Want to be your friend

I made my way to the back of the store, where it opened into a separate space for the used books. I stopped first at the small cart just inside the room, looking through the "new" items Ruby had brought in. I picked up a collection of essays by William Faulkner and went to a worn armchair in the corner.

I was so engrossed that I didn't know he was there until I felt someone beside me. I looked up to see Clayton Reed standing beside my chair, his arms loaded down with books. He turned up one side of his mouth in a half smile.

"Hey, Maggie," he said quietly, not looking away from me. I felt the insane urge to smooth my hair, but I resisted, not wanting to come across as a moron.

"Hey," I said back, closing the Faulkner book and getting up so I could return it to the stack.

"So, what are you doing here?" he asked, shifting the books in his arms. I looked around and lifted my hands.

"Oh, I don't know, baking a cake. Learning CPR. Take your pick," I re- marked sarcastically. Clay smiled, a