Chapter Text
“You could always go back to stripping,” exclaimed Caleb loudly as he shoveled down pie. There was a clatter of silverware and an older couple next to their table looked over at them scandalized. Ben snorted into his latte and Anna shot Caleb a withering look.
“Will you be serious? I’m in real trouble here. I need a job like yesterday.”
“Mr. DeJong fired you?” Ben said.
“Yeah, right after Selah fucking ran off to Canada and left me $30,000 in debt. I swear, I’m cursed,” said Anna morosely staring into her coffee.
“If I ever see Selah Strong again, I swear to God, I’ll spit in his face and then I’ll kick him in the dick. Never understood why you married the boring fuck.”
“Jesus, Caleb!” exclaimed Ben looking around the diner in embarrassment.
“What?” said Caleb through a large mouthful of pie.
---
“You could talk to Abe. I’m sure they’ve got some data entry you could do at Whitehall,” said Ben as they browsed the stands at the farmer’s market.
“I’d rather die in debtor’s prison, thank you very much,” replied Anna stiffly.
“You’re way way out of the loop, Benny Boy. Our Annie is not on speaking terms with dear old Woody,” said Caleb.
“Since when?” said Ben.
“Since he tried to stick his fucking tongue down her fucking throat at Thomas’s birthday party.”
“Alright, alright enough,” said Anna brushing past Caleb and going further into the stands.
“Was Mary there?” Ben said quietly.
“Saw the whole thing.”
---
“You could come back to New York with me,” said Ben later as they leisurely strolled down the darkening street.
“And leave this bastard to terrorize Setauket? I think not,” said Anna ruffling Caleb’s hair.
“No, please take her. I’m only her friend out of pity. I can’t fucking stand her.”
“Fuck off,” she said laughing.
“No, you’re right. I take you to New York, Caleb doesn’t have a single friend.”
“Think you’re funny do you?”
“Yes,” said Ben grinning.
With a shout Caleb ran and jumped on Ben’s back. Ben staggered briefly under the weight but adjusted quickly and continued walking down the street, as if giving a piggyback ride to a thirty-two year old man was natural.
Anna was bent double in laughter when Caleb signalled Ben to come to a stop and jumped down.
“Annie, Annie come here,” he said waving her over and pointing to a sign on a shop window.
“What, what?” she said struggling to get her giggles under control.
“Help Wanted!” said Caleb pointing to the sign with a grin.
“Pretty fortuitous if you ask me,” said Ben when she came to stand next to them.
“What even is this store?” said Anna looking up at the facade. It was a charming white brick building with a small sign hanging that read: Turn the Page. “It must be new.”
“Well, you can read, so clearly you’re qualified,” said Caleb ripping down the sign and tucking it under his arm as he opened the heavy oak door. “After you, madam,” he said with a flourish.
“What? No, come on.”
Ben grabbed her hand and dragged after him. “Your future awaits!” he said laughing.
She threw all of her weight backwards to escape Ben’s grip. With several good yanks he easily pulled her over the threshold. The bookshop was warm and inviting with several armchairs set up in front of a tantalizing fire and row upon row of what looked to be antique books.
Anna Strong noticed none of this as she was busy berating her oldest and dearest friends.
“Stop fucking around you guys!”
“HELLO!” called Caleb loudly while dinging a bell on the counter.
“Caleb stop. Come on this isn’t funny-- LET GO OF ME, BEN!” Breaking free she fell backwards landing with an oof on the wood floor and looking up into the startled face of a slight man with neatly combed brown hair and the widest mouth she had ever seen.
“Oh-- Oh, dear,” he said shifting the books he was carrying to one arm and reaching down with another to offer her a hand. She accepted it and let him pull her to her feet. His hand was large and warm and Anna was deeply surprised to notice that his skin was soft. Anna looked up from staring at his hand to find that he was staring at her.
He blinked quickly and released her hand.
“Are you quite, alright?” he said. He was British. And wearing a sweater vest.
“Hello, hello!” said Caleb running over with the sign. “I’m Caleb Brewster. This is Ben Tallmadge.”
