Boonsboro meeting

As a present for my 36th birthday, I decided to meet my favorite author: Nora Roberts. I went online and searched for her upcoming book signing dates. The next one was scheduled for April 27th , from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the “Turn the page“ bookstore in Boonsboro, MD, owned by Nora’s husband; it also happens to be right in front of a Bed and Breakfast Inn, owned by her. Back then, I was reading the first of her books from the Inns BoonsBoro trilogy; it was exciting to know that the place actually existed! What’s interesting about the place is that the rooms have names of well-known couples in literature such as Elizabeth and Darcy, from Pride and Prejudice, and the decoration is set according to the historical period.

The next step was to plan the trip. At the time, I was in a relationship with a man who I had only met once, but we kept in touch online. He lived in the US, and I, in Mexico. I told him about my trip and invited him to come along. He accepted and offered to drive me to Boonsboro.

We met up in Washington D.C. A couple of days later, he rented a car and we set out on the open road. It was a sunny day. The green slopes, pine trees, grazing cows, and the red, gray and white houses seemed to be our witnesses.

It was an hour and a half long trip. We arrived at ten in the morning. The highway road became Boonsboro Main Street. It was a small, quaint, old town. A mix of commercial and historic buildings flanked the street: a beauty salon, a wellness center with a clock over the rooftop, like in the olden days; a church, a pizza restaurant, a grocery shop and a liquor store. The sort of places you want to enter even if you don’t practice a certain religion or need a haircut.

My road trip partner decided to work while he waited for me. Fortunately, there’s a coffee shop in front of the bookstore. The name of the place and the charming blue and pink entrance were inviting enough. On the counter, an assortment of sinful treats where waiting for us to indulge. We picked muffins, and sat and waited at one of the tables in the bakery.

At eleven o’ clock, the bookstore finally opened. It was a tiny space, neat, with pastel colored walls. It had small bookshelves packed with NR and other female author titles. I picked out two books and returned to the line. Minutes later, she was signing my books and taking a picture with me.

After the trip, the relationship was lost. Next time, I’ll drive up myself, stay at the Inn and visit all the buildings.