Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
Ella
“While everyone is focused on Spare, I’ll be reading Diana: Her True Story—In Her Own Words. If you have even half a heart, you will be absolutely gutted by this heartfelt biography. Rest in Peace, Diana. ?”
—Ren’s Staff Pick
I stomped down the stairs from Leo’s office, anger radiating off of me. None of this was fair. Leo dying unexpectedly, Henry inheriting the store and leaving me high and dry.
Someone who knew jack all about literature and bookstores was going to run New York’s best bookstore? Yeah, into the ground.
Back at the main floor, all the booksellers were gathered around the desk. Mabel and Noah were working main info and must’ve called the other booksellers to come from the other floors.
Frustrated, I glanced over at the registers only to find a line forming, with sweet Mina checking people out as quickly as she could. I took a centering breath, trying to calm myself, before making my way over to the booksellers.
They were kind of like babies. They looked to someone else to regulate their own emotions. If I went over there pissed off and panicked, nothing would get done for the rest of the day. Joey would probably burst into tears on the sales floor.
Noah was the first one to notice me walking over and quickly shushed everyone. They all straightened and turned to me with worried eyes as I approached the info desk.
“Hi,” I said, brightly, trying to mask the fact that my blood pressure was through the roof. “What’s going on?” I asked, innocently. “Is there another celebrity in the store?”
“We saw you bring that guy up to Leo’s office,” Joey said quickly. “He was wearing a suit.”
“Very observant,” I said, nodding.
“Everyone knows only bad men wear suits,” Joey cried.
“That’s not fair,” Ameerah said with a frown. “Maybe they just want to look nice.”
“To manipulate you,” Joey insisted. His eyes widened. “Ella, tell me you didn’t let him manipulate you.”
Everyone broke out into murmurs (Joey louder than them all), worry etched into their faces. I wished I could join them. God knows I wanted to freak out, too. Every single fear I had came true in one fell swoop and I felt … helpless.
I lifted my chin, trying to channel Leo.
He would handle this with grace. He wouldn’t falter under the pressure and succumb to the shit-talking I knew they were going to do after meeting Henry.
Sure, this wasn’t ideal, but life had so many unknown variables.
Leo used to say it was best to take each day with laughter and logic.
“Okay, enough,” I said loudly. “First off, you all should be on your respective floors working.”
“At a time like this?” Stewart asked. “We could lose our jobs!”
They began talking over each other again until I lifted my hand. “No one is losing their job.” I paused. “Except maybe Jack.”
“Hey!” he protested.
One by one, their gaze flew to the staircase, nudging each other. I turned around and there was Henry, regrettably handsome as ever, coming downstairs. His face reddened as he took in all the stares. We made awkward eye contact and my body acted before my mind could and I beckoned him over.
He hesitantly made his way to us. The booksellers watched quietly as he stood next to me, confusion plastered on his face.
“This is Henry,” I said. “He’s going to take over ownership of the store.”
Their jaws dropped. It was silent for a moment before they broke out in protests.
“But you’re supposed to,” Noah said.
“Can he be impeached?” Joey cried.
“He’s not the president,” Stewart snapped.
“Someone’s not getting off anymore,” Jack murmured.
“Why him?” Sarah asked.
“Yeah,” Mabel added. “It should be you. Not this rando.”
“Stop it,” I said, frowning. “He’s the new owner and we all just have to deal with it.” I tried to keep the venom out of my voice, but I was seething on the inside.
I knew this store like the back of my eyelids. I could find My Year of Rest and Relaxation without a second thought. But this asshole, who probably had never even read a scathing review by Andrea Long Chu, was suddenly in charge.
“What bookstore were you at before this?” Jack asked.
Henry cast me a sidelong glance. “Uh—”
“Were you even at a bookstore?” Noah pressed.
“Give him a chance to introduce himself,” Ameerah said. Everyone stared back at him expectantly, but all he did was raise a hand in a wave. Silence fell as we all waited for more, but Henry’s blush only deepened.
“Oh God, even worse, he’s a guy in a suit with no personality,” Stewart muttered.
“Can we do a recount?” Joey pondered.
“We could petition the lawyer,” Alice said brightly. “Everyone knows Leo wouldn’t want anyone else but Ella to take over.”
“We can do a petition online,” Joey added. “We’ll explain how you were basically Leo’s—”
“I’m his grandson,” Henry finally said, quieting everyone. He cleared his throat and continued, “I know this isn’t what you wanted, but this is what Leo wanted.”
