Chapter 19 Taylor
TAYLOR
The following evening, I’m closing up the bookshop after another busy day and wondering how everything went so wrong so fast.
Roan Connelly dumped me out of nowhere, before we ever went on a real date, and after pulling it together to wrap up the grand re-opening event last night I went upstairs and sobbed for hours.
Worse than the fact that he dashed my hopes so coldly is the fact that he thinks I would be bad for Meg.
I love Meg. I care about her. I spend time with her. I’ve even helped her make friends.
Maybe older friends, or friends with headphones and purple braids aren’t the kind of people Roan wants his daughter associating with.
But those two girls are lovely people, and I can’t think of anyone better to bring Meg out of her shell.
My heart melted today when they ran up to her to talk about Starhoof.
Starhoof…
Yesterday should have been the best day of my life.
The book I believed in exceeded everyone’s expectations and brought so much joy to so many people.
David conceded that I was right and said he shouldn’t have fired me.
And the bookshop had a banner day, with the kind of opening that tells me Angel Mountain is glad I’m here.
But somehow, grumpy Roan Connelly has managed to ruin everything.
I hate to say it, but maybe Mrs. Perkins was right about him after all.
But I’m proud of myself for picking myself up this morning, showering, and bringing my puffy-eyed self downstairs to open the shop. And while it wasn’t as wild as yesterday, I sold plenty of books and made some new contacts too.
I even tried putting in an order for more copies of Starhoof since I’m down to just a few.
But I guess the print run was too small, and they’ve already called for a reprint.
I’ll have to wait, but I’m excited for Angeline that her book is flying off shelves everywhere, not just in my tiny Angel Mountain shop.
My cell phone rings just as I’m turning the sign from Open to Closed. My first thought is Roan, calling to tell me that last night was just some kind of crazy dream. But it’s my grandmother.
“Hi, Grammy,” I say.
“Oh dear,” she replies. “What’s wrong?”
“You could tell something was wrong from Hi, Grammy?” I ask her, amazed.
“A grandmother always knows,” she says wisely. “Do you want to talk about it.”
I’m getting ready to say no when I hear myself start talking.
“Things are actually going really well,” I tell her. “The shop opening yesterday was amazing. So many people came in, and they actually bought books. Today was busy too.”
“That’s incredible,” Grammy says. “It’s not easy with a local bookstore these days. I know your aunt never really made much with the place.”
“That wasn’t her goal,” I say. “She just wanted a fun place to hang out, and it was great for that. My goal is different.”
“You know I saw something about that book of yours,” Grammy says. There’s a smile in her voice.
“How?” I ask her. “Where?”
“One of the ladies on my morning show was talking about it,” she says fondly. “Unicorns at a space cadet school. I mean, what other book could it be? Sounds like a lot of kids really love it.”
“David called me yesterday,” I tell her. “He says it’s outselling any of their previous books.”
“Just like you knew it would,” Grammy says, and I can hear the smug little smile in her voice.
“I thought it might,” I allow modestly, but I’m secretly glad she believes in me so much.
“But you’re still miserable,” she says kindly. “So I suppose the trouble is that young man, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” I sigh.
I could tell her it’s no big deal, or that we weren’t even really dating. But she knows me, and she knows when I’m heartbroken. I guess I didn’t need things to be official to get my heart smashed to bits.
“This should be one of the happiest days of your life,” she scolds, echoing the same thought that’s been bouncing around my head all day. “What’s the matter with him? Is he the type of man who can’t stand to see his partner succeed?”
“I don’t think so,” I say, surprised. I honestly hadn’t even thought about that. “He said it was because of Meg.”
“His daughter,” she says. “Well, I understand that it can be hard to date when you have children.”
“But that’s the worst part. I love Meg,” I admit. “And she hangs out here with me all the time, without her dad.”
“Maybe she likes you as a friend of her own,” Grammy suggested. “But she doesn’t want to share her dad with you, or you with her dad.”
“That could be right,” I say. Though a little voice in the back of my head says that Meg wanted there to be something between Roan and me.
“Is there any chance this means you can make it to Florida for Christmas?” Grammy asks. “Or are you thinking the shop will be busy right through Christmas Eve?”
I open my mouth to answer her, but right at that moment music starts playing outside, loud enough that I can hear it in the shop.
“What in the world?” I say, heading for the nearest window.
