“Why not?” she asks simply, her melodic voice flat now, like she’s trying not to cry.
I try to imagine dragging my shy daughter far from everything and everyone she’s ever known, taking her to the city where I’m unqualified for anything but a minimum wage job, and where Taylor will slowly start to realize I don’t belong. How long will it take her to decide she wants to let me down easy? And will Meg ever get over being rejected bytwomother figures?
“I have to put my daughter’s best interests first,” I tell her. The words are colder than the winter winds, and even I’m horrified at my icy tone.
Suddenly, Taylor’s face is falling and my heart is breaking and I can’t breathe.
I run for my truck, almost knocking over Buck, who is coming back with a paper cup of coffee in his hand.
“Hey, watch it, speedy,” he chuckles, like my life isn’t over.
I throw open the door to the truck and slip in, gripping the wheel like a life preserver.
Pulling out from the curb, I tell myself it won’t always hurt like this. Taylor will find some nice city boy. And eventually, I’ll be numb again, and I won’t mind being alone so much.
And by the time I get home, I almost believe it.
19
TAYLOR
The following evening, I’m closing up the bookshop after another busy day and wondering how everything went so wrong so fast.
Roan Connelly dumped me out of nowhere, before we ever went on a real date, and after pulling it together to wrap up the grand re-opening event last night I went upstairs and sobbed for hours.
Worse than the fact that he dashed my hopes so coldly is the fact that he thinks I would be bad for Meg.
IloveMeg. I care about her. I spend time with her. I’ve even helped her make friends.
Maybe older friends, or friends with headphones and purple braids aren’t the kind of people Roan wants his daughter associating with. But those two girls are lovely people, and I can’t think of anyone better tobring Meg out of her shell. My heart melted today when they ran up to her to talk aboutStarhoof.
Starhoof…
Yesterday should have been the best day of my life. The book I believed in exceeded everyone’s expectations and brought so much joy to so many people. David conceded that I was right and said he shouldn’t have fired me. And the bookshop had a banner day, with the kind of opening that tells me Angel Mountain is glad I’m here.
But somehow, grumpy Roan Connelly has managed to ruin everything.
I hate to say it, but maybe Mrs. Perkins was right about him after all.
But I’m proud of myself for picking myself up this morning, showering, and bringing my puffy-eyed self downstairs to open the shop. And while it wasn’t as wild as yesterday, I sold plenty of books and made some new contacts too.
I even tried putting in an order for more copies ofStarhoofsince I’m down to just a few. But I guess the print run was too small, and they’ve already called for a reprint. I’ll have to wait, but I’m excited for Angeline that her book is flying off shelves everywhere, not just in my tiny Angel Mountain shop.
My cell phone rings just as I’m turning the sign fromOpentoClosed. My first thought is Roan, calling to tell me that last night was just some kind of crazy dream. But it’s my grandmother.
“Hi, Grammy,” I say.
“Oh dear,” she replies. “What’s wrong?”
“You could tell something was wrong fromHi, Grammy?” I ask her, amazed.
“A grandmother always knows,” she says wisely. “Do you want to talk about it.”
I’m getting ready to say no when I hear myself start talking.
“Things are actually going really well,” I tell her. “The shop opening yesterday was amazing. So many people came in, and they actually bought books. Today was busy too.”
“That’s incredible,” Grammy says. “It’s not easy with a local bookstore these days. I know your aunt never really made much with the place.”
