Chapter 4 #2
“Oh, that’s actually all for me,” Winnie said, laughing. Shane cast his girlfriend an adoring look.
Eleanor had to admit that it was probably falling for Winnie that had really convinced Shane to move to this part of the country, and the change had done wonders for both of them.
Winnie, who had once covered up her shyness with a frigid exterior, had opened up and made herself vulnerable, something that had led to friendships blossoming with the other women in the book club.
Shane, meanwhile, had found the joy in his work again, as well as in his life.
In California, he could practically never be found leaving his work before the sun went down.
Now, in Magnolia Shore, he worked freelance, helping different people around town with their computer systems, something that let him do things like visit his sister’s bookstore in the middle of the day.
And serve as pack mule for his girlfriend’s purchases, Eleanor realized with a smile as she looked over at the titles in Shane’s arms. They were all either history books or historical fiction. This made sense for Winnie, who worked at the local historical society.
“Don’t make fun of me, Ellie,” he said, pulling a mock pout. “I’m just your little brother. Too little to tease.”
Eleanor looked up at Shane, who was, although younger, a good four or five inches taller than her.
“Uh huh,” she said dryly, which made him laugh.
“One of these books is his!” Winnie said encouragingly, pointing to a thriller midway through the pile. That did seem to be more to Shane’s taste than Winnie’s, come to think of it.
“Look there,” Eleanor praised. “Winnie is clearly having a good effect on you!”
“Well, you won’t catch me denying that,” Shane said, giving his girlfriend another happy look, which Winnie returned, “but I am still more of a movie guy than a book guy.”
Both women groaned as if this was a personal betrayal.
“Oh, don’t give me that,” Shane said, shifting the books to one arm so he could point an accusing finger at the two of them. “Movies are great! Everybody loves movies.”
Winnie gave Eleanor a long-suffering look. “It’s like he doesn’t even know that the book is always better,” she complained.
“I have heard this argument before,” he retorted, “but that fails to account for the fact that not all movies are based on books.”
There was another shared look between the two women.
“All the good ones are,” Eleanor countered.
“What she said,” Winnie agreed.
“That is—” Shane sputtered in indignation. “That is nuts. The two of you are some of my favorite people, but what you’re saying right now? It is nuts.”
“Honey.” Winnie laid a hand on his shoulder, giving him a look full of mock pity. “No. It’s true. I’m sorry. Books win over movies. Every time.”
“Besides,” Eleanor countered, “way more movies are based on books than you realize. What are your three favorite movies?”
Shane tilted his head, thinking. ‘Okay,” he said. “One, Jurassic Park.”
“Book,” Eleanor said.
“Everyone knows that one,” Winnie agreed.
“Fine, I think I’ve heard that,” Shane acknowledged. “But how about… Die Hard?”
Eleanor offered him a sympathetic cringe. “Sorry. Book.”
“Really?”
“Uh huh,” she said, while Winnie looked impressed. “What else you got?”
He pressed his lips together, then snapped his fingers and pointed at her. “Well, this isn’t one of my favorites, but I did know a certain redheaded little girl who couldn’t get enough of the Parent Trap.”
Eleanor snapped her fingers back at him in imitation.
“Believe it or not,” she said, “book. German book, but a book. Gotcha.”
“This cannot be true!” Shane exclaimed. He put down the pile of books in his arms and quickly researched it on his phone. “Huh. You’re right.”
“And don’t you forget it,” Eleanor bragged, her elder sister energy coming out in full force.
This energy, of course, always pulled out Shane’s little brother determination.
“I bet you that I can find a classic, well-known movie that you will enjoy,” he said, “that is not based off a book.”
“I mean, you can’t, but let’s say, for the sake of argument, that you do,” Eleanor challenged. “What are the terms of the bet?”
“If I win, you and Garrett make dinner for Winnie and me. Appetizers, entrée, and dessert,” he said. “If you win, Winnie and I cook for you guys. Plus, bragging rights.”
They were siblings; of course bragging rights were part of the deal. But the bet overall sounded like a good deal of fun, since there wasn’t any real way to lose, not when the stakes amounted to dinner with several people she adored.
