Chapter 7 Nora #2
“Are you visiting friends or family?” Sarah asked.
Nora frowned, uncertain how to classify River.
“Oh, gosh, I didn’t mean to pry,” Sarah said, a furrow in her forehead. “I’ll just let you browse.”
“You’re not prying at all,” Nora told her right away. “It’s just… complicated. We’re here to visit with River Young. He’s my ex-husband’s brother.”
“River Young?” Sarah asked, her eyes widening. “I know who that is. He just came home from the Army, didn’t he?”
“Sure did,” Nora said.
“My husband was up volunteering at the farmer’s market, and they bumped into each other,” Sarah said. “He’s a farmer too.”
“Oh, what kind of farm?” Nora asked.
“He’s a Webb,” Sarah said with a smile. “So grains, mostly.”
“The Webbs are grain farmers?” Nora asked, trying to keep up.
“Yes,” Sarah said. “He works the family farm. It keeps all of us close, which is nice.”
“River is the first in his family to own a farm,” Nora confided. “He mentioned to me that he hoped the guys in town would give him some advice, but he doesn’t want to take advantage.”
“Are you kidding me?” Sarah chuckled. “My Brody would bend his ear all night if he had the chance. All the farmers around here love to talk shop.”
“That’s great to know,” Nora said. “I’ll make sure to mention it to him.”
“I’ll tell you what,” Sarah said. “I’ll put a bug in Brody’s ear about it, so if they wind up volunteering together again, he’ll know what to talk about.”
“You’re a lifesaver,” Nora told her.
“Oh, this kind of thing is what the community’s all about,” Sarah said with a smile. “It’s why I wanted to come back here so much.”
“You haven’t always lived here?” Nora asked.
“Nope,” Sarah said. “My family was here for a short time when I was a kid, but I always knew I wanted to come back. So I moved here two years ago to buy the old bookshop, and the rest is history.”
“Aunt Nora, Aunt Nora,” John-John squeaked excitedly as he scampered over to her with a familiar-looking book. “Look.”
Unsurprisingly, it was a copy of Farmer Bear’s Christmas. She said a silent prayer of thanksgiving that he was so happy to see a book they already had.
“Look at that,” Nora said with a smile.
“I already have this one,” John-John told Sarah importantly.
“That book has some of the nicest illustrations I’ve ever seen,” Sarah told him. “You made a good choice when you picked it out.”
“My mama picked it out,” John-John told her. “She died.”
Nora glanced up at Sarah to gauge her reaction. The kids didn’t talk about their mother dying much. It seemed so sudden now, though of course she was sure Alma was always on their minds.
“I’m so sorry to hear that,” Sarah told him, her eyes serious. “Do you think of her when you read your special book?”
“Yes,” John-John said solemnly. “Do you want to read this book with me?”
“I would love to,” Sarah told him. “If you have time?”
“Definitely,” Nora told her. “River went to the hardware store, so he’ll be a few minutes.”
“Well, browse around a bit,” Sarah told her. “Enjoy yourself.”
“Thank you,” Nora told her. “I think I will.”
For the second time in a day, Nora found herself with a quiet moment where she was right here with the kids, but could relax a bit.
She looked around the children’s section and made a mental note about a few titles she thought the kids might like for Christmas.
Then she found herself drawn to the romance section. The shelves had Christmas cards displayed beneath some of the titles.
Curious, Nora opened one.
I loved reading about Heather and Warren and the obstacles they overcame to finally be together. And there’s a wonderful little mystery in the story with an ending that surprised me. I think you’ll love it too!
—Alice Cassidy
She opened another and found another recommendation for the book above. Nora got so interested in checking out the recommended books that she didn’t notice when Sarah finished up reading the story to the kids.
“I see you found our local recommendations,” Sarah said as she approached.
“These are so cool,” Nora said. “What a great idea.”
“We have a lot of fun with them,” Sarah said. “I have a few book groups that like to meet here, and their members have been amazing about making recommendations.”
“That sounds like fun,” Nora said.
“Oh, it is,” Sarah told her. “And our local customers tell me they sometimes even base their decision on who recommended the book. Since everyone knows everyone around here, they have a pretty good idea about whose taste they might share.”
“You’ve really turned this place around,” Nora said.
“I loved it just the way it was when I was a kid,” Sarah confided with a fond smile. “But I definitely needed it to turn a profit, or I wouldn’t be able to hang onto it. There was a serious learning curve that first season, but I think it’s turning out to be a good fit for the community.”
“Cats,” Pixie cried out rapturously.
Nora turned to see two cats curled up around each other in a ray of sunshine in the bookshop display window.
“That’s Romeo and Juliet,” Sarah told Pixie. “They sort of work here.”
“They work here?” Pixie echoed.
“Well, they’re supposed to keep mice away,” Sarah said. “And Juliet does a good job of that. But mostly they just hang out and attract customers.”
As if on cue, someone stopped outside to speak with the cats through the glass. A moment later, they came inside and Sarah dashed off to help them.
“Want to see some of the books I found while you were reading with Sarah?” Nora asked.
But Pixie and John-John were already moving toward the front of the store to see the cats. Nora could only smile at their sweetness as they watched the snuggly kitties without trying to touch them.
Outside the window, she could see shoppers walking by. Three women about her age passed carrying paper coffee cups and laughing, and she felt a little pang of loneliness.
Her own gang of friends in the city all stayed so busy with work. She’d had a few visits from them, but for the most part they seemed to carry on their lives without her.
Not forever, she reminded herself. Just until I feel okay about leaving the kids with a sitter for a few hours so I can go for brunch with the girls.
But for some reason, that idea wasn’t as appealing as she expected it to be. She thought again about sipping coffee at the table this morning.
“Can we look at more books?” John-John asked.
“Of course,” Nora told him, smiling when he wrapped his little hand around hers.
Pixie came along and they browsed the beautiful books while Sarah finished up with her customer. A few minutes later, the front door opened, and Nora looked up to see River stepping in.
“River,” Pixie cried out, running for him.
Then John-John was running too, and Nora watched with pleasure as the big man greeted the kids, seeming surprised but delighted to receive their hugs.
He bent to hug them back, and when he straightened up, he immediately looked to Nora again with that expression she couldn’t identify, but that made her stomach feel a little funny.
What’s wrong with me? I have enough going on in my life. Why am I turning into mush over River Young?
River cleared his throat and looked away from her to greet Sarah.
“Hey, Sarah,” he said. “How are Brody and the kids?”
“Everyone’s doing great,” she told him with a big smile. “It’s good to see you.”
“Did you get what you needed?” River asked Nora, this time without making eye contact.
“Yes,” she told him. “We’re all set. Sarah, thank you for everything.”
“My pleasure,” Sarah said. “Bye, kids. Nice meeting you.”
“Goodbye,” Pixie said. “Thank you for reading to us.”
“Thank you,” John-John echoed.
“Anytime,” Sarah returned.
Nora felt proud of them. Hopefully, she could find a way to sneak back here at some point to pick up a book for each child for Christmas.
They all filed out with River leading the way and the kids right at his heels. And Sarah gave Nora a funny little smile as she waved goodbye, like they shared a secret.
Could it be the way he was looking at me before?
But that was silly, wasn’t it? He had probably just been lost in his own world. That look had nothing to do with her.
And even if it did, wasn’t it a little scandalous to encourage someone to fall for their ex-brother-in-law?
She hurried after the others, glad that River hadn’t seen the look from Sarah, and determined not to think about it anymore. As she pushed the thoughts aside, the quote from her calendar popped back into her head.
It’s never too late to be what you might have been.