Chapter Eleven

After Virginia left, I spent what seemed to be hours sorting out the books, I also had a few people coming to pick up some books. Generally, it was a really good business day.

By the time five rolled by, I was in need of food, but I had about three customers, a group of girlfriends choosing their books from the romance and fantasy sections. I could hear them giggling and commenting on the various books. They didn't seem like they were in a hurry to go anywhere, however my stomach was trying to stab me from the inside out.

As I was contemplating going over to tell the girls that I needed to eat so they needed to hurry, my phone pinged, notifying me of an incoming message. I picked up the phone and instantly smiled, my stomach pains temporarily on hold.

Alexander: I'll bet my right arm that you're currently on all levels of hunger.

My reply was immediate.

Rosette: It's a bet you're not going to lose on any level.

Alexander: Anything specific you'd want to eat?

Rosette: There are stages of hunger where you can't even be picky.

Alexander: Completely understood.

He said with a train of laughing emojis that made me laugh too.

Alexander: Any allergies?

Rosette: None that I know of, Doc.

Alexander: Woah, we've graduated from doctor to doc. I'm pleased.

I couldn't help but laugh, but then as I looked up from the phone, I saw the girl minus one coming towards me. I quickly texted him.

Rosette: BRB. Customers

The phone pinged again as I focused on the pair before me, and I knew it must be Alexander but didn't look.

"Do you have everything you need?" I asked them as they laid their books in front of me. The pile of books they laid down had to be about twenty, and I got to work immediately scanning and packing them. Midway, the door opened but I didn't lift my head just yet. I packed he last book handed it to the two right as the last girl handed me her own set of books, a boxed set of about twelve books. Wow.

As I took her books, I looked up to see the newcomer, only it wasn't a newcomer, it was Alexander. Blood rushed to my face at the sight of him, and I quickly looked down and begun scanning and packing her books. It was only when I was done and they paid and walked out that I looked up at Alexander. He was already watching me. My cheeks turned red again.

"Hi" I said.

"Hi" he replied, getting closer. "How are you pretty girl?" My stomach's loud growl stopped my answer and he chuckled. "I believe that's all the answer I need."

"I guess...What are you doing here anyway?" He chuckled.

"I came to take care of your stomach since you're clearly failing at that." As if hearing it was being mentioned, it growled again. I covered my face in embarrassment. He just laughed. I glared at him.

"My stomach's only behaving like that because you're talking about it." That made him laugh harder.

"Sure." He made sure to drag out the 'sure'. "go on and blame the saviour." He was still laughing, I shook my head and took my purse out of my bag.

"Please cover for me while I go grab some food. Hopefully, by the time you'll be done laughing, I'll be back." I was out from behind my desk and moving past him within seconds, but before I could make it to the door, and it wasn't even that far, he pulled me back and I ended up with my face in his chest and our bodies so close you couldn't tell the difference if not for our different coloured clothes.

I was speechless, that was for sure. Speechless with a nose full of his spicy clean and crisp scent, it reminded me of black pepper. To say I was breathing him in was an understatement,I was devouring his scent. My knees positively weak, thank God he was holding me, or I would have been a puddle on the floor by now.

"I didn't come to give you a break Flower, I came to feed you." His voice...the rich timber of his voice washed over me like a tidal wave as I looked up at him transfixed.

"Lock the place up, we're going to eat and then you'll go back to school." For a moment his words seemed to float around my mind aimlessly until three particular words touched down and everything else snapped into focus. Lock, eat, school.

"You want me to lock up, why?"

"I don't know if you've noticed Rose, but it's almost six. If you don't lock up now, then when?"

"Right, you're right." I said, moving away from him and begining to close the shop up. We made small talk as he helped me and we were soon out of there. I thought we were going to get into his car, but we didn't. Instead he took a grey tote bag out of the car, a little similar to mine except mine was a green bindle, and then we started to walk,in the opposite direction of the school. When I asked where we were going, he just said "you'll see." and that was that. We walked for about ten minutes until we got to an almost deserted park. I didn't know there was a park here, and now that I knew, there was no way I wouldn't be there everytime I got the chance.

We sat on a bench as the sun begun to set and out of the the tote bag, he produced a lunch box. I laughed, that was not what I was expecting when he took the bag, but I probably should have guessed.

When he opened the lunch box, my stomach went into overdrive at the mouthwatering smell of food much to the amusement of Alexander, but a glare from me had him . I expected the food would be cold by now, but it actually wasn't. It was all warm and I couldn't wait to see what the food was.

When he finally showed me the contents of the lunch box, I all but died from anticipation. I couldn't wait to dig in to the Reuben Sandwich with potato salad, my stomach was literally summersaulting. I was bouncing in my seat.

"Hurry up." I whined, and he just chuckled.

"Patience Flower."

"But I've been patient forever! Alexander, please." Yep, I was hungry enough to beg and call him Alexander all at once. He didn't comment on it though, just served me generously and I begun to stuff my face generously. I moaned at each bite, each taste brought me close to the popular foodgasm that I was yet to experience.

"Slow down Rose, I don't want you choking." He said sternly and I looked up at him, only then realizing that he was watching me instead of eating. He hadn't touched his food at all. I nodded.

"Okay, but won't you eat?" I took a bite, moaned, and almost went back to stuffing my mouth but slowed because obviously he didn't want me choking and I didn't want to either.

"I will..." and as if to reassure me, he took a bite. "I just want to make sure you don't have any accidents."

"I'm fine, really." I chuckled and then for the next few minutes, we ate in silence.

"So tell me, what extra curricular activities are you involved in in school, any clubs or hobbies, pastimes, anything at all?" That took me by surprise and I stilled.

"Why that? I thought people usually ask about grades when talking about school?"

"But I'm not."

"Why?"

"Why not?" I gave him an unimpressed look, and he sighed before speaking.

"Because you're a lot like me Rose, and I want you to have the best parts of school." his answer somber and serious, I understood that whatever this was, it mattered to him and he wanted me to take it serious. " So, how about a little story time while you finish eating?" He added with a little more amusement this time. I didn't miss how he was balancing the stern and fun to make me comfortable, I smiled at that. However something else caught my attention. He said my food instead of our food, and I looked at his food and realized there was no food left. He was done...and I was not.

"Remind me not to make a bet with you about who eats faster." I said with a faux pout. He laughed at that but humored me anyway.

"Noted."

"Okay, let's hear you story, and make it long and good so I can finish my food."

"Yes ma'am." He laughed while I readied my self to take notes from his life's book.