"So rich people can't go to a nice bookstore?" Asher asked, feigning indignation. "I don't recall either of you mentioning this to me, either. What happened, exactly?"
Jeremy and I told him, piecing the story together.
"Yeah, and then she drags me into an alley and kisses me. I'm like, whoa! Hold up there, Jessika, but she just keeps on going at it. I don't even know."
Asher narrowed his eyes at me. "Really now?"
Blushing, I looked down at my plate and kept my eyes looking at anything except Asher. "Sorry," I mumbled. "It seemed like a good idea at the time. I didn't want Beatrice or Solomon to notice us."
"Yeah," Jeremy said. "Like in those spy movies, you know? I guess that was it. It worked, but I didn't see Solomon or Beatrice, so who knows."
"You know, you make it sound like I wanted to kiss you in an alley!" I said.
"I'm an attractive guy. Maybe you did? I don't know."
"Jeremy," Asher said, calm and collected. "Jessika and I have been... how should I say..."
"Yeah, yeah, you guys are going at it. I'm no dummy, you know? That's fine. She's nice and I like you, Asher."
"So why are you going on about the kissing?" I asked.
"Well, it happened! What do you want me to do, lie about it?"
I harrumphed. "I guess not. I don't know."
Asher chuckled. "It's fine. I understand the situation. I'm not upset. It's more amusing than anything. You're really different, you know that?"
I glared at him.
"In a good way! A wonderful way. I love it." He reached over and took my hand in his, squeezing my fingers. "I really do, I love you. Not even Jeremy and his good looks can pull us apart."
"I don't know, man," Jeremy said, tousling his hair. "I'm pretty ridiculously good looking. I could give you a run for your money."
I looked at Asher, daring a glance into his eyes. He smiled and squeezed my hand again. "I didn't mean to kiss Jeremy," I said. "I mean, I meant to, but..."
"It's fine," Asher said.
"Alright, so now that this mushy crap is out of the way, can we figure out what's going on? What do you want to do? Do we go to the bookstore? Do you think that's where she went?" Having finished his breakfast, Jeremy chugged what was left of his smoothie.
"Yes," Asher said. "If neither of them are there, I'm sure the owner will be, right?" He looked to me for confirmation.
"Yes, they're open every day but Sunday. They close early today, but we have plenty of time," I said.
"Right. So we'll go, and if nothing else I'll talk with the owner. Since you're acquainted with him, I think this will go well, Jessika. Maybe we can get some help from him. He might know something."
"Alright," I said, nodding.
"Sounds good," Jeremy agreed. "I'll drive, of course. No funny business in the back seat, though, you two." He wagged a finger at us.
He looked so ridiculous that all I could do was laugh.
...
We arrived at Robert's bookstore shortly after it opened. Unfortunately, no matter how much I liked the place, it was never very popular. Robert spent most of his mornings tidying up and re-organizing. Except when I came in, in which case he usually chatted with me and we talked about new books or authors and things like that while I helped him out a little. I never worked there, he never paid me, but I enjoyed it still. It was fun and I liked Robert.
Before we got out of the car, Asher took my hand in his and stared at me with a strange kind of look. I didn't really understand it and it scared me. "Jessika," he said, "if something happens I need you to stay safe, alright? I can handle the situation if it goes badly, but I want you to keep enough distance that you can find safety if need be."
I smiled at him and laughed lightly. "You're talking like this is dangerous," I said. "It's nothing, Asher. Don't worry about me. We're just going in to talk with Beatrice. It's like a business meeting, I bet."
Just talking, right? Nothing more than that. Accusations, yes, and perhaps a heated discussion, but what was Asher thinking? It worried me that he was worried, and I didn't understand it. This wasn't... this wasn't... I didn't actually know what this was, but I knew deep down that everything would be fine.
"I'm sure you're right." He kissed me on the lips, lingering. "I'm worried, that's all. It's silly."
"You two getting out?" Jeremy asked. "You want me to stay here or come in?"
"It's probably best if you stay here," Asher said. "If Beatrice sees all of us, it could seem overly confrontational. I want to settle this as peacefully as possible."
"Sure thing, boss."
Asher opened the car door on his side and stepped out. He stood to his full height and brushed down his suit jacket, peering at his surroundings. I watched him, enthralled. Asher was the kind of person who looked commanding in almost any setting, I realized. In Landseer Tower, yes, and in his home, of course, but when I saw him look like that now, standing on the street having just exited the car, I realized this was him always. It wasn't something he did intentionally, it was a part of him.
He jogged around the car to my side and opened the door for me. When he reached inside, I took his offered hand and let him help me out. He smiled and kissed me again, this time on the forehead.
"Ready?" he asked.
"I'm ready," I said.
We walked to the front door of the bookstore, side by side. No hand holding this time, not like when we'd left his office the other day. I understood, since we needed to act discrete and not upset Beatrice, even if she'd done more than her fair share of upsetting both Asher and I, but still. I would have liked to have the feel of his hand in mine, that tiny bit of comfort.
