weather-beaten and dangling at an angle easy to miss:
BLESSED BE
BOOKS & ODDITIES
A simple sign, certainly nothing special. But Jake found himself drawn to it, compelled to examine it further, and almost before he realized what he was doing, he opened the small door and followed the sign down a narrow stairway.
It was surprisingly bright for an underground store. Small windows near the ceiling allowed for a smattering of natural lighting, and the rest was achieved through clever use of artificial means. The room mimicked a large den, with a bright Aubusson carpet and overstuffed tapestry sofas placed near a fireplace. Floor to ceiling shelving circumvented the room, covered with thousands-upon-thousands of books. Wooden tables filled every nook and cranny, each piled high with an assortment of items displayed with charming haphazardness. Old teddy bears wearing lacy gowns. Costume jewelry sparkling brightly from brass treasure chests. Trinkets mixed with dishware, silver frames and pottery and dried flowers spilling out of baskets, scenting the shop with a delicate herbal aroma.
“May I help you, sir?” A woman asked, standing patiently at the cashier desk.
“No,” Jake shook his head, about to exit as quickly as he came. “Thanks, but I’ll just –” But instead of saying ‘leave’ he found himself saying ‘browse’, and he headed to the back of the store, to the darker, hidden nooks that weren’t readily visible.
Come on, Jake, you don’t have time for this. You should be going home and figuring out what to do about your traitorous boss instead of skimming through this funny little shop–
And then he saw her. High up, on the ladder, her long, gauzy skirt swirling demurely around her ankles, straight blond hair hanging unbound to her waist, stretching her arms high in an attempt to squeeze in a few more volumes, her foot precarious on the antiquarian ladder.
“Careful,” he said.
She turned, then, almond-shaped eyes widening slightly as she saw him, her expression remaining neutral. “Don’t worry; I do this all the time.” Her voice was softly accented, lilting in the pleasant way of people born here.
“You have the face of an angel.”
She smiled slightly and Jake realized, to his utter horror, he’d spoken aloud. He mumbled something, turning to leave, when she spoke again.
“You need my help.”
It wasn’t a question, it was a statement. “No. Yes. I’m not sure. No, I mean, no, thank you, I don’t need your help. I’m just browsing. Sorry for disturbing you.”
She shimmied down the ladder with stunning agility, standing to face him. She was tiny, Jake realized, no bigger than a pixie. That was what she looked like. A pixie. An imp. Cat-shaped green eyes, high chee kbones, a lush, generous mouth. No more than five-foot at the most. Almost girlish, until one took into account the slim figure, definitely womanish despite the loose sweater. Around her neck she wore a silver ankh, tethered with a velvet ribbon. Her face was devoid of makeup, and save for the ankh, she wore no other jewelry, not even earrings. She was, Jake realized, quite the loveliest woman he had ever seen.
“Like what you see?” she asked, smiling.
“Yes. No. I mean...” Oh God. He was doing it again. Stammering like a schoolboy. Jake cleared his throat. “Look, I’m going to leave before I make a bigger idiot of myself than I already have. If that’s even possible. Excuse me.”
She laughed then, a sweet tinkling sound. “I don’t think so.”
“Pardon?”
“You’re not leaving. Not yet, anyway.”
He smiled suddenly, catching onto her game. “I get it. I’m your prisoner until I buy a book or something. Okay, I’ll take this one. And this one, too. Just what I always wanted, a book about ancient Druids. Perfect, I’ll add it to my collection. Thank you very much.”
She was still laughing as she took the books from his hands and replaced them on the shelf. “No, that’s not what I
BLESSED BE
BOOKS & ODDITIES
A simple sign, certainly nothing special. But Jake found himself drawn to it, compelled to examine it further, and almost before he realized what he was doing, he opened the small door and followed the sign down a narrow stairway.
It was surprisingly bright for an underground store. Small windows near the ceiling allowed for a smattering of natural lighting, and the rest was achieved through clever use of artificial means. The room mimicked a large den, with a bright Aubusson carpet and overstuffed tapestry sofas placed near a fireplace. Floor to ceiling shelving circumvented the room, covered with thousands-upon-thousands of books. Wooden tables filled every nook and cranny, each piled high with an assortment of items displayed with charming haphazardness. Old teddy bears wearing lacy gowns. Costume jewelry sparkling brightly from brass treasure chests. Trinkets mixed with dishware, silver frames and pottery and dried flowers spilling out of baskets, scenting the shop with a delicate herbal aroma.
“May I help you, sir?” A woman asked, standing patiently at the cashier desk.
“No,” Jake shook his head, about to exit as quickly as he came. “Thanks, but I’ll just –” But instead of saying ‘leave’ he found himself saying ‘browse’, and he headed to the back of the store, to the darker, hidden nooks that weren’t readily visible.
Come on, Jake, you don’t have time for this. You should be going home and figuring out what to do about your traitorous boss instead of skimming through this funny little shop–
And then he saw her. High up, on the ladder, her long, gauzy skirt swirling demurely around her ankles, straight blond hair hanging unbound to her waist, stretching her arms high in an attempt to squeeze in a few more volumes, her foot precarious on the antiquarian ladder.
“Careful,” he said.
She turned, then, almond-shaped eyes widening slightly as she saw him, her expression remaining neutral. “Don’t worry; I do this all the time.” Her voice was softly accented, lilting in the pleasant way of people born here.
“You have the face of an angel.”
She smiled slightly and Jake realized, to his utter horror, he’d spoken aloud. He mumbled something, turning to leave, when she spoke again.
“You need my help.”
It wasn’t a question, it was a statement. “No. Yes. I’m not sure. No, I mean, no, thank you, I don’t need your help. I’m just browsing. Sorry for disturbing you.”
She shimmied down the ladder with stunning agility, standing to face him. She was tiny, Jake realized, no bigger than a pixie. That was what she looked like. A pixie. An imp. Cat-shaped green eyes, high chee kbones, a lush, generous mouth. No more than five-foot at the most. Almost girlish, until one took into account the slim figure, definitely womanish despite the loose sweater. Around her neck she wore a silver ankh, tethered with a velvet ribbon. Her face was devoid of makeup, and save for the ankh, she wore no other jewelry, not even earrings. She was, Jake realized, quite the loveliest woman he had ever seen.
“Like what you see?” she asked, smiling.
“Yes. No. I mean...” Oh God. He was doing it again. Stammering like a schoolboy. Jake cleared his throat. “Look, I’m going to leave before I make a bigger idiot of myself than I already have. If that’s even possible. Excuse me.”
She laughed then, a sweet tinkling sound. “I don’t think so.”
“Pardon?”
“You’re not leaving. Not yet, anyway.”
He smiled suddenly, catching onto her game. “I get it. I’m your prisoner until I buy a book or something. Okay, I’ll take this one. And this one, too. Just what I always wanted, a book about ancient Druids. Perfect, I’ll add it to my collection. Thank you very much.”
She was still laughing as she took the books from his hands and replaced them on the shelf. “No, that’s not what I
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