That window happens to look out on the tree lot, where Roan is hosting his Thank You Party tonight. I knew he was planning on giving out free hot apple cider, gingerbread cookies, and little mistletoe bouquets. But I don’t remember anything about music.
“Can I call you back, Grammy?” I ask.
“You sure can, sweetheart,” she tells me. “Anytime.”
I put the phone on one of the bookcases and when I get to the window I’m surprised to see Roan strumming his guitar and singing for all he’s worth.
There are a bunch of people there, holding paper cups of cider, eating cookies, and staring at Roan like this is high entertainment.
I’m close enough now to recognize the song is “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.”
He stops strumming and gestures for me to open the window.
Against my better judgment, I relent and open it, letting in a blast of cold air.
“I’m sorry, Taylor,” he calls to me loudly. “I’m an idiot.”
“Yes,” I say sweetly. “You are.”
I move to close the window again as the people below smile and murmur to each other.
“Wait,” he says quickly.
I pause, unsure why I’m doing anything he wants me to do. He wrecked me. He doesn’t get to make demands.
But he and Meg also made Angel Mountain feel like home.
That’s when I think to scan the crowd for Meg, and when I see her gazing up at me with sad, hopeful eyes, I know I have to let her dad speak his piece.
“You obviously do put my daughter first, Taylor,” he says, snapping my attention back to him. “You’ve made her life better. And mine too.”
I glance at Meg and she’s smiling and nodding at me.
“What I said to you was unforgivable, and I know I don’t deserve a second chance,” Roan continues. “I was scared, I’ll admit it. But I’m not afraid anymore. I’ll go back to the city with you. I will follow you anywhere in the world. I’ll follow you to the moon, if you want.”
He means it. There’s real love glowing in his magnetic blue eyes. But he’s losing me with the content of his big speech.
“Why would we go to the city?” I ask, completely confused.
“You’re leaving,” he says simply.
“I am?” I ask. Is he terminating my lease?
“I was restocking yesterday,” he says. “I heard your call. I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, but you were on speakerphone…”
So what if he heard me talking with David? That shouldn’t have changed his mind about me.
Unless…
“Did you stick around for the whole thing?” I ask him.
“I heard enough,” he says. “I heard him offer you your job back.”
“Did you hear me take it?” I ask.
“Not exactly,” he admits.
“Well, I told him I wouldn’t go back,” I say.
And I realize that it feels good to share this part with him. And with my new friends and neighbors in Angel Mountain. People are smiling and nodding as if they approve of my decision.
“You did?” he asks, looking completely shocked.
“I told him I’m happy here,” I say, nodding. “I told him this is my home now. Then he said he’d give me whatever I wanted, a raise, a percentage on Starhoof, a nice office.”
Everyone is really listening now, and little as I crave the spotlight, it’s sort of nice that even though I came here with my tail between my legs, everyone knows now that New York publishing wants me back.
And even though it’s still awful, at least now I have some kind of explanation for Roan’s bizarre actions last night.
“What did you say?” he asks.
“I told them I would only take my old position back if I could do it remotely from here,” I tell him. “And I said I have to be allowed to make my own hours and my only responsibility is to read as much of the slush pile as I want.”
“What’s a slush pile?” a man in a blue coat calls to me, like he’s not even ashamed to be part of the conversation. The older lady beside him nods her head up and down like she also wants to know.
“Uh, those are the manuscripts sent in by authors and agents who want their work published,” I call back to them.
The man nods like it makes sense to him. The lady gives a thumbs-up.
“What did he say?” Roan asks, looking like my answer is the most important thing in the world to him.
“He said yes,” I say with a smile.
“You’re really staying?” he asks.
“I’m really staying,” I say, nodding.
He smiles and the crowd outside applauds.
But I don’t return the smile. He hurt me yesterday, deeply. And I’m not so sure I want someone in my life who would dump me without a real conversation.
“Can I make this up to you?” he asks me softly.
“I’m not sure,” I tell him honestly.
“Can I try?” he asks. “How can I win back your friendship?”
“Very slowly,” I tell him.
“Can we start with a real date?” he asks me. “A nice one?”
Movement behind him catches my eye.
It’s Meg, she’s making little praying hands, and there’s the sweetest, most hopeful look on her face.
“One dinner,” I tell him. “And Meg is coming too.”
He frowns, but Meg grins and hops up and down, and I feel a smile spread across my face.
Roan Connelly is going to have to learn to give up his grumpy ways for good.
If he does, I think he might just make a really good boyfriend.