He opens his mouth to say something, but I walk away quickly.
I dart around the store. It’s quiet, which is nothing new. Eric finds something to distract himself, and I use the opportunity to walk to the back and call Ryan. I’m going to find out what’s going on. He never told me about a new owner.
I pull out my phone and dial, putting the phone to my ear when I hear it start to ring. “Ryan. It’s me, Elia,” I whisper as I continue to watch Eric like a hawk.
“Hi,” says Ryan, and he sounds flustered.
I decide to get to the point instead of beating around the bush.
“I just spoke to this...doctor named Eric, and he says that he’s buying the store.”
Ryan clears his throat. “That’s right. I’m not too sure about it, in all honesty, Elia. You know as well as I do that the store’s in trouble. Big trouble. Maybe if you spoke to him you could figure it all out. I just can’t work out what to do next.”
“What do you mean?” Ryan has leaned on me before, because I’m not always a super late loser who flirts with strange men, I swear! But Ryan’s nerves have me suspicious of this whole deal. More suspicious than I already was.
He laughs nervously. “There’s no hiding the fact that the store’s in trouble. I don’t know what to do with it. That’s why I always talk to you, Elia. I know you care. And this guy wants to buy the store, but not for what it’s worth.”
“Maybe he hasn’t seen the books,” I mumble, but I didn’t mean to say it out loud. It just came out that way. I can’t decide if I’ve just been super rude to the current owner and the new owner in one blow, or made a good point -- maybe both -- because I hear Ryan perk up.
“Exactly! And he doesn’t want to see them. He just wants to buy the place sight practically unseen, though obviously he came in today. There’s something not right, Elia, and let’s face it. The store’s in trouble. But I’m feeling a bit sentimental about it all. My parents owned this place and they passed it on to me. Even though selling probably makes sense, and it isn’t an unfair offer, I just don’t know if I can sell my parents’ dream.”
I know the full story about his parents’ dream for the place. They died before they could really do everything they wanted to with the store. The store was different back then. Back before there were Kindle devices and digital readers. That’s what Ryan claims is the reason for the store’s downfall: the rise of the Internet booksellers and digital reading.
There are other bookstores in the area that aren’t suffering the same way ours is. Okay, so not ours. I just work here. When I show up on time. Ryan is the current owner and every time I suggest something to him, he claims that it’s too much work.
The truth is that Ryan doesn’t know how to ru
n a business, but I have a feeling that a man like Eric does. That’s why he wants it so badly. He knows exactly what to do with it so that it makes him money, and I’m guessing it won’t involve keeping it a bookstore.
I know that I’m not an option here, but I wish my ideas for making the bookstore were acted on by Ryan, ever! I just want to save this place…and saving it from Eric if he’s planning to gut it doesn’t seem like it is going to make much of a difference compared to Ryan keeping the store and continually ignoring every idea that I’ve ever had to improve it.
“I’ve made a mess of it!” Ryan cries.
A wave of guilt washes over me. Ryan wants my help...but he doesn’t actually plan to improve the store. He’s a nice guy, but he wants to make excuses. Eric is not a nice guy and he wants to make money.
Guess that makes me the only person who wants to help the bookstore.
I figure my best chance is to help Ryan. Besides, he asked for my help anyway.
“Eric Vanderville wants to buy the store and the only thing that’s making me hold on to it is sentiments. I need to let go, but I would only sell if I know that he wants to keep it as a bookstore. Otherwise, I couldn’t live with myself. I’ve taken out a loan on my apartment but I’d rather be homeless than give it to him if he wants to do something else to it.”
Eric Vanderville. I’ve heard that full name before, but I don’t know where.
I inhale and press my lips together, trying to think of what to say, what to do. “Ryan, please stop worrying. Leave it with me. I’ll talk to him. Just don’t worry about it right now because neither of us knows anything concrete yet.” I chew my lip, hoping that will assuage Ryan’s concerns at least for now so that I can get to the bottom of this.
I hear Ryan swallow. “I shouldn’t put so much pressure on you.” He sounds worried, but this time that I might be brushing him off, or like he’s not sure that I should be doing this. Maybe Ryan remembers that he is the owner and I’m just an employee, but I have to make him remember how much I care about the future of the store.
“It’s fine, really!” I hope that I don’t sound off-puttingly eager. I feel so off balance today.
I rub my forehead and just then I catch a glimpse of Eric walking towards me.
Shoot! I need to get off the phone and fast. His eyes are focused on me and he has a book in his hand.
“Ryan, I need to go!” I feel bad for this, but I don’t wait for Ryan to reply and I hang up on him.
Eric stands in front of me. “Did you have a nice talk?” His eyes have a mischievous glint that my traitorous body responds to immediately.
I narrow my eyes at him, pushing down those thoughts and thinking again about where I’ve heard his name before. “Eric Vanderville,” I say aloud, trying to keep my voice even. I’m not getting frustrated with him. Not flirting. Just talking. I need to forget all the insta-lust and get on with my mission. But I open my mouth again and I can’t form any words.