Help Yourself

Never in my life had I tasted a sandwich as magnificent as this one. The bookstore I was wandering through was  promoting a new restaurant across town, and I, the lucky 50th customer, received a free sandwich of my choice. 

As I was wandering the aisles, I found a book that caught my eye, Self Help for Those Who Can’t Help Themselves. Normally, I skipped over this section just because I didn’t think I needed help, but this one seemed to draw me to it. 

I reached out to pick it up and read the inside flap. So absorbed was I that I didn’t notice the sales clerk behind me, reading over my shoulder.

”Seems like an interesting read,”  I heard behind me.

I was sure I jumped like a wounded animal. The clerk rested his hand on my arm, as if to reassure me.

“Good lord, you  can’t just walk up behind people and scare them like that!” I half yelled.

“Sorry ma’am. Didn’t mean to startle you, but the store closes in ten minutes. Just thought you’d like to know,” he started walking away and I immediately felt guilty for yelling.

“Wait, please. I didn’t mean to snap. It’s been a long day.”

He turned back around, a small smile on his face, “I think  that long days are a universal phenomenon.”

Releasing a breath I didn’t know I was holding, I took a minute to actually look at the easy going guy.  He had light hair, almost a surfer blond, pretty blue eyes that you could spend days looking at. He seemed too pretty to be working in a local bookstore. 

I smiled at him, not really sure what to say, but he made up for my silence.

“So would you like to buy that book? Honestly, if you don’t, I will.”

“How about if I buy the book, read it, tell you if it’s any good, then I’ll let you borrow it? I mean if you want,” I realized that I’d just loaned a book to a virtual stranger.

As if he sensed my sudden discomfort, he asked, “How about I take you out for coffee before you loan me a book. See if I’m worthy of such an honor.”

“That sounds good to me. When do you get off?”

“Well, as I said before, the store closes in,” he looked down at his watch, “about five minutes. Can you wait that long?”

“Yeah, not a problem. I’m Eden, by the way, Eden Palmer.”

“I‘m Justin Wilde. A pleasure, Miss Palmer.”

We shook hands and I waited for him to close up, which took a lot less time than I anticipated. 

“Are you ready, Miss Palmer?” He asked as he grabbed his coat off of a rack and opened the door.

“Eden, please, and yes I believe I am ready, but the real question is, are you?”

He laughed as  we walked out onto the sidewalk and into the next chapter of our lives.

**********************************************

As soon as I saw her order a sandwich, a BLT with all the stuff, I knew I wanted to meet her. The only problem was, I was working. In the back. I watched her wandering through the aisles for a while before she stopped and looked down at a book on self help. 

Smart girl. Didn’t even hesitate to pick it up and read it. I’d read it a few times, and it was decent, but the next one over was better. She stood there for the next thirty minutes skimming the book, so I decided to step up and go talk to her. 

I walked up behind her and looked over her shoulder, reading what she was reading. I started to say something when she turned around and jumped. She said something but I was too caught up in her eyes, a dark forest green that reminded me of home. They complemented her auburn hair perfectly.

“Sorry ma’am. Didn’t mean to startle you, but the store closes in ten minutes. Just thought you’d like to know,” I turned away, cursing myself for peering over her shoulder like a creep. I’d just blown it with the only girl that had interested me in a good long while.

“Wait, please. I didn’t mean to snap. It’s been a long day,” I heard her call.

I turned back around and I saw the regret on her face. She thought she was being rude, I realized.

“I think that long days are a universal phenomenon,” I smiled.

She studied me for awhile and she had a plastered smile. She must work in public relations to have a practiced smile as good as that.

“So would you like to buy that book? Honestly, if you don’t then I will,” I said, trying to break the silence.

“How about if I buy the book, read it, tell you if it’s any good, then I’ll let you borrow it? I mean if you want.” 

She seemed to doubt her decision for a second, so to ease her mind I asked, “How about I take you out for coffee before you loan me a book. See if I’m worthy of such an honor.”

“That sounds good to me. When do you get off?” This time I was rewarded with a real smile.

“Well, as I said before, the store closes in,” I looked at my watch, “about five minutes. Can you wait that long?”

“Yeah, not a problem. I’m Eden, by the way, Eden Palmer.”

Crap. I’d totally forgot to introduce myself. How stupid could I be?

“I’m Justin Wilde. A pleasure, Miss Palmer,” I shook her hand.

I ran into the back, asked my coworker Ryan to close up, and I swiped a cloth over the counter to make it look like I was cleaning up. 

After ringing up her book, I grabbed my coat off the coat rack, and opened the door for her.

“Are you ready, Miss Palmer?” 

“Eden, please, and yes I believe I am ready, but the real question is, are you?”

I laughed as we both walked out onto the sidewalk, to a little coffee place a few doors down. I knew right then that this lovely lady beside me would change my life. For better or worse.