Hey readers! I found another list of prompts I liked on Tumblr but these are all bookstore themed. How could I pass those up? I always pictured Finn working in a bookstore for some reason…There are nine ideas, but I'm just going to throw some of them into a one-shot. Hope you guys like it(:
All I need is a cook book. It's my first week alone in New York and it turns out that vegan cooking is a whole lot different than vegan baking, so I have no idea what I'm doing. I step through the heavy wooden double doors of the giant bookstore on a mission. I storm up to the counter hoping that asking would be a much quicker way to get what I need since its lunch time and I'm starving. But the second I reach the counter my entire train of thought is gone after just one look into some gorgeous amber eyes.
"Can I help you?" His words half-way snap me back to reality, to a point that I can tear my eyes away from his and to the rest of him. He's freakishly tall, like at least 6'5 and his dark brown hair is artfully messy. I have a strange urge to run my fingers through it. Even with the height, something about him looks younger, like a college student. "You looked like you were booking it when you came in." He sends me a cheesy grin to go with his cheesy pun, and I hope I keep doing whatever I did to earn the smile. I laugh and when he joins in I swear it's the most beautiful sound I have ever heard. It does snap me back to reality.
"Yeah, I need a cookbook..." He hops over the counter, fake worry all over his face.
"A food emergency?! I know the feeling. Come on." He heads toward the seemingly endless rows of wooden shelves and I follow. He enters an aisle and turns to rows of colorful spines "Any specific type?"
"Anything vegan"
"Hmmm" he scans the rows "Too bad, I was going to suggest this one." He pulls a title off the shelf and holds it like one of those pretty girls showing off a prize in a game show. The book is simply titled "Meat" and has a giant T-bone on the cover. We both laugh as he attempts to put it back but it falls right off the shelf.
"I think that one is 'off the table'" He laughs at my terrible pun a lot harder than it deserves while on the floor picking the book back up.
"I love puns." He mumbles as he rises and then points off to the right his other hand rubbing the back of his neck like he's embarrassed. "The vegetarian cookbooks are over there, I would assume vegan is too."
"Ok" I notice that we're close enough I could reach up and kiss him…if I wanted to.
"Sorry, I know nothing about cooking. Usually I would pass you off to a different employee but..."
"But you didn't?"
"Yeah," He's rubbing the back of his neck again, talking to the floor. "You're cuter than the normal cookbook shopper." And with that he turns and he's gone. I didn't even get his name.
I enter those wooden doors again once again with a goal in mind. My copy of A Midsummer Night's Dream is completely destroyed from reading it just about every week, so I really need a new one. I decide I'm not going to look for the nameless cute guy; I'm not going to embarrass myself with stupid puns again. I can quickly find the classical section and my book. I head toward the registers to see that there is only one person working them, amber-eyes. So I take a deep breath, ready for those butterflies that are bound to appear in my stomach.
"Hey!" He exclaims "Its T-bone girl!"
"Yeah" I smile at him.
"Did you find everything ok?" He asks as he scans my book. I nod. "Without me?" he puts on a sad face. I shrug, good idea Rachel, just don't say anything, and then you can't embarrass yourself. He laughs that gorgeous laugh, then pauses. "Shakespeare, hum?" Great, now I have to say something.
"Yeah, it's my favorite one. In fact, I completely wore out my copy."
"It's $9.35. Why's that?" I hand him a ten and contemplate his question for a moment.
"I guess I like the idea that no matter how screwed up things get, everyone gets their happy ending, love triumphs." He smiles as he hands me my change.
"Yeah, that sounds great. I wish it worked out like that."
"Maybe it does." We lock eyes
"Maybe..." He hands me my bag. "Have a nice night."
"You too." I say as I head to the door. Way to totally creep him out Rachel. At least you got a peek at his name tag. Finn, cute name for a cute boy.
"Why did we have to take the subway to this book store when we have a library on campus?" My roommate Santana asks as we approach the same heavy, wooden double doors that I found the cute bookstore employee behind.
"Because this one has a better selection." I quickly lie.
"No, it doesn't. Why are we really here Rach-" She spots the messy haired guy unloading a box of books in the front of the store. "Oh? I see now." She smiles at me and I snap her shoulder. "What? I'm right."
"Yeah, so…"
"So! Go ask him for help." She pushes me toward the giant of a guy.
"Ok, ok." I answer her but he looks up at me and smiles.
"Hey! T-bone! What's up?" He smiles that super cute smile.
"Well, my roommate," I point at Santana behind me. "And I ended up in this American History class, you know, freshman requirements and all, but we need some project research help on the Civil war-"
"Yes!" He exclaims and I step back in surprise.
"Yes?"
"Yeah, I love history! It's the best," He starts as he walks to some shelves, me right beside him and Santana following as he continues. "For starters, it's a constant, nobody can change it. Then it's fun because it's like a movie, epic battles, crazy characters, and huge plot twists. Plus there are like steps to everything. Wars don't just start; there are a series of events that led up to it. I guess I like the idea of easy steps." He rubs the back of his neck. "Sorry, I'm rambling."