“Hiya!” said Ben quickly joining them. “How goes it?”
“And this, is Anna Strong!” said Caleb with a flourish in her direction. Anna stood awkwardly as the man’s eyes flickered between the three of them before lingering on her. He looked extremely startled, which considering the circumstances was an appropriate reaction.
“Ah yes, well, my name is, uh, Edmund Hewlett,” he replied.
“Eddie, pleasure to meet you! Can I call you, Eddie?” said Caleb throwing an arm around his shoulders.
“No,” said Hewlett grimacing.
“The reason we’re here,” said Ben, “Is that we saw your sign outside and Anna wanted to come in and apply.”
The man’s eyes flickered to her again. They were a warm, dark brown, like rich chocolate.
“Oh,” said the man with surprise.
“She couldn’t contain her excitement and she practically bowled us over to see your establishment,” said Caleb.
Anna shot him a look of disbelief and then schooled her features into what approximated as a polite smile. The man continued to stare at her.
“Oh, well, have you a resume?” he said to her.
Anna opened her mouth to speak.
“No, I--”
“Don’t worry, Annie! I remembered to bring them,” said Caleb slinging his backpack off his shoulders and reaching into it to retrieve a folder. Anna stared open mouthed at him while he took a paper and handed it to Hewlett.
Hewlett pulled a pair of glasses off of his head and affixed them to his face.
“Graduated Summa Cum Laude from Yale?” he said with surprise.
Anna mouthed ‘I will murder you’ to Caleb. He grinned back innocently.
When she looked back at Hewlett he was looking at her, clearly waiting for a response.
“Yes! Good ole Yale. Go… Yale,” she said weakly.
“Anna’s being modest. During her tenure at Yale she served as a Junior Librarian,” said Ben proudly.
“Did I? I don’t recall,” said Anna through gritted teeth.
“That’s because she was studying so hard. That’s our Anna, too good for this world,” replied Caleb solemnly. He slung an arm around both Hewlett and Anna and drew them in tightly.
“So what do you say, Eddie?”
“Edmund--”
“You need help. Our genius little Annie needs a job. Perfect fit, eh?” said Caleb.
“Well… You do appear to be qualified,” said Hewlett haltingly.
“That she does, my good man!” said Ben stamping his foot in approval.
“I suppose... I could offer you the position. It pays very little at the moment, mind.”
Caleb thumped him on the back soundly, making Hewlett jump.
“Our Annie isn’t too proud to work hard. No pride at all in fact.”
“Yes, thank you, Caleb,” Anna bit out.
“Could you start, Monday?” said Hewlett turning to address her. He was closer to her than she anticipated and he seemed to notice it too for he took a small step back and nervously worked his jaw.
She opened her mouth to tell him, ‘No. I have no intention of working in your store. It was a foolish prank brought on by my foolish friends. Okay, bye.’
But then she looked at his sweater vest, his collared shirt buttoned to the top, his tightly pressed pants.
And then, she looked up into his earnest face, with it’s wide mouth, and it’s brown eyes behind horn-rimmed spectacles and the thought of disappointing him, even a little, anguished her.
“Yes, Monday is perfect.”
“Lovely,” he said with a tentative quirk of his lips.
“Ah, Eddie you’re a gem!” said Caleb rushing forward and pumping his hand up and down.
“Edmund,” said Hewlett quietly wincing in pain.
“Thank you! Thank you! We’ll get her back to you on Monday. Nine AM sharp. She’ll be sparkling!” said Ben.
“Yes, well,” said Hewlett clearing his throat with a little embarrassment.
“Good night, Eddie. Take care!” said Caleb gathering up his things and following Ben out the door of the shop.
“Well,” said Anna when she and Hewlett were left alone. He shuffled from foot to foot a little awkwardly.
“Well,” he replied.
“Goodnight,” she said and then turned to leave the shop.
“Yes, goodnight,” he called after her.
A moment later Anna peeked her head around the door of the shop.
“Er… I forgot to ask. What exactly is the position?”