Chad wore his usual, well-ironed navy blue slacks and crisp white polo. His tan suede loafers free of any dirt. He knelt to wipe a book on the floor shelf.

“Excuse me, sir,” a youngish-looking lady nearly startled him. She wore a fitted black and white pinstriped pant suit with a black blouse. He stood quickly, adjusting his uniform nervously.

“Yes, ma’am, how can I help you?”

“I was just passing by and noticed your gorgeous bookstore.”

Chad knew how much time he spent polishing the counters, floors, and bookcases. He grinned. Earlier that day, he had just begun his monthly deep clean of the baseboards.

The woman continued, “I was wondering if you rent it out? Could you allow me to do a small photoshoot here?”

“Well, no… No one has ever inquired about such a thing as that. I’d be happy to let you take some pictures here.”

Chad straightened his posture as he said, “My family owns the establishment, I run it for them for a living.”

The woman’s face brightened with excitement. She was pretty in a plain Jane sort of way. Her eyes, small and round, sat under a lovely, neutral forehead. She wore light makeup with a line of nude gloss across her thin lips.

“Wow, really!? That would be amazing! Is now a good time? I can contact my team, and they’ll be here in a matter of moments.”

“Team? I believe you said small shoot, no?”

“Well, we’d need the make-up and hair stylist, a caterer, and my client’s assistant.”

“Who on Earth is your client? That's an awful lot of needs for something you say is small.”

Chad used his index and middle fingers on both hands as air quotes around the word "small."

“Mishay Mitchels”, the woman smirked.

“They’re on the way. Thank you so much for agreeing to do this, especially on such short notice.” The woman turned and walked away, speaking quickly into her phone.

Chad continued his previous task until it was complete. There was nothing he hated more than not finishing anything he started. He pushed a gold cart, half-filled with new editions, into the storage room. It was along the wall near the emergency exit at the back of the store. The store truly was a sight to see. Every countertop was a white and turquoise granite design. The floor was a beautiful gold-speckled pattern in marble covering. Several rows of rare, collectible hardback books gave the shop an unparalleled aesthetic. Six baby blue and navy blue plush armchairs sat beside a large saltwater fish tank.

Three well-dressed figures stepped into the shop. Chad wondered briefly whether he’d made the right decision by saying yes to the hasty shoot. Then he thought, “it would all be worth it to be near Mishay Mitchels”.