Chapter 3: The Hollywood Employee
545 Words
Emma didn’t know what was worse—the fact that Aiden Carter was now standing behind the bookstore counter like he actually worked there, or the fact that customers were lining up just to have him ring up their purchases.
“Alright, who’s next?” Aiden asked, flashing a megawatt smile.
A group of giggling teenagers practically shoved each other out of the way. One of them, a girl with pink-streaked hair, held out a romance novel. “I, um, love all your movies,” she said, cheeks flushed.
“Really?” Aiden said smoothly, taking the book from her. “Then I should be the one thanking you.” He winked as he scanned the book. The girl let out a squeak, and Emma had to resist rolling her eyes.
She crossed her arms. “Are you actually planning on working, or just charming every customer who walks in?”
Aiden turned to her with an innocent expression. “Multitasking.”
Emma groaned, but Lily—who was having way too much fun with all this—laughed. “Oh, let him be. He’s great for business.”
And, annoyingly, she was right.
Seaside Reads had never been this busy. Tourists and locals alike filled the shop, some actually buying books, while others just wanted to see Aiden in action. Emma knew that the moment he left, things would return to normal. But for now, she was stuck with him.
As the line dwindled, Emma handed Aiden a small stack of books. “Since you insist on working, these need to be shelved.”
“Yes, boss,” he said with an exaggerated salute.
Emma turned away, only to hear a loud thud a second later. She whipped around to see Aiden standing in front of a toppled pile of books.
“…Oops,” he said.
Emma pinched the bridge of her nose. “You have seen a bookshelf before, right?”
Aiden smirked. “I usually just read scripts, not stock shelves.”
Emma huffed and knelt to pick up the books. Aiden joined her, and for a brief moment, their hands brushed. Emma pulled away quickly, pretending not to notice the way her heart stuttered.
“This isn’t going to work,” she muttered.
Aiden grinned. “Oh, come on. I’ll get the hang of it.”
Before Emma could reply, the door chimed again. This time, the mood shifted.
A tall man in a sleek suit strode in, his sharp eyes scanning the room before landing on Aiden.
“Aiden,” he said briskly. “We need to talk.”
Emma glanced at Aiden, who sighed and stood. “Of course you’re here, Greg.”
“Your schedule is packed, and this… bookstore stunt wasn’t exactly approved by the studio.”
Emma stiffened. So this was Aiden’s manager. And from the way he was looking at the store, it was clear he thought it was beneath Aiden.
“Relax,” Aiden said. “I’m just here for a few days.”
“A few days?” Emma blurted out before she could stop herself.
Aiden shot her a lopsided smile. “Did I forget to mention that part?”
Emma stared at him.
This was definitely going to be a disaster.
- Writer
