This time I wonder what it feels like

To find the one in this life, the one we all dream of

But dreams just aren't enough

So I'll be waiting for the real thing

I'll know it by the feeling

The moment when we're meeting will play out like a scene

Straight off the silver screen

So I'll be holding my own breath right up 'til the end

Until that moment when I find the one that I'll spend forever with

-Nickelback, Gotta Be Somebody

Day four: a Yale sweatshirt and a chipped tooth.

I wasn't completely sure she would show up. I busied myself around the store, going over our newest manuscript. It was a tragic love story written by a slightly insane woman in her forties. She had come into the office with her cat in her purse and when Chris kindly asked her to take it outside she let loose a string of curses that left even me speechless. Her writing was decent though.

"Jess Mariano." I looked up from my place sitting on the checkout counter. It was her.

"How do you know my name?"

"I looked the place up, you said you were the co-owner, there's a picture of the owners right on the main page, name and all. And you just confirmed it." She approached me slowly. I took in her appearance. She wore gray skinny jeans and a dark blue Yale sweat shirt.

"Smart."

"Yep." She stopped a few feet in front of me.

"Well this is Truncheon." I gestured around me. "Want a tour?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, this front room is the store with the lounge area over there." I pointed to the big brown couch in the corner next to the table with a coffee maker. I stepped behind the counter. "Back here is the office space. Chris and Matt's desks and my office."

"Why do you get your own office?"

"I didn't at first, but they decided I was scaring away potential authors and artists so they put me in there."

"And what exactly is it that you do?"

"I edit most of our manuscripts. I'm better with the whole grammar thing. We all read over potential manuscripts, Matt handles all the poets and Chris does all the artists. We split all the bookstore stuff evenly." I explained.

"Cool. I like it here." She smiled at me and stepped back out into the store.

"We're considering expanding, moving the office upstairs and opening up the back to use as part of the store."

"What's upstairs now?"

"Matt and Chris live up there."

"Can I have some coffee?"

"Of course. I'll make it."

"I'm gonna look around some."

"Go ahead." I turned around to make the coffee. So far so good. I hadn't scared her away yet, which is always a plus. Once the coffee was done I poured two cups and went to find her. We sat on the couch in the lounge.

"So, have I convinced you I'm not a psycho killer?"

"I think so."

"Does that mean you'll tell me your name now?"

She bit her lip and stuck out her hand, "Rory Gilmore."

"Nice to meet you Rory." I wrapped my hand around hers and squeezed lightly.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Yes."

"What made you notice me?"

"Honestly? The red Chucks you were wearing."

"Really?"

"Yeah, and then your hair, the book in your hand, your eyes."

She blushed, staring at her hands. "I'm glad you noticed me and came up to me yesterday. I want to get to know you too."

"Do you think we could have dinner tomorrow?"

"I can't do dinner, I'm leaving to head home for a few days, but lunch is possible."

"Lunch then, want to meet here at eleven?"

"That's good for me."

"Good." I leaned back into the couch, smiling at her. She grinned back. "I want to give you something." I told her standing up and heading towards the bookshelves. I scanned the top shelf, pulling out a thin black volume. I retook my seat on the couch, a little bit closer to her this time and handed it to her.

"The Subsect…by Jess Mariano." She looked up. "You're a writer?"

"I guess. That's how I got hooked up with Matt and Chris, they owned a small press and agreed to publish it. We turned that small press into this." I gestured to the room around me. "And they became my best friends."

"Wow."

"But that's enough about me, I want to know about you. I assume you went to Yale?"

"You assume correctly."

"What do you do?"

"I'm a journalist, I work for the New York Times."

"Impressive." I leaned closer to her. She smiled at me again, I noticed her front tooth was chipped. Just barely, but it was noticeable. Her phone went off in her bag. She pulled it out, frowning.

"I'm so sorry, but I have to go. There's a problem at work."

"It's alright. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah. Eleven." She stood up. "I had a good time today, I'll definitely have to come back and go through all the books though."

I laughed, "Anytime."

"Bye Jess."

"Goodbye Rory."

I watched her walk out the door. There was something different about her. Something I felt myself getting addicted to already.