“I’m in,” she agreed. They shook on it while Winnie, who didn’t have any siblings, looked at them like they were alien creatures. Alien creatures she certainly was fond of, but aliens, nonetheless.
Shane and Winnie left with their purchases after that, Shane muttering to himself about the Criterion Collection and whether his sister was likely to enjoy films with subtitles, given that she liked reading so much.
Eleanor went back to work, processing new arrivals and shelving stock for a few hours.
It was midafternoon when the shop door opened and Cadence Meadows and her daughter, Isabelle, came in, clearly on their way home from school.
Small towns, Eleanor thought with a frisson of pleasure.
“Hey there,” she called to them. Cadence was another member of the book club, and her daughter was a total sweetheart. “Looking for a good weekend read?”
Cadence put her hands on Izzy’s shoulders. “We’re here for Izzy, actually,” she said. Then, bending down to address the girl directly, she said, “You can pick one to buy, just make sure that it’s something that you’re interested in enough to read.”
“Okay, Mom!” Izzy said brightly, heading toward the kids’ section in the back of the store. “Hi, Ms. Eleanor!”
“Hey, sweetie,” Eleanor said, ruffling her hair as the girl passed her. As soon as Izzy was out of sight, though, Cadence’s smile faded, replaced by a look of concern. “Everything okay, Cadence? Nothing’s wrong with you and Tyler, is it?”
“Oh, no, nothing like that,” Cadence said at once, much to Eleanor’s relief.
Cadence and Tyler had gone through a rough patch in their marriage a few months ago, after they’d struggled with their unsuccessful attempts to have a second child, but they had reconciled and now seemed stronger than ever.
Eleanor was happy for them and glad to hear that nothing else had arisen to cause strife.
“It’s Izzy,” Cadence confided quietly, peering over Eleanor’s shoulder to confirm that her daughter wasn’t within earshot.
“Her teacher told me that she’s been struggling with staying focused at school, so I’m trying to find her something that she’ll enjoy reading.
I’m hoping that will remind her that learning is fun, and then she’ll engage a little more. ”
“Oof, honey, that’s stressful,” Eleanor commiserated, laying a comforting hand on her friend’s shoulder. “Has she said anything to you about it?”
Cadence shook her head, the strawberry blonde hair that she and Izzy shared bobbing about her ears.
“No, I asked her, but she said nothing was wrong,” the woman explained, concern causing her blue eyes to scrunch in dismay. “Did Jeremy ever go through anything like this?”
“Oh, absolutely,” Eleanor reassured her friend. “I don’t say this to imply that you shouldn’t be worried. I remember being so stressed when Jeremy decided that, for whatever reason, he hated the fifth grade and never wanted to go. Every day getting him to do his homework was a battle.”
“What changed?” Cadence looked so hopeful that Eleanor had an answer that Eleanor felt terrible letting her friend down.
“Time?” she said with an apologetic shrug. “Growing out of it? Finding something that caught his attention? Some combination of all those things?”
Cadence nodded.
“I know that’s not a helpful answer,” Eleanor admitted, “but you’re doing all the right things. You and Tyler are great parents, and Izzy is a great kid. She’s going to be okay. Everything is going to be okay.”
Eleanor may not have been able to provide useful, actionable advice, but her reassurance still seemed to strike a chord with Cadence, whose shoulders relaxed a bit.
“Thanks,” she said, patting Eleanor’s hand before stepping away. “I’m going to go see if Izzy needs any help, but… thanks. It means a lot.”
“You know that I’m always here for you,” Eleanor reminded her friend. “And I feel perfectly comfortable saying that the same goes for all the book club ladies.”
“I know,” Cadence assured her. “You’re the best.”
Cadence headed to the kids’ section to help her daughter, leaving Eleanor to get back to work.
As Eleanor continued to shelve books, she smiled to herself and let out a happy little hum.
There was always joy in serving her community, but it was especially wonderful to be able to be a part of bringing the bookstore experience to her beloved new friends in Magnolia Shore.