When We Meet Again by Hayden Hall

Author:Hayden Hall [Hall, Hayden]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-07-11T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 10

Luke

The mixing scents of hardcover books, ink on paper, leather, coffee, musk, and wooden bookcases was a loving hug to a tired soul. It was almost enough to balance out the anxiety that had plagued me for days.

The Book Nook was just one of the countless bookstores in the area. Nestled on James Street in a redbrick building and spanning two snug floors, it specialized in fantastical and escapist reads across various media. It was famous for its vast list of author events, welcoming fresh talent and old masters alike. From the table piled up with my Elysian Nights graphic novels, prints, key chains, stickers, and a steaming cup of hot tea, I had a wonderful view of the White Lion across the street.

Covent Garden’s historic buildings dotted along narrow streets surrounded me in all directions, but I didn’t have much time to enjoy them or the pub across the street. So I settled for enjoying the tea instead. Readers I couldn’t believe had touched my books, let alone read them, and bothered to leave their homes on a freezing January afternoon to meet me, filled the Book Nook’s ground floor. It was twice a blessing; once because I had expected this signing to end up with me all alone, crying over a pile of books nobody wanted, and again because they distracted me from the fact that my heart clenched at the twist of fate. I was in London; Rafael was in Stockholm.

I was contemplating putting together a random meet and greet after the signing in the four hours I had before I needed to head to the airport, but the thought faded. Nobody wants to hang out with you just because you wrote this thing, a voice reminded me. So I signed books, took photos, and wondered if all these wonderful people made a mistake when they showed up here. Maybe they were in the wrong Book Nook. Maybe there was another where an actual artist with a real following was signing. Maybe all these people realized their mistake later, only to be forever disappointed about meeting me instead of their real hero.

My head was down as I signed a copy for Molly, who must have been extra mistaken between me and the popular author because she was also wearing a black T-shirt with my heroes printed in intricate linework all across her front.

“Javi kept me sane through my breakup,” Molly confided.

I couldn’t hold back my smile. “To tell you the truth, Javi kept me sane through the last year and a half, too.” I closed the hardcover edition of the first six volumes of my urban fantasy and handed it to Molly. “Thank you for showing up today.”

“Are you pulling my leg? I wouldn’t have missed it for the world,” Molly said. As she thanked me for the signature and conversation—neither of which cost me anything at all and were easily an infinitely greater pleasure to me than Molly could have imagined—my gaze flicked to the door, where the bell announced someone was entering.

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