From Mishap to Kisshap: Tessa & Noor

Chapter 1 — The Book Avalanche The first three books fell quietly. The next twenty did not. A whole display beside the crowded bookstore reading collapsed after Tessa pulled one novel from the wrong place, sending hardcovers sliding across the floor and leaving her crouched in the middle of them. The audience burst out laughing. Tessa covered her face. “Oh my God.” Then a woman hurried from behind the counter. “Don't move.” “That sounds ominous.” “There's another stack behind you.” The woman caught it just before it toppled onto Tessa. Someone applauded. Tessa looked up. The bookstore owner looked down. And suddenly neither appeared particularly concerned about books. “Oh,” whispered a woman seated in the front row. Her friend smiled. “Yep.” The owner held out her hand. Tessa took it. They continued holding hands several seconds after Tessa was standing. “Are you hurt?” the owner asked. “Only professionally. I'm a teacher. I’m supposed to understand books.” The room laughed again. The owner laughed hardest. Twenty minutes later, after the reading, the same two women were still beside the ruined display, supposedly rebuilding it. “They've put that book in the wrong place three times,” the woman in the front row said. “They're not looking at the books.” Tessa said something. The owner smiled. Then Tessa leaned closer. The owner met her halfway. They kissed. The woman in the front row nodded approvingly. “Well.” Her friend glanced at the crooked display. “Best thing that happened to that shelf all night.” Chapter 2 — Tessa I only wanted one book. I pulled it out. Everything fell. For one horrible second I stood there watching an entire display collapse because apparently thirty years of being able to use bookshelves had abandoned me. People laughed. I wanted to disappear between Fiction and Biography. Then she appeared. “Don't move.” I looked up. And forgot why I was embarrassed. She was beautiful—dark eyes, warm olive skin, thick black hair falling over one shoulder, and an expression that was trying very hard to remain serious. She caught another stack before it landed on me. “Are you hurt?” “Only professionally. I'm a teacher. I’m supposed to understand books.” She laughed. That laugh ruined me. “I'm Noor.” “Tessa.” She offered her hand. I took it. Then I forgot to let go. Apparently she did too. After the reading, I stayed to help rebuild the display. I could have finished in five minutes. We took twenty. Mostly because every time Noor reached for a book, I found some excuse to reach for the same one. Finally she caught me. “You've shelved that novel three times.” “I’m being thorough.” “You're terrible at lying.” I looked at her. “So are you.” Her smile disappeared into something softer. We were very close. “Should I stop pretending I'm helping?” I asked. “Yes.” I kissed her. Behind us somebody actually clapped. I laughed against Noor's mouth. Chapter 3 — Noor I saw the shelf start to go and thought, Please not tonight. Then I saw the woman underneath it. That changed things. She was crouched among my books with a horrified expression, light brown hair falling across her face, while half the audience laughed. I should have been annoyed. Instead I thought she was adorable. “Don't move.” She looked up at me. That was the moment. I remember thinking, very clearly: Oh. This is trouble. I caught the second stack and helped her stand. She told me she was a teacher. I told her my name. She held my hand too long. I was absurdly pleased about that. After the reading she offered to help clean up. I knew perfectly well I could do it myself. I said yes anyway. For twenty minutes we moved perhaps twelve books. She kept looking at me. I kept catching her. Eventually I said, “You've shelved that novel three times.” “I’m being thorough.” “You're terrible at lying.” “So are you.” That stopped me. Because she knew. And I knew. And apparently several customers knew too. “Should I stop pretending I'm helping?” she asked. “Yes.” She kissed me between two crooked stacks of books while half my remaining customers watched. Someone applauded. Tessa started laughing. I kissed her again. The display was still a disaster. I decided it could wait.