I looked away so no one could see the sting. How could Leo have wanted this? Why would he tell me for the last couple of years that it was mine when it wasn’t?
Unfortunately, Henry was right. If this was Leo’s last wish, who were we to dispute it?
The booksellers’ faces were painted with concern. I cleared my throat and said, “Everyone can go back to work now. When there’s more information, Henry will share it. But until then, let’s all just carry on as usual.”
The booksellers nodded silently, shooting me sympathetic looks as they made their way back to whatever section they were scheduled in.
I glanced at Henry from the corner of my eye; he had grown a bit pale.
Mabel was working main info and I knew whatever I said to Henry would spread like wildfire in a minute.
“Let me show you the clearance carts.” I grabbed his elbow, maybe a little too aggressively, and towed him outside with me.
“Are you taking me outside like a dog?” he asked as we made our way to the front door.
“I can’t send you to the farm in the sky,” I replied over my shoulder. “You’ve got my store to run.”
Some of the used books we bought from customers were in too poor condition to sell in the store. Instead we sold them on our clearance carts. It was popular among the regulars who scavenged the carts for gold, hoping we’d accidentally price a nicer book for a buck.
Even though March had just begun, the New York winter didn’t relent. Henry and I were two of the few brave souls standing outside, bracing the bitter wind. I guided Henry to the cart farthest from the front door, both of us crossing our arms over our chests to bear the brunt of the frosty air.
Before I could even open my mouth, Henry said, “Take my jacket.”
“That’s okay, this won’t take long.”
“Your teeth are chattering more and more every second.” His brow was furrowed as he studied the way my body shivered in the cold. I wondered if it was some southern gentleman code that he had to offer.
I ignored him and barreled on. “You saw how the booksellers reacted to you being here. You don’t know what they’re like or what this store is like.
You’ve got no bookstore experience and I promise you without it, this store won’t be as easy to run as you think.
Even though you are, obviously, my new nemesis, I’m willing to put that aside and be a co-owner. ”
Immediately, he shook his head. “I know this isn’t what you wanted, but that’d only overcomplicate things.”
“I know exactly how to run this store and you don’t.”
“I worked here, you know.”
I scoffed. “Like a million years ago. I’ve spent the majority of my life speaking to Leo every single day. It’s bullshit that you’re taking over the store after not being around it at all.”
“I’ve been around the store,” he repeated, looking over at the building. I really wish I didn’t notice the way his dark lashes fanned against his cheek or the slight blush that appeared at the tip of his nose.
“I live and breathe this store. I got my first period in the basement. That’s more than you can say.”
“Do you think I’m happy about this?” he asked incredulously. “Do you think I want to move to this shitty city and take over a store from my dead grandfather who I didn’t get to speak to a month ago? I get it. You were here and I wasn’t. I’m not some monster with no feelings.”
“It’s not my fault you came here too late,” I snapped. “New York’s not shitty either. You should feel lucky to even visit here.”
“Oh yeah, I feel lucky when rats run over my feet when I’m trying to get on the subway and the smell of garbage wafts up to my window.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Look, we need to think about the good of the store—”
“That’s all I think about. I care much more about this store beyond owning it, but I don’t think someone who barely knows anything about bookstores, let alone indie ones, is capable of running The Last Page. Why can’t you just accept my help?”
He raked a hand through his hair, frustrated, “Because I don’t need it. Business is business. I don’t need to know what’s on the bestseller list to make sure the operations run smoothly.”
I jerked my head back, “Right, because since I’m just a bookseller, I don’t know anything about business? Screw you. We’re not Barnes & Noble, there’s more to this store than just profit and loss statements.”
“That’s not at all what I mean. I just want what’s best for the store, Ella.”
“And you think it’s you?”
“Leo did,” he said, and maybe he didn’t intend it as an insult, but it pierced me like a bullet.
Before I hurled an insult back, Leo’s voice echoed in my brain: Wherever you go, there you are.
It was his way of saying, “Find the good in your situation, no matter the situation.” This wouldn’t work if I was standoffish.
But I was struggling to see the good in any of this.
“Fine. Don’t accept my help. I’ll grab your email address from the lawyer’s email and I’ll send you some important details.”
With that, I hurried into the store, leaving Henry out in the cold. I didn’t know if I could act with grace in this situation. In a matter of a few months, my life had radically changed, and I hated that the rug had gotten swept out from under me again.
I’d just have to be ready to bite back.