“But don’t worry,” he adds animatedly. “You’re really going to love what they’re opening: a Smoothie Bro. Have you been to one? They’re a huge hit.”
The ground tilts under me. All the anticipation leaves my body in a rush, and I slump against the end cap of aisle four. Afew empty plastic buckets clatter to the floor.
“Are you there?” the man asks.
I croak out a “Yeah.”
“I can send you over to our website where we have a lot of other rental listings.” His voice is so chipper it grates on my nerves. “We have quite a bit in Seattle and Portland, and all the way into California too. A lot of options for you.”
“Mm-hmm. Thanks,” is all I can muster.
“I’ll text you a link when we get off the phone, and we hope to hear from you soon.”
I don’t even manage a goodbye before I hang up and walk to the stool behind the counter. Sadness and grief swirl in my chest, stealing my breath.
My mind drifts to that picture of me and Gramps pinned to the fridge at home. His huge smile and hopeful heart. Ithought it was a sign. I’d already daydreamed about hanging that photo in the bookstore. I’d imagined waking up every morning and feeling as though I was going to work with Gramps, making him proud.
How did I get it so wrong?
Tears burn behind my eyes. I’m merelydaystoo late. If I’d just called earlier. If I’d tried harder. If I’d jumped sooner.
If I hadn’t been so distracted by Theo.
The bell rings over the door. “Have you ever heard of a pineapple latte—” Logan’s words cut off when he sees me. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m, uh—” I haven’t breathed a word of this idea to anyone but Theo and explaining it from start to finish sounds miserable. There’s no way I can do it. “I’m not feeling well.”
Sympathy washes his features. “Go ahead and take the rest of the day off, then. Ican handle everything here.”
“You sure?”
“Absolutely.”
I give a faint nod. “Thank you,” I mutter, and seconds later, I’m out the door to where Baby Blue waits for me on the street. It takes me four frantic tries to get the door open, and with every attempt I can feel the tension in my body pulling tighter. I’m a rubber band, being stretched to capacity.
When I finally get inside and stick the key into the ignition,she doesn’t roar to life. Theclick-click-clickechoes ominously through the cab as I try again. And again. And again.
Baby Blue quits on me, and something in my chestbreaks. It’s sharp and jagged, and it hurts so damn much I can’t breathe through it.
I try again, cursing myself and begging her to please work for me. But she just gives me a few more clicks and nothing else.
That’s the final straw. Idrop my forehead to the steering wheel and burst into tears.
Which is how Theo finds me a few minutes later. He jerks open the driver’s door in one try and wraps his arms around me. “What’s wrong? What happened?” he asks, breathless.
“Everything is falling apart,” I cry into his neck, unable to make any more sense than that.
“What do you mean?” He rubs gentle circles on my back.
I pull away to see his face. “I just talked to the rental space owner.”
“What did they say?”
I toss my hands up. “Add it to the list of things falling apart.”
“Huh?” He’s more confused than ever.
“They already have a renter,” I explain. “ASmoothie Brois going in, and if that’s not a giantfuck you, I don’t know what is. Iquit working at one in Seattle because they wanted me to add ‘bro’ to the end of everything I said to the customers.” He bites back a smile, and that only enrages me more. “It’s not funny! A fucking Smoothie Bro, Theo!”
