His Blue ✓

43| Self-defense

Ring ring

The sound of the bell at the door of the bookstore echoes across the room. To myself I wonder whether I should step out of the aisle I'm on to welcome the potential costumer, but I rule against it. I figure my manager or coworker at the front can do that.

I reach down and grasp a book to shelve. When I look back up, I see the book from the other side of the shelf disappear. A pair of bright blue eyes blink in the space between.

"Anson?" I hiss through the shelf. Sure enough, he appears on my aisle in a moment. In his hands he clutches a copy of Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens. I frown.

"Why that story?" I question, looking at the book in his large hands.

"You did your editorials on Dickens, right?" He asks, avoiding my question and thumbing through the cream-colored pages.

I nod.

"Have you read Great Expectations?" He raises a brow, and holds the book out to me.

What's this about?

I sigh. "No." I curiously scan his figure. I notice he is wearing a dress- shirt and khakis, not usual Anson attire. "Why are you dressed up?"

He smiles. "There's a quote in this book. I wanted to read it to you."

I make a face. "There are hundreds of quotes in every book, Anson. I don't have time for this."

"You'll make time." He says, opening up to a certain page and clearing his throat.

I listen carefully as he reads.

'I loved her against reason, against promise, against peace, against hope, against happiness, against all discouragement that could be." He stops reading and looks in my direction.

I gently take the book from his hands and tuck it into the fold of my arm. "I know what this is about." I narrow my eyes. "This is an apology."

Anson shuffles his feet and nods. "In truth, I've been trying to find the right moment."

Not that I don't appreciate this, but...

I chew my lip. "You know this is my work, right? It's like ever since we met, you've busted in here whenever it was convenient." I giggle, causing him to smile.

"When your shift ends, I want to take you out to dinner." He takes my hand and entwines his fingers with mine.

"I'll meet you outside, like always." My voice is soft.

"It's a deal." He says before pulling away and waiting for my job to finally be over. While I work, I think to myself of all the things I have wanted to say to Anson since last week at Kyle's.  We've not really had the right opportunity to talk about it.

There are lots of things I have to say. Should I?

After my time at the bookstore is up, I bundle up in a jacket- the sky is dark and cloudy today, and I go to meet Anson outside. I can't help but smile.

"You're awfully cheery, all of a sudden." He comments, letting me into the camaro and beginning his drive.

"Should I not be happy now that I'm off work?" I ask.

"Dang. I was hoping it had something to do with being with me." He admits with a smile.

I shake my head at him in amusement.