“You’re good,” Miguel assures her.
“I thought when you dropped the plants off after-hours, it meant you weren’t going to show.”
Sothat’swhy he was missing when I woke up from yet another nap yesterday evening.
“I understand why you’d think that, and I’m sorry I didn’t communicate better. But I’m here now,” he says, dropping the box on the floor.
Brenna’s tie has little fish on it today. “Moving supplies?” she asks.
“We were talking about the store possibly closing,” says Riley, exchanging a quick glance with her.
“Nothing like that,” says Miguel. “I’ll explain in a minute.”
“Uh, boss, can I say something?” says Dane. His eyes are bright, and he’s grinning like he’s got a whole flock of canaries in his gut.
“Absolutely, but first, would you let me say something? It’s important.” Miguel kneels on one knee beside me. Then he looks at each of them for a beat longer than most humans find socially acceptable. “I want to begin by apologizing to each of you. I’ve had some time to think—and read. I’ve come torealize that if I’d listened to you all a long time ago, Lakeside probably wouldn’t be in this position.”
Brenna leans toward him, but Riley just frowns. Maybe that’s why he addresses her first. “You called it—I did need help. I still do. I was drowning in my grief, and holing up on my own only made it worse, for both meandthe store. That cost all of you a lot, but especially you, Riley. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay,” she says quietly.
“It’s not, but I appreciate that,” he tells her. “Also, I gave your therapist a call this morning. She’s not taking new clients, but I’m seeing her colleague next week.”
Her eyes widen. “Really?”
“Really.”
“That’s amazing, Miguel,” says Brenna.
“Thank you. It doesn’t feel amazing yet, but I bet it will in time.” He looks around the nook. “Natalie, you’ve been asking for more hours, and I haven’t given them to you because, well—” He points at Riley. “Because I wasn’t listening to our new manager here. That changes here and now.”
“Are you serious?” Riley exclaims. “You’re making me manager? I thought we were closing?”
“We might, but not yet. And yes, I should have named you manager a long time ago. I owe you an even bigger apology for that, and I hope we’ll be able to talk privately later. For now, will you forgive me?”
She bounds over to him but then stops short. “Is it okay if I hug you?”
He nods and stands, and she throws her arms around him. “Thanks, Miguel.”
“Thankyou,Riley,” he says gruffly.
He turns back to the rest of the staff. “We’re not closing in September. Riley’s right—romanceisselling, and I asked Kathy to give us one more month before she raises the rent. Believe it or not, she agreed. I don’t know if I’m being unrealistic, but if you’re all on board, I’d like to try to find a smaller and less expensive building for us by January so that we don’t have to close then. Or at least not close anytime soon. I’m willing to sell my home if that’s what it takes.”
Dane holds up his hand like one of the kids at Story Hour.
“I promise, just a few more things and I’ll give you the floor,” Miguel says to him. He takes a deep breath. “So…”
“What is it?” says Brenna, and Natalie’s jiggling her leg so vigorously that her chair’s rattling.
“This place was our vision, Amelia’s and mine,” he says, turning to regard the rest of the store. “I’ve been thinking of the bookstore as her legacy, but thanks to Harold, I finally started reading through her backlist, and I realize that no four walls could ever truly serve that purpose. Amelia’sstoriesare her legacy.”
They all nod in agreement, and Riley wipes the corner of her eye.
“You four kept the shop open while I pretended to, and that was nothing if not a labor of love. As Riley recently reminded me, there’s no other place like this around here, where people can stop by with their dogs or their kids or just themselves and know that they’re welcome—no exceptions. Even those who are down on their luck can read a book that they can’t afford to buy here, and we will open our doors for them again and again. Lakeside is so much more than a bookstore. But I can’t keep it up and running by myself.”
“You don’t have to, chief,” says Dane. “We’ve got you.”
“I know that you do.” Miguel clears his throat. “That’s why I’d like to propose something…a bit unconventional.”
