Page 4 of Timeless Pages

Chapter four

Evan

I watched Isabella run off like her ass was on fire.

I, of course, had known who she was. I spent more time than I would ever admit lurking among the bookshelves, watching her.

She never noticed me and didn’t recognize me now, but I knew her.

She was the main reason I wanted to keep it a bookstore, hoping she would return to visit from time to time.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I frowned when I saw a text message from Nathan to our group chat.

Nathan

I don’t like the way she changed when he walked in. Did you see her flinch when he touched her? Evan, we’ll keep him distracted. You track her down and see if you can find out more information.

“Would it be possible for me to look around?” I asked Morris Wilcox.

Morris didn’t look like he wanted to say yes, but I didn’t wait for an answer as I headed down one of the aisles.

I knew there was a door that Isabella often went through, which I assumed was the office, and I hoped that was where she had gone.

It was opposite from where I was heading, but I knew I could skirt around the back.

“You aren’t allowed to buy any more books!

” Dom shouted after me. “That one is a real book nerd. Personally, I don’t get it,” Dom said as he placed his arm around Morris’ shoulders and turned him away from me to force the man’s attention to himself.

“Why read about someone else’s adventures when you could go out and make your own? Am I right?”

I stopped at the end of the aisle, pulled a book off the shelf, and pretended to read the blurb on the back while watching them out of the corner of my eyes.

“Uhh, sure,” Morris said, craning his neck around to watch me, “that sounds like good words to live by.”

“Can we start talking business?” Nathan asked.

“We have somewhere to be soon.” I scoffed under my breath.

We didn’t have anywhere to be. I was honestly surprised by just how much interest he was taking in Isabella.

He didn’t usually care much about anyone outside of us.

The fact that he was showing so much interest in Isabella had my hopes up that maybe we might have found our girl.

At the very least, we might have found someone all three of us found attractive. It was a start.

Morris’ attention quickly shifted to Nate at the mention of business, and I used that moment to replace the book and slip out of sight. I followed the wall to the back of the store and rapped my knuckles against the door several times before opening it.

“Do you mind?” Isabella asked, whirling to face me, clutching a scrap of paper.

She stood near the little kitchenette against the wall.

Further past that, I saw a cozy little bed just big enough for her.

A small TV was mounted on the wall, where a two-person table sat.

There were two doors to my right, which I assumed must be a private bathroom and a closet. She lived here!

“Oh shit. I’m sorry!” I said quickly when I realized it wasn’t an office. I entered the room and shut the door behind me. “I thought this was an office and wanted to talk to you.”

“And yet, you’re still here,” she replied.

I looked at her closer and saw that her brown eyes were now red-rimmed. “Why have you been crying?” I growled.