Chapter 7: An Unexpected Offer
592 Words
Emma had planned to go straight back to work after coffee, but of course, nothing ever went as planned when Aiden Carter was involved.
The moment they stepped out of the café, they were met with a small crowd—mostly locals, but a few tourists, too—holding up their phones, snapping pictures, and whispering excitedly.
“There he is!” someone murmured.
Emma instinctively took a step away from Aiden, but it was too late. The cameras were already on them.
Aiden, to his credit, didn’t even flinch. Instead, he threw on his signature Hollywood smile and waved. “Hey, guys.”
A chorus of greetings followed, along with requests for selfies.
Emma exhaled. “I should’ve seen this coming.”
Aiden glanced at her. “Don’t worry, I’ll make it quick.”
She watched as he effortlessly handled the attention, chatting with fans, posing for photos, even signing a few notebooks. The whole scene reminded her just how different their worlds were.
She ran a quiet bookstore. He lived in the spotlight.
How had she ended up tangled in this?
“Emma!”
Her head snapped up as Lily appeared, weaving through the crowd with a huge grin. “I just saw the café’s i********:. You and Aiden looked so cute having coffee together.”
Emma groaned. “Lily…”
“What? I’m just saying the internet is loving this.”
Emma pinched the bridge of her nose. “Of course they are.”
Lily ignored her exasperation and turned to Aiden. “By the way, we have a small problem.”
Aiden raised an eyebrow. “What kind of problem?”
Lily grinned. “A good one. Because of you, the store’s been packed all day. Emma had to close early just to manage inventory, and now people are asking if you’re coming back tomorrow.”
Emma’s stomach dropped. “Wait, what?”
Lily nodded. “And get this—a reporter from a lifestyle magazine called. They want to do a feature on Seaside Reads.”
Emma stared at her. “You can’t be serious.”
“I am,” Lily chirped. “Apparently, they think the whole ‘celebrity-working-at-a-small-bookstore’ thing is charming.”
Emma groaned. “This is getting out of control.”
Aiden, on the other hand, looked thoroughly entertained. “Sounds like I’m good for business.”
Emma shot him a glare. “This isn’t a joke.”
“Who said I was joking?” He crossed his arms. “I like working at the bookstore.”
Emma narrowed her eyes. “You knocked over an entire shelf today.”
Aiden smirked. “And yet, people still want me back.”
Lily clapped her hands. “Oh! That reminds me—Aiden, how do you feel about hosting a book signing?”
Emma’s jaw dropped. “Lily!”
“What?” Lily said innocently. “People want to meet him. If he’s already helping out, why not make it official?”
Aiden tilted his head, considering. “A book signing, huh?”
Lily nodded eagerly. “We could set up a little event, have you recommend books, maybe even talk about your favorite stories.”
Emma expected Aiden to laugh it off. Instead, he looked intrigued.
“You know what?” He grinned. “That actually sounds fun.”
Emma groaned again. “Unbelievable.”
Aiden turned to her with an amused expression. “You do realize this means you’re stuck with me for a little longer, right?”
Emma sighed, already regretting everything.
- Writer