"No, it's kinda endearing." I feel heat rush to my face and avoid his eyes. "You are obviously really passionate about it. Keep going." I see his grin out of the corner of my eye.
"Well, there are also all those super cool people." He pulls out a book from the shelf. I'm not sure it Santana is even with us now, and I don't really care. "Like Kennedy," He turns the book to show me and my mouth drops slightly. We both stare at the cover "He inspirited a whole generation of people when he won the election. He was super young for a president and he made all the young people think that they can make a difference too."
"Yeah, I know." He turns to look at me. Questions in his eyes. "He's my favorite president." He smiles
"Mine too" We stand there smiling at each other like love-struck fools for a moment.
"But," He breaks our look. "You need the civil war, so…" He points at a shelf and pulls out a couple books. "I suggest these three. They're three of my favorites." He pulls them off the self and puts them into my arms.
"Thanks"
"Yeah, and don't worry about those required classes, they'll be over before you know it." I turn my head to the side in question.
"How old are you?" He laughs.
"Sophomore at Manhattan College, I'm practically an old man compared to you, freshman." I laugh. He's defiantly not an old man; he's young, sweet, and cute. A lethal combination.
"You know T-bone, I haven't caught you're name yet."
"Rachel"
"Rachel" It sounds like the name of an angle when it comes from his lips. He smiles and shakes my hand.
"I'm Finn"
"I know, you have a nametag" He laughs.
"Right" He looks down at his tag and rubs the back of his neck. He's super cute when he's embarrassed. And if he's embarrassed maybe he's into me too. The thought makes me smile at him.
I seriously need coffee. NYC's musical production practice of The Addams Family ran past midnight and I had an early class, and I'm on this side of town so I might as well stop at the bookstore to get some, right? I mean Finn could be working and it would be nice to stop and say hi. Before I can even think of the cons, I pull open those now familiar double doors and head toward the coffee shop on the right side of the store. After I get my drink I turn to find a seat and hear my name.
"Rachel! Over here." I see Finn at a table by himself. I feel my smile grow subconsciously as I head toward him.
"Hey! You spend all your time here?" I pick on him as I sit.
"Ha-ha, no, I'm on break. What are you doing here?"
"Just needed coffee and I was on this side of town."
"Oh, lucky for you, you have stumbled into the best coffee shop in town." He says in a terrible fake French accent. I laugh, he's so funny. How is he single? Wait, I don't know that he is…
"I read your book."
"What? My book?"
"Yeah, A Midsummer Night's Dream"
"Oh" I'm really shocked. A boy read a book because I said it was my favorite. That could be the sweetest thing a guy has ever done for me. He's totally flirting, he has to be single. "How was it?"
"I agree with you on the happy ending bit, but being honest, I can't believe you read that stuff for fun. I mean it's not the easiest read." I laugh. "But after shmooping it," I laugh harder. "It was pretty good."
"Thanks, I like to think that I have pretty good taste." Especially in boys, I mean look how cute you are.
"You do, and now you get to see how good my taste is." He stands.
"What?"
"Come with me." He takes my hand and leads me to the counter. He's holding my hand. Oh goodness. Please God, don't let it sweaty. When we reach the registers he squeezes my hand before dropping it, and reaches behind the counter to grab a book. It's the Kennedy one he showed me a couple weeks ago.
"It's my copy," He hands it to me. "But you can borrow it. It's my favorite Kennedy book. Let me know how you feel about my taste." He winks and I smile down at the book in my hands. He totally likes me, this is it, ask him out Rachel. You can do it.
"Thanks. So…" I begin nervously "Since you're such a history buff, I'm sure you know that new movie about Lincoln that just came out?"
"Yeah" He smiles at me, I hope that smile means that he knows where this is going and he's on board.
"Wanna go…see it…with me?" I stutter and his smile grows.
"Believe it or not, I was about to ask you the same thing." Now I'm the one with the beaming smile.
Several years later
"Finn?!" I whisper yell thought the bookstore, the same one he worked at in college. We love coming here; it just holds so many great memories. When he doesn't answer my call I head upstairs thinking he might be in the movie section, but when I step off the escalator, I learn that's not true. I see his tall head peeking over the short shelves in the kid's section. I enter the row he's in.
"Finn?" He jumps when I catch him and slams the small book in his hands shut. I laugh, and he smiles.
"You caught me."
"You're adorable." I step closer to him and he wraps his right arm around me still holding the book, his left resting on my every-growing tummy. I rest my hand over his left one, spinning the ring on his finger. He leans his forehead against mine.
"I just can't help it, kid's books have always been my favorite and I'm just so excited." I swear my heart grows.
"I know. What'd you find?" He shows me the book in his hand. It's Goodnight Moon
"We have to, it's a classic." I laugh and add it to the stack of more informative baby books in my arms. He pulls me back into his arms.
"You know, I'm so glad you didn't know how to cook in college." He smiles, and I laugh.
"I love you too, you goofball." He plants a short sweet kiss on my lips, and then lets me go. He continues down the row pull more 'classic' books we have to have. We could be here a while, but I wouldn't have him any other way.