Chapter 15
CHAPTER 15
LAUREL
W hile I had been sad to leave my mom, grandmother, and friends, I was also happy to be getting back into my routine in Tennessee. It had been an amazing break at home, but we were gearing up for Christmas at the bookstore and I also had a bunch of things to finalize before the end of the calendar year.
Going back to business as usual, I stopped by Fainting Goat on my way to the store and ordered my Salty Queen. That first sip was always a game changer, so I got one for Grace too. While I waited for the barista at the well-known coffee shop to finish our salted caramel lattes, I breathed in the scent of freshly ground coffee and baking pastries.
As I looked around the spot that provided my ultimate favorite treat—the Salty Queen —I wondered what Leif would think of it. I would love to bring him here while he was in town, but I didn’t know anything about the coffee scene in Denver.
I also didn’t even know how he took his coffee these days, which got me excited about seeing him all over again. While so many things about him were familiar to me, there was also so much left to discover. It was like I was having my cake and eating it too, already having the comfort of knowing someone really, really well combined with the thrill of a new relationship where the fun was in finding out everything there was to know about that person.
“Laurel!” the barista called my name.
I strode back to the counter to collect my order before I headed out to go to the bookstore. As I opened the door, I hugged my coat around me, clutching the warm drinks closer to my chest. In the few days I’d been gone, the temperature had definitely dropped by a good couple of degrees and the wind this morning had a touch of ice to it.
Thankfully, my store wasn’t far away, and every time I walked into it, I felt warm and fuzzy. It was the feeling only a good book could give you.
The sensation was even more intense this time since it had been almost a full week since I’d been here last. As the door shut behind me, I shivered from the cold outside. It melted away as soon as I spun to take in the interior of my beloved little shop.
Growing up, my mom had always been writing and telling stories. I absolutely loved the power of storytelling, which was why I’d included a special nook just for that in my children’s corner. At least once a week, we had story time there and either Grace or I would read to children who came from all over town.
Warmth both physical and emotional washed over me as I made my way farther into the shop. It wasn’t the largest of spaces, but it was a charming place that balanced the town’s history with southern hospitality.
Nestled in a historic building with brick walls and wooden beams in the ceiling, it was a cozy place with soft lighting and comfortable seating areas for young and old alike. I’d wanted to encourage people to linger, to take their time while they were browsing, which was also why I’d decided to make coffee available in-store.
In a world where people could get any book, from a brand-new bestseller to the classics, with a single tap of their finger on a screen, I’d wanted to create a space people wanted to come to for the experience. So far, it was working, but we hosted plenty of community events, signings, readings, and book clubs in order to ensure that it stayed that way.
For me personally, reading a book on any electronic device could never beat the feel of actual paper between my fingers, but even I owned a couple of those devices and I used them.
Regularly.
It was just so much easier when traveling, for example, to grab an e-reader than to carry a stack of books around.
It wasn’t lost on me that if even I felt that way, then most other bibliophiles probably did too. For that reason, I’d also tried to turn the store into a haven for casual shoppers rather than just the bookworms.
While most of my overflowing shelving units were filled with everything from the most popular books of the ages to the hidden gems, I also had some shelves that were dedicated to local souvenirs, trinkets, gifts, stationery, and more.
Honestly, I’d filled this store with all of my favorite things and I adored seeing it here, all in one place, as soon as I walked in every morning. As I passed the rows of shelving to the counter, I inhaled deeply, cherishing being back here where I was surrounded by the scent of ink and paper.
After unwrapping my scarf from around my neck and stowing it, my handbag, and coat in my little office behind the cash register, the door opened again and Grace walked in. She grinned when she saw me.
“Welcome home, boss. It’s good to have you back.”
“Thank you,” I said, pushing her Salty Queen across the counter toward her. “I got you a treat to say thanks for watching the shop.”
“You’re paying me for it.”
I laughed. “Sure, but I really do appreciate all the hard work you put in and I wanted you to know it. How did it go? Anything happen that you didn’t want to tell me about over the phone?”
“Oh, yeah. I mean, we had a huge party here every night. Trashed the place. Nearly burned it down. The cops came. It was a mess.”
I chuckled. “Okay, okay. There’s no need to be sassy about it. I was just checking.”
