Haunting-Adeline

The only lingering scent filling the air is one you a ain from used books
—though convoluted from the large group of people conges ng the area.
This small structure wasn’t built to house more than the ten large
bookshelves lining the le side of the room, the small checkout desk on
the right side, and maybe thirty people. Now, there’s a large table in the
middle of the room where the author sits, and at least double the
occupancy limit packed in the stuffy store.
It’s too hot in here. Too crowded.
And one asshole beside me keeps picking his nose, his dirty hand
touching all over the book he’s holding. I glimpse Reilly on the cover.
Poor girl. Forced to sign a book that probably has boogers all over it.
I open my mouth, ready to tell the fucker to stop looking for treasure in
his nostrils when it feels like heaven’s gates open up.
In that second, the people in front of us seem to part at the perfect
angle, providing me with a clear view. I only see her from the corner of my
eye at first, but the small glimpse is enough to send my heart into a
tailspin.
My head turns like one of those creepy bitches in an exorcist movie—
slow, but instead of an evil smile, I’m sure I look like I just found out that
there’s evidence the earth is actually flat or some shit.
Because that’s also fucking laughable.
Oxygen, words, coherent thoughts—all that shit escapes me when I get
my first look at Adeline Reilly in the flesh.
Shit.
She’s even more exquisite in person. The sight of her has my knees
weakening and my pulse racing.
I don’t know if God really exists. I don’t know if mankind has ever walked
on the moon. Nor do I know if parallel universes exist. But what I do know
is that I just found the meaning of life si ng behind a table with an
awkward smile on her face.
Taking a deep breath, I find a spot against the wall in the back. I don’t
want to get too close yet.
No.
I want to watch her for a while.
So I stay in the back, peeking through dozens of heads to get a good look
at her. Thank god for my height because I’d probably barrel through