Kara
A month later…
The bookstore is taking shape nicely. The builders have been more than accommodating when I asked to change a couple of things on the original plans. All it really needs now is a lick of paint and to get the furniture in. Zoey and I have been shopping for some bits and pieces that we could make work in the space. We have a few reclaimed projects that we worked on together, transforming things to look like they had belonged in the bookstore all along. We’ve been keeping things in storage until the place was ready to move it all in. The way things are going, that should be any day now.
“Wow!”
I turn round to see my best friend. Her jaw is on the floor. I’m glad she can see what I see here.
“It’s great, right?”
“It’s…perfect.”
For once, my friend is a little lost for words.
“It just needs painting, and then we’ll be set to move the tables and chairs and stuff in.”
“Yeah, I mean…wow. I knew you had a vision, but this exceeds my expectations.”
“I’m pleased to hear it. Opening day is officially ten days away, and I am so excited.”
Zoey wraps her arms around me and kisses me on the cheek, a rare display of affection.
When I first had the idea for this store, I knew I wanted to do something different. There was a lot to accomplish, and there were times when I didn’t know whether it would work or not. They say a lot of businesses fail in the first year. I don’t want that to happen to me, but I can only try my hardest to prevent that from becoming a reality.
The bookstore where I worked before opening my own place know that I’m not doing this to be in competition with them. I’ve got a totally different vision in mind for this place and my old boss wished me every success in my new venture.
Part of my plan is to get authors in for book signings. I’ve always felt a rush when I’ve attended signings, but sometimes they are overwhelming and you don’t get to see everyone you want to see. However, with just one author for a couple of hours, it would be a more intimate setting. The hard part will be convincing authors to take a chance on my bookstore, but I have to believe it will work. I’ve already got someone booked in for a signing the week after I open, so I’m hoping if that’s a success, we’ll be in a better place to get other authors in.
I walk round with Zoey in tow and point out different things to her so she can see my vision in its totality. She’s literally bouncing on the balls of her feet, a sure sign she’s excited.
“I love the idea of the mom and baby room,” she says as we finish the grand tour.
“I saw the same kind of thing in a library once and I thought we could have a room like it.”
“I don’t get how it will work, though. In a library, they can take the book from the shelf and read with their child, and that’s okay, because they aren’t new books. But with a room like that in a bookstore…doesn’t that defeat the object of actually selling books?”
“In a way, yes. But the books in that room are all second-hand. They all have dust jackets and they are for reading in that room only. The parents can’t check the book out and take it home, but if they like the book, they can find it on a shelf in the store or we can order it in for them to purchase.”
“Ooh! That makes sense. Sorry, I wasn’t trying to put a damper on things, I was just curious.”
I’d felt the same when I was thinking through ways to make such a room work. But then I’d come up with a solution and thought it was a good idea. If that room doesn’t work in the long run, I can always repurpose it to fit with the rest of the store, but having asked the opinion of lots of locals when I canvassed the area, there were a lot of moms that said they’d use the room.
“The coffee bar looks good. I like how it’s set out.”
“Thanks, Zo. It means a lot that you came to take a look round.”
I hug my best friend and look around my place in awe. I can’t believe it’s all mine. Something I have wanted to do for a long time now is actually going to happen. It’s no longer ideas scribbled in a journal, it’s a reality, and I am going to work damn hard to keep my dream alive.
***
“Chapter & Verse, I like it,” Zoey says as she serves up the meatballs and tagliatelle she cooked for our tea.
“Yeah, I worked on names for such a long time. I went on forums and canvassed opinion on which of my options they liked best.”
I sit down and begin to devour the delicious pasta.
“And the website looks great. I can’t believe how awesome it all looks. Actually, no, I can believe it because you’ve busted your ass for months.”
We chat as we stuff our faces with the most delicious meal I’ve had in a while. I have been working so hard and putting in such long hours that microwave meals for one have been my sustenance, and they aren’t exactly nourishing.
I load the dishwasher and top up our glasses of prosecco.
“You know we have to have real champagne at the opening,” Zoey pipes up.
“Yeah, I’ve got some on order, don’t worry. And soft drinks for any kids that might come along.”
“Sounds like you have it all planned. Who’s cutting the ribbon?”
“Me, why? Who did you think it would be?”
“Well, I thought a local celebrity or something. You know, like a gimmick to get more people to turn up.”
“It’s my store, why should anyone but me open the place?”
I can’t hide the fact that I’m affronted. I didn’t think it needed a gimmick or something to attract more customers. But now she’s said it, I can’t get it out of my head. Should I have booked someone to come and open it?
***
10 days later…
It’s the day of the opening of Chapter & Verse, and it seems I didn’t need a celebrity or anything to attract more custom. The crowd gathered outside seem more than happy to see little old me as I step up to the microphone. I’d had a local PA company set up a speaker outside so I could be heard. I wasn’t sure I’d need it, but looking out at the crowd, my opinion has changed.
“Good morning, everybody, my name is Kara, and I am the owner here.”
I give a short pause and look around at all the faces in front of me. There are just so many people here that I am overwhelmed.
“My vision was to bring you a bookstore with a difference. Inside, you will find a coffee bar, a mom and baby room, also a small room with a few iMacs set up for research. I guess you could say that this is part bookstore, part library in a way—there isn’t one term to define it—but I hope you will find what you’re looking for inside and will come back time and again. I want you to feel comfortable and welcome here. So without further ado…I give you Chapter & Verse.”
I cut the red ribbon across the double doors that bear my new logo and the automatic doors open. The crowd burst into a round of applause and then there is a flurry of activity as they all bustle inside and go in different directions.
