“Yeah, of course,” he said softly.
She opened her mouth as though she intended to say something more, but quickly closed it again.
“I’ll just say goodbye to Izzy, then,” he said.
She nodded, not quite meeting his gaze. He gave her arm a squeeze. He understood her being cautious, after all.
It was hard not to want to be, when one’s heart was on the line.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“Okay, bud,” June greeted her son as she entered the room. “Ready for a big day of productivity?”
Benjamin froze where he was playing with his train set. “Uh, for you, right, Mommy?” he asked, shooting her a suspicious look over his shoulder.
She bit back her smile. “Yes, for me,” she confirmed. “Your job is basically to just hang out. Think you can handle that?”
He gave her a grin, gaps in his teeth reminding her of how quickly he was growing.
“I can do that,” he said.
She grinned, shaking her head as she headed to the kitchen, where she put on the radio at just the right volume, loud enough that it was good for dancing, quiet enough that she could still hear Benjamin if he called out for her. She let the beat of the music carry her along as she scrubbed the countertops, the appliances, and, finally, the floors.
Something in June loved a big house clean day, where she tidied, scrubbed, and organized everything in her home. She had always felt that way, but she’d thought that she might lose the satisfied feeling after she turned to cleaning houses for money. It turned out that it feltwaybetter to have her own home cleanover anyone else’s… though she did enjoy having money to pay for food and clothing, of course.
She was starting to make strides on the hallway closet, which was still clogged with coats and gloves even though they were well into summer, when a knock at the door distracted her.
She opened the front door to find Eleanor, her friend practically bouncing on her toes.
“June, yay!” Eleanor said, clasping her hands together beneath her chin.
“Hey!” June said, pushing a slightly sweaty strand of hair back from her face. “What’s up?”
“Sorry I didn’t call ahead,” Eleanor said, “but I was on my way home, saw your car was here, and honestly could not resist, because I just bought the window for the bookshop and it isso perfect.”
At once, June’s energy matched Eleanor’s. “The picture window?” she asked.
Eleanor’s picture window had been one of her biggest individual decisions in renovating the bookstore. While the front of Eleanor’s house had already had a picture window in place, this new window was far nicer, and would display Eleanor’s wares to perfection. It was also where she would advertise any upcoming events.
The whole book club had been looking forward to seeing it and, by virtue of some geographical luck, it was June’s house who was between the window store and the bookshop.
“Ooh, let me see, let me see,” June said eagerly.
Eleanor led her eagerly out to the car.
It was admittedly a bit tough to imagine what a window might look like when the building wasn’t even on this block, but June stretched her imagination as best as she could and, failing that, oohed and aahed her heart out.
“I know, I know,” Eleanor said. “It’s basically the cutest window I’ve ever seen… and, okay, I might be getting a little crazy over these renovations, because Ididhear how that sounds.”
June laughed and slung an arm around her friend’s shoulder.
“Trust me, I get it,” she said. “I bought myself some of the shortcake muffins from Honey Bee Bakery and got the fixings for mimosas to celebrate my success at just cleaning my own house. You know,” she added, “I could be persuaded to share those things, if you have the time.” She wagged her eyebrows playfully at Eleanor, who laughed.
“Well, I did come here partially to delay, since I’m too afraid to install the window on my own, and Garrett isn’t off work until later,” she admitted.
“Oh yeah, come on in then,” June urged. “I might sort of organize around you, but that’ll just make it more fun.”
“Ooh, I can help,” Eleanor volunteers. “Never let it be said that I cannot be bribed with treats.”
