Chapter Five #2
“Be home in time for dinner!” Mitch called as I opened the front door.
“You’re not my real dad!” I called back, but I was grinning as I started my car. Yeah, Mom was worried about Mitch, but he had her, and he had his Faire family.
And he had me. I’d been on the cusp of eighteen when he and Mom had gotten together, so he wasn’t exactly a father figure. But after seven years together, he was family.
Yeah. Mitch was going to be okay.
—
Could a bookstore also be family? If so, Read It I’d promised Nina.
Emily didn’t push, and a few moments later a vanilla latte appeared at my elbow. I smiled in thanks as I checked my email for any new messages, any responses to the résumés I’d started sending out. Nothing there, either.
I glanced up at Emily, who had taken the seat across from me. “How long can I make this book-sorting gig last?”
“Oh, God, please. Stay as long as you like. I hired a college kid a couple weeks ago, but he’s already flaked on me twice. If you can actually show up, you’re already ahead of the game.”
“I’m not staying,” I said a little too quickly, but the protest was automatic at this point, and I could tell that Emily didn’t believe me anyway. “But I’m here for the season,” I added. “So at least till then? Hopefully I can find a job by the end of the summer and be out of here.”
“Sure.” Emily took an unconcerned sip from her latte. “Just till the end of the season.”