“This is an amazing turn-out,” Zoey says as she grabs my arm and pulls me to the table set up in the main room of the store.
We start to pour glasses of champagne for the people milling around and hand out cartons of orange juice to the children. I have disposable glasses and a box by the doorway that has a ‘Please Recycle Here’ sign.
I look around and am feeling all kinds of giddy.
“This is a great place you’ve got here,” a cute guy says as I hand him a glass.
“Thank you.”
I feel a blush creep across my cheeks. I’m so proud of this place and I really hope it can stay afloat.
“I mean it. I used to shop at the smaller store across the other side of town but they didn’t have as much in the way of genres as you do. Nor do they have some of the latest books that I want. I love how you stock Indie authors too.”
“That’s great. I have a lot of hope for this place, and my Indie bookshelves are some of my favourites in the whole place. I’m Kara, by the way.”
“Liam,” he says as he shuffles the pile of books he’s holding to the other arm so he can stick out a hand for me to shake.
“Pleasure to meet you, Liam.”
“Oh, I’m sure you’ll be seeing a lot more of me. The store is great, I have a really good feeling about the space.”
“Me too.”
Liam puts his pile of books on the counter in front of me and I ring up his purchases.
“You must be something of a bookworm,” I say as I put his books in a couple of bags, “Sorry, that was stating the obvious. I’m really nervous, can you tell?”
“You’re bound to be nervous, it’s a pretty big day for you. Don’t stress, just go with the flow.”
I smile as Liam hands over the money for his purchases.
“You were right though, I am a bookworm. My boyfriend thinks I’m a studious geek,” he said as he air quoted the last two words.
“Well, there’s nothing wrong with being studious, you know. How do you think I put together a business plan for this place? I studied, hard.”
Liam laughed as I handed him his bags.
“Well, you’ll probably see more of me, as I tried the coffee earlier, and boy, it’s good stuff. Better than any instant crap.”
I had to laugh. I’d researched everything down to the smallest of things, and coffee was one of the things I really wanted to get right. I knew it would be important or else the customers wouldn’t return.
“Yeah, none of that instant crap.”
“Well, I’ll be off, but I’ll see you soon.”
“It was nice meeting you, Liam.”
I was still laughing softly to myself when Liam said goodbye and left.
The rest of the day went by in a blur of activity. So many customers and so many lovely compliments too. It could have been thanks to the discount I was giving to customers that spent over twenty pounds, or it could just have been the perfect first day. I don’t know, but I’m sure I’ll find out in the coming weeks.
I’m just closing the shop when I get a text from Sawyer.
Sawyer: Hey, sorry I couldn’t make it to opening day, work was mad today. How did it go?
I smile to myself as I type a reply.
Kara: Hey, it went really well. It was better than I could have imagined.
Sawyer: That’s great. Want to talk about it over drinks?
Kara: Sure. Where?
Sawyer: How about Madison Avenue?
I’ve heard of the place but never been. I’m not sure how dressy it is and I’m only dressed sort of smart casual.
Kara: Sure. I’m only dressed how I have been at work all day though.
Sawyer: That’s okay, me too. Shall I pick you up?
Kara: It’s okay, I’ll meet you there.
I pull up outside a few minutes later. Walking in, I don’t spot Sawyer, so I take a seat at the bar and order myself a diet Pepsi.
Ten minutes later, Sawyer walks in and apologises for the delay in his arrival. He looks good in a grey suit, crisp white shirt, and dark grey tie. His hair is styled to perfection and I wonder how he had time to scrub up so well, having been on shift at the police station all day. Maybe that’s why he’s running a few minutes late.
He orders a Pepsi and unbuttons his suit jacket. Greeting me with a kiss on the cheek gives me the time to discreetly inhale and see what kind of cologne he wears. I don’t know what it is, but it smells good. This only adds to Sawyer’s appeal and I can’t help but smile at him.
We sit and talk about my day and he seems really pleased for me in this new venture. It’s nice to meet someone who is so interested in my work.
Sawyer and I seem to get on well. He’s a great guy. He’s no Reid, but I have to shake thoughts of him and move forward with my life instead of standing still. Sawyer is handsome, has a great physique—as far as I can tell—and likes to make me laugh. With chocolate brown eyes, day old stubble, and a killer smile, he is my type physically. Is there an emotional connection? I guess that’s hard to tell, considering we don’t know each other very well. I do like what I’ve seen of him so far though, so that’s something. We’ve talked about his family and how close he is to them. He has an infectious laugh and a great sense of humour. My sarcasm isn’t lost on him and he’s just as quick to quip back as I am. Unlike any other man I know, I’m sensing that Sawyer is the kind of guy that women go weak at the knees for.
We stay until closing time at the bar, both only having drunk soft drinks so that we’re okay to drive home. It just goes to show that you don’t have to drink alcohol to have a good time.
Opening my car door, I turn to say a last goodbye to Sawyer but don’t realise he’s stood right behind me. He pulls me close to him and leans in to kiss me. His mouth melds to mine, and my mind spins as he probes deeply with his tongue, our hot breath mixing and creating a heady feeling in me. Our tongues dance together and I want more, so much more. I feel a warm sensation pool in my abdomen as he pulls away and looks at me through hooded, seductive eyes. The look on his face speaks volumes, and it takes everything in me not to invite him back to mine. I don’t want to rush into things too quickly. Okay, so it was a foot-popping kiss—the kind that you normally see in movies—but that doesn’t mean I need to fall into bed with him…yet.