Asher opened the door for me and I stepped inside. Robert had finished setting up my area since the last time and I nearly rushed over in glee to investigate what he'd done, but I stopped myself. At the counter, older, with fading red and grey hair, stood Robert.
"Jessika!" he said, smiling wide. "Wonderful for you to stop by. I've added some new additions to your shelves. Do you want to see?"
Asher stepped in behind me and nodded to Robert.
"Oh, did you bring a friend?" Robert asked. He never missed a stride and moved out behind the counter to greet us both. "I'm Robert," he said, holding out his hand.
Asher took his hand and shook it. "Asher," he said. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
"You look familiar," Robert said. "Have you been here before?"
"No." Asher shook his head. "It's a lovely place, though. Jessika has said nice things about it. I'm hoping to become more of a frequenter. I always enjoy a good book."
"Well, Jessika's been a great help here. I should probably pay her, that's how useful she is, but, well..."
I shook my head. "No, no. I like it. I just come in for fun."
"I know. I appreciate it. Shall we go see the new additions to your section? Maybe your friend will find it interesting. I'd love to—"
"We didn't actually come for that right now, Robert," I said. The confused look in his eyes hurt to see, but I promised myself I'd make it up to him later.
"I was hoping you'd know my wife," Asher added, taking control of the conversation. "Beatrice Landseer? Or do you know a Solomon Royce? He works for me, and..."
"Oh," Robert said. "Oh! You're Asher. Asher Landseer. Yes, I recognize you. I... this isn't really... I should have tidied up. It doesn't always look like this, you see, and..."
"No, no. It looks wonderful. It reminds me of my library at home. I'd love to look around after, but I have pressing matters to attend to with Beatrice and Solomon right now."
Robert nodded. "I think they're out back. It was a surprise when they first came here, actually. I don't know what brought them, but they've offered to help me out quite a lot. I'm sure you're aware, since you're Beatrice's husband. She's a little harsh sometimes, but I think deep down she's a good person. Should I go get them?"
"Oh, no. Jessika knows her way around, right?"
I nodded. "You can stay here for the early morning rush, Robert. We'll only be a second."
Robert guffawed. "Early morning rush. Right! I think having you four in the store is the most people I've had this early in the morning in years."
I grinned. "We'll buy four times as much before we leave. How about that?"
"That would be wonderful," Robert said. "You don't have to, of course, but that would be wonderful. Your wife and that other fellow are in the back, Mr. Landseer. It's a little hectic over there, so please pardon the clutter. I use it as storage for extra bookcases mainly."
"I'll show you," I said to Asher, tugging on his jacket sleeve. To Robert, I added, "Thank you, Robert."
Robert nodded and shuffled back around the counter, fiddling with a few of the books stored back there.
I led Asher through the bookstore. We passed by my section briefly and I whispered to him about it, explaining how Robert had set it up for me. He smiled and glanced at a few of the books before we pressed on.
Robert's bookstore was mostly orderly, but nothing like a conventional bookstore. He set up little reading areas behind bookcases shaped into rooms, with blank spaces as doors. Asher and I walked past the children's reading area, where some local parents brought their younger kids for special readings after school, and then through the gaming room. That was my idea, too, even if I knew nothing about it. The older kids, high school level or so, loved playing these trading card games and adventures and dragons or something, so why not give them a place to do it here? The bookstore was nearly an impromptu after-school daycare in those regards, but Robert seemed to like it. He made a few sales from it, and it filled the store with more people and kept him busy.
There were a few more cornered off spots, also, and we passed those on our way to the back warehouse; a romance readers group section and a sci-fi/fantasy one, too. I fondly remembered one time when there was a group of romance readers trying to discuss something in their section while a bunch of fantasy lovers had decided to come by the bookstore before heading off to a movie premier. The fantasy guys(and one girl) had dressed up as characters from the movie and were making a bit of a ruckus, play-acting out scenes. The romance people huffed about it to Robert and he let them use the book club room until the fantasy movie-goers left to catch their flick, but the looks on their faces were priceless; a little upset, a little confused, and kind of laughing but not quite.
We arrived at the entrance to the backroom. Nailed to the door was a sign that read "Employees Only."
"Don't worry," I said. "I think Robert's just hired you. You'll make a good librarian."
Asher grinned. He stepped forward and twisted the doorknob, then opened the door and gestured for me to go ahead. I did and he followed behind me, closing the door after us.
Rows upon rows of bookcases greeted us inside. Some were fine, stacked next to each other in no particular order, but others were rickety and on their last legs. A few broken shelves lay in a pile to the right, tossed their carelessly to await their fate in a heap on the street when garbage day came. The backroom was an old, small warehouse of sorts, where the previous owner had stockpiled goods and received truckloads of supplies through a single loading dock far in the back. Robert didn't use the loading dock often now, since he never ordered enough books to find it necessary, but the large door was still there.