Chapter Six #2
Paige taps Thorne’s card on the table. “You should do it.”
I frown. “Do what?”
“Accept Thorne’s deal to keep leasing this place.”
My mouth falls open. “Huh?”
The bell on the door rings, drawing my attention from our conversation. A woman in her early forties approaches, her gaze bouncing from me to Paige. “Hi, um, are you the owner of this place? Ms. Manchester?”
“I am. Please, call me Rosalia.”
The woman nods. Her gaze skitters to Paige, then to her feet. “I’ll just…” Paige gestures toward the shelves and drifts away, giving us privacy .
Once she wanders away, the woman says, “We haven’t met because my boyfriend usually brings our daughter.
I wanted to thank you for the incredible reading group you've created for kids. Lily used to struggle with reading, but since starting with you, she loves it. Especially since you let her read comic books.”
My heart swells. “That’s wonderful to hear. I’m so glad Lily is enjoying the graphic novels and coming here.”
The woman glances at Paige, who seems engrossed in a book she plucked from a nearby shelf. Lowering her voice, the woman continues, “I want to encourage my daughter’s love for reading, and I think the best way to do that is by modeling it myself. Do you have anything similar for adults?”
A pang of regret spreads through me. “I do have one, but I’m afraid there’s a waiting list at the moment. I’m actively seeking more volunteers and funding to expand the program and accommodate more participants.”
The woman’s shoulders sag a bit, but she nods. “I see. Well, if anything changes, please keep me in mind.”
I long for a magic wand that could conjure the resources to help every person who walks through my doors.
Lily’s mother leaves, and Paige makes her way back to the counter.
“It breaks my heart to turn people away,” I tell her.
“I wish I had the means to expand our programs and eliminate the waiting list so no one would ever have to leave here without the support they need.”
“And that’s why you should agree to Thorne’s deal.
You’ll be able to keep the store and this location.
” She picks up the discarded card and taps it on the counter.
“Consider your deal with Thorne a backup plan. He said you can keep looking for another place. There are also grants and Small Business Development Center assistance. Or maybe a partnership with a complementary business. Or hell, crowdfunding. Meanwhile, you’ve already told Sebastian that you’ll go out on a date with him, so go and enjoy yourself. You might have a horrible time—”
“Doubtful. I always enjoy his company when he comes here.”
“Yes, but this will be outside of your book bubble. He might be a dud. Arrogant like his brother. Or he’s a terrible boss and they might actually be better off with Thorne in charge.
” She raises her hands as if weighing all the options.
“There are so many factors, and he didn’t say it’s all or nothing. Accept, but keep looking.”
I stopped pacing. “You make this all sound so simple.”
Paige squeezes my hand, her eyes full of understanding. “I know it’s not simple. I can’t give great advice on love, because I suck at it,” she laughs. “But business, that I understand. The first few years of my bakery were touch-and-go. And I did what I had to in order to make my dreams happen.”
“That sounds like a story.”
She shrugs. “For another day. Today is yours. Our community needs your programs. And honestly, some of this is me being selfish. I don’t want you to move to another location. Or, if you have to, not outside of Louisville.”
I want to argue, but Paige has a point. This isn’t only about my dream anymore. Dad’s house is tied up in my loan, kids are learning to love reading here, and adults are getting the literacy help they need and want. I can’t let my pride hurt all them.
The once-absurd notion kindles a defiant flame in my heart. To take Thorne’s deal might tarnish my soul, but losing my bookstore would break it. My heart races as I come to a decision. Lifting my chin, I meet my friend’s gaze. “I’m going to do it,” I say, the words taste of victory and defeat.
Paige nods. “Good. Give that hottie hell.”
A ghost of a smile pulls at the corner of my mouth. “Are we talking about Sebastian or Thorne?”
“Either. They are both sexy as sin.”
A weak smile tugs at my lips as I take in my sanctuary—a sanctuary for many others as well. This place is worth fighting for, worth compromising for.
“Yes, I’ll accept Thorne’s offer. But it’s not the end. I’ll find another way, a better way. Whatever it takes, whatever the cost, I will save Novel Idea.”
The promise lodges itself between my ribs, not quite hope, not quite desperation, but something wilder and more dangerous.
I drop Thorne’s card on the countertop. Its glossy surface catches the light.
I’ve always prided myself on my integrity, on playing fair even when others don’t.
Now I’m stepping into murky waters, and part of me wonders if I’ll recognize the person who emerges on the other side.