This Love | ✓

Part 10

"Lee, don't forget to text me before you go on your date," Claire reminded me as she parked her BMW in front of Athena's Used Books. "I'll be in a meeting all afternoon, so I can't take calls. But please text me, darling."

"Claire," I grumbled. "It's not a date! And yes, I'll text you!"

"Okay," she muttered, unconvinced. 

As I turned to climb out of the car, she reached out and grabbed my arm. "Wait!"

I settled back into the passenger seat, dubiously watching Claire root around her purse. My confusion deepened when she pulled out a small container and pressed it into my hand.

"Pepper spray?" I asked incredulously, my mouth popping open.

"Keep it, please," she begged. "I'll feel better knowing that you have it."

I didn't know whether to be touched by her concern or mortified by the thought of carrying pepper spray to my "not-a-date" with Jason. Realising that there was no point in arguing with Claire, I stuffed the canister into the bottom of my bag with a resigned sigh.

We finally exchanged goodbyes, and I stepped onto the pavement, my Ray-Bans shielding my eyes from the bright sun. I glanced to my right, sunlight glinting off the sign that said "Java Lava" in bright, bold letters.

I'm going to meet Jason outside the café for the first time, I thought to myself, excitement and tension warring inside my head. 

I headed straight into Athena's Used Books as I had decided to spend the day there until three in the afternoon. Upon entering the store, I found Zach towering over an old woman near one of the aisles, their backs turned to me. He murmured something to the customer, eliciting a shrill, shaky laugh from her.

I walked over to the counter that held the ancient, mostly nonfunctional computer, shuffling around awkwardly. A few moments later, Zach turned around towards the counter, carrying numerous hardbound books as though they weighed nothing. The elderly woman followed, her face alight with obvious adoration for Zach. 

"Leena!" Zach exclaimed when he finally noticed me.

I smiled, offering a greeting to him and the lady standing nearby. 

"Hello," she replied warmly, the creases around her eyes deepening as she smiled.

"Leena, this is Bonnie," Zach indicated to the woman. "Bonnie, meet Leena."

"Nice to meet you, Bonnie," I said. 

"You too, dear," she nodded, her short, grey ponytail bobbing.

"Please, carry on," I said to Zach and Bonnie. "I'll just have a look around."

I stepped into one of the aisles, savouring the musky smell of a hundred books. Toying with the straps of my backpack, I studied the chaotic arrangement of paperbacks and hardcovers. The air around me turned cooler when I ventured deeper into the store, randomly picking up books and replacing them.

Suddenly, a bleep sounded from within my bag. I rooted around it, grimacing when my fingers came into contact with a cold metal canister. 

A smile tugged at the corners of my lips when I found my phone and saw a text from Jason: Hi, Leena. See you at three? :)

I replied: Yes. :)

Still beaming, I tucked my phone into the pocket of my jeans.

"Hey," Zach's voice sounded from behind me. 

"Hi," I said, turning to him.

Dressed in a navy blue V-necked shirt and black jeans, Zach looked like he had stepped right out of a fashion magazine.