She slid out of her coat and hung it over the counter, making a grab for her latte before she hopped up on a stool and looked at me. “Everything was just fine here. I promise. It was a busy weekend, but a good one. We had plenty of feet coming through the store and plenty of purchases too, but also a few locals who were just seeking refuge from the cold.”
I smiled. “Well, that’s one of things we’re here for. It’s definitely getting chilly out there now. Speaking of which, did you place our order for more coffee? We were almost empty before the weekend, so I’m assuming we’re running on fumes now.”
“I placed the order, received it, and refilled the machines. We’re all good on that front, but I was wondering if perhaps we should clear some space for strollers? We had quite a traffic jam in here the other day.”
I groaned. “Crap. That was on my to-do list after last winter, but I never got around to it. It’s a good idea for when people don’t want to leave them outside anymore.”
I looked around the space inside the shop, but one of the reasons why I hadn’t done it yet was because I had no idea how to do it. “Let me see what I can figure out. Maybe we can speak to Mrs. Horowitz about that storage area between her store and ours.”
“That’s probably the best idea,” she mused as she twisted to have a look around too. “It’s pretty full in here.”
“Alright,” I said. “We’ll figure that out. What’s next on our agenda?”
“You and I have a few planning meetings for the special events we’ve got coming up over the festive period. Then you’re also scheduled to sit down with a new book club in town who wants to meet here, as well as another meeting with the local school board. They want us to sponsor their ‘Read for a Better Life’ program. It’s going to be a pretty hectic week.”
I swiped my tongue over my lips and took a big gulp of my Queen, but then I smiled. “Hectic weeks are the best ones.”
Especially because this week, in particular, would’ve seriously dragged if it had been a quiet one. Leif was due for his visit this weekend, and I already knew time would’ve felt like it was crawling if I wasn’t able to keep busy.
As I’d predicted, thanks to my jam-packed schedule at the shop and my deadlines for the new novel I was writing, the week flew by. Before I knew it, there were less than twenty-four hours left before Leif would be with me.
The night before he flew in, I had another Zoom session with Gemma and Mariam. Nervous anticipation formed a ball in my stomach as I waited for their faces to appear on my screen.
Tonight was the night I would be pulling out my list again to see what my second task would be, and while I was super excited for it, I couldn’t deny that I was also a little bit anxious. The list had been great for me so far, but I was bound to get a more difficult challenge at some point, and part of me was a little terrified about when and what it would be.
Gemma popped up first, grinning from ear to ear as she rubbed her palms together. “Alright, are you ready? Wait, where’s Mimi?”
“Not online yet,” I said. “Let’s hope she’s finally completing her first task. Speaking of which, how’s Noah?”
She let out a dreamy sigh. “He’s so good. I’m kinda starting to wish that he was based here in Austin, though.”
“Yeah, I know exactly what you mean.” Denver had never felt farther away. “We did tell Mariam we were meeting again tonight, right?”
“I’m here,” she suddenly announced. Her face was flushed and she was slightly out of breath. “I’m so sorry. I got caught up, but I’m here. Have you done it yet?”
“Nope. We were waiting for you. I actually follow the rules,” I teased. “That means I wouldn’t even peek at one task, let alone all of them, if we’d agreed to wait.”
“Hey, Gemma pulled the TP task without waiting too.”
Gemma sniffed. “Yeah, but that’s only because I was miles ahead of you guys. Okay, Laurel. Go for it. I have a freaking awful strategy meeting with a bridezilla waiting for me after this.”
I pulled my box from Bar Harbor closer and flipped open the lid. Pulling out the slip of paper, I turned it over in my hands, but I blanched when I saw what was up next for me.
“Crap. I have to steal something.”
Gemma burst out laughing while Mariam’s eyes widened and she leaned closer to the screen. “Remember, if you get arrested, call Gemma. She’ll bail you out.”
“No fair,” Gemma exclaimed. “I was almost arrested on my first task already and I managed to deal with it by myself.”
I sighed, but my heart was throwing itself against my chest walls and my ears were ringing a little bit. “Congratulations, you guys have just turned me into a criminal.”
Not a phrase I ever thought I’d say to my two best friends, but the Naughty List had just leveled up—and I honestly had no idea how I was supposed to reach the level it had upgraded to.