of twists. For sci-fi, maybe ‘Dune’ by Frank Herbert. It’s a classic. And for historical fiction, ‘All the Light We Cannot See’ by Anthony Doerr is beautifully written.”

Creed’s eyes widened. “You really know your stuff. Those all sound amazing.”

“Thanks,” I said, feeling a blush creep up my cheeks. “I’ve had a lot of practice. I tend to read a bit of everything since I am surrounded by so many books, but I always seem to end up in the romance section when I can’t find something to read.”

“Clearly,” he said with a grin. “I think I’ll start with ‘Gone Girl’. It sounds like a good choice.”

“Great pick,” I said. “You won’t be able to put it down.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” he said with a playful wink.

As he walked over to the counter to make his purchase, I couldn’t help but watch him. His confidence, the way he carried himself—it was all so captivating. I found myself hoping he would come back, maybe even become a regular. It was rare to meet someone who appreciated books as much as I did, and there was something undeniably charming about him.

After I fumbled my way through ringing up his books, his eyes connected with mine. “Thanks again for the recommendations, Jada. I’ll let you know how I like it.”

“I’d love to hear your thoughts,” I said, trying to sound casual despite the butterflies still fluttering in my stomach. “I’m always here. Can’t drag me away from the books.” I needed to stop talking. I sounded like some book monster that was always hanging around the stacks of books.

He gave me one last smile before heading out the door. “I’ll be seeing you, Jada.”

“You too,” I replied, watching him leave.

You, too? Oh my god. That didn’t even make sense.

But what really didn’t make sense was that it seemed like I would most likely be seeing Creed again.

Even though I had pretty much stammered my way through talking to him, Creed said he would be seeing me.

Well, hot damn.

I had been dreading whoever walked through the door and had been pleasantly surprised by Creed.

Way better than Candace.

Way. Better.

Creed

“What is this?”

I flopped in the chair in front of Apollo’s desk. “Books for Greer.”

Apollo eyed the books. “Does this mean you spent some time at Happily Ever After this afternoon?”

I grunted. “I did. I’m not sure what Murphy is talking about. Jada was more than nice and was not hard on the eyes at all.” She was actually gorgeous. I truly hadn’t known what to expect when I walked into Happily Ever After, but it certainly wasn’t Jada.

She was strikingly beautiful, with raven-black hair swept up into a messy knot on top of her head. Stray tendrils had escaped to frame her face, adding an effortless elegance to her appearance. Her wide, doe-eyed eyes, a deep, mesmerizing brown, were accentuated by long, thick lashes. High cheekbones gave her face a sculpted look, while her skin glowed with a natural radiance.

She was gorgeous, plain and simple.

“I don’t think he ever said anything about her appearance. It was more her feistiness. Does that mean you’re wooing her with or without her knowledge of Leo’s plan?” Apollo grabbed the books and set them on the corner of his desk. Greer had been the only one I could think of who would appreciate the books. I was sure Tatum would like them, too, but it would be better if Jada didn’t find out I had given them away. I hadn’t been lying when I said my life was too busy to take the time to read.

“Uh, well, I’m not sure yet. I’m sort of flying by the seat of my pants. I’m hopeful Leo will change his mind, and I can forget about all this,” I confessed. A small part of me was holding out hope that I wouldn’t have to see Jada again, and this whole idea to lure in Candace went away.

Apollo eyed me knowingly. “You know that isn’t going to happen. I say tell Jada, then you’re both in on the game, and no one gets hurt.”

“I’m not going to hurt her or anyone,” I grunted.

Apollo tipped his head to the side. “I was more talking about you. Something tells me Jada is more than a match for you.”

“You work fast.” Murphy stood in the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest. “Tatum just called me. She just got off the phone with Jada, who told her all about a man called Creed who came into the bookstore today.”

“News travels fast,” Apollo laughed.

“Though Tatum did say it was a coincidence that his name was Creed, and so is yours.” Murphy pushed off the door and sat in the chair next to mine. “So, am I going to have to lie to Tatum, too? Or are we letting Jada in on the rouse?”

“Just… don’t say anything right now. Let me handle it.”

Murphy scoffed, and Apollo shook his head. “This is going to be interesting,” Murphy mused.

Interesting indeed.