"Xander, stop!" Jessi pushed at him to get to the phone. He wrapped his free arm around her, pulling her to his side and effectively pinning her there. She slumped against his strong frame, trapped.
"We're at a book signing. I'll text you the address." Pause. "Whenever. We'll be here all day." Pause. "Alright." He hung up and texted her quickly, typing with his thumb. "She'll be down later. Funny how you didn't tell them you worked for me, knowing they're fans."
She grabbed the phone and pulled away, furious at him.
"Xander, don't do that!" Jessi said. "My cousin is sensitive. Someone like you would destroy what little self-esteem she does have. You are the epitome of what she shouldn't be exposed to. Besides, I don't want you dragging her into this!"
"Into what?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
Too late, she realized what she said. Flustered, she didn't know how to respond.
He winked and returned to his counter. The woman who fainted had been moved out of the way.
Jessi texted Ashley not to come, suspecting it was too late. Every woman who ever saw Xander wanted him. An unstable teen girl? There was no way Ashley wasn't coming down here after school. Unless they were gone by then.
A look at the line made her think she was going to be there all night.
At least Jonny can't break my arm again. Frustrated, Jessi sat and stared into space, trying to come up with a plan.
When she ducked out for lunch at noon, the line showed no signs of decreasing in size. She ate a chicken salad in relative peace at the mall's food court. A text made her phone ding as she finished eating.
Large espresso. Black.
She tossed her salad and stood in line to get him his coffee then walked across the parking lot to the Barnes and Noble. The clerk guarding the entrance recognized her and let her in, earning her the resentful looks of quite a few women. Jessi retreated behind the counter, placed the coffee in front of him and sat behind him.
She found herself admiring his body and forced her attention on reading one of the books she'd picked up during a trip to stretch her legs earlier. She read until she started to doze. Her phone buzzed, and she glanced down.
They won't let me in, Ashley's text was accompanied by half a dozen frowny faces. Jessi roused herself and checked the time. It was almost five; they'd been at the store for seven hours!
She rose and saw there was no end to the line.