Page 23 of When In Doubt

“When you start taking it seriously!”

“I have. You’re just not accepting my answer.”

“I’ll accept it when I know you’ve really thought about it.”

I hang my head. “Fine.” I tell him what he wants to hear.

“Good man.” He claps me on the back as he walks past me. “Come find me when you finish up.”

Chapter Nine

FREYA

Iwatch as the little girl staring through the window gets ushered away by her parents, leaving two streaks of condensation where her nostrils were pressed against the glass.

My stomach sinks at the sight of their backs. I was hoping they’d be my third customers of the morning, but no luck. Instead they’re striding in the direction of the firehouse, the girl skipping between them as she chatters about something I can’t hear.

It’s never been this quiet on a Saturday. I know it’s the Open House, but when Oscar said everyone would be there, I didn’t think he meant everyone. More people amble past the window, all heading the same way. I look down at the desk, my hand creeping over until my fingers brush the corner of the flyer.

I push back in my chair, going to open my desk drawer. Might as well use the quiet to work on more Denver prep. I need to place some additional orders for the extra stock I want to take with me.

“You should go.” The voice makes me jump so hard I hit my knee against the underside of the desk. Valerie stands in the doorway, her gray hair in a long braid that hangs over the shoulder of her yellow rain jacket. When did she get here?

I sigh. “I can’t.” She knows that. I don’t know why she’s pushing.

“Why not?”

I gesture around the space. “I’m kind of tied up, Val.”

“Yeah, really run off your feet.” The sarcasm dripping off her is so thick even I can pick up on it.

“I can’t just close.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’d be losing business!”

She stares me down with a look that tells me she’s on to me. “Honey, nobody’s coming.” I go to say something, but she cuts me off. “Nobody’s going anywhere except the fundraiser. Even Becca’s closed up for the afternoon, same as most of the stores in town.”

I glance across the street to confirm what she’s saying, finding the lights off and a sign taped to the door.

“You’re not going to make any friends from in here.” She raises an eyebrow. I have to fight to keep my mouth from dropping open. “You should give people in town a chance.”

“I do!” Where does she get the nerve?

“When?” She props her shoulder on the doorframe, every part of her face oozing challenge.

I mean sure, maybe I’m not the most outgoing person, but I try.

Mostly.

Being around new people requires so much energy, so much thought to try to calibrate myself to act the way they want me to, to carefully construct the version that I think they’ll like. Most of the time I just can’t handle it.

Valerie must see something in my face because she steps further into the store, the door closing behind her.

“Freya, I know it’s hard, but you gotta get out there sometime.” She moves toward me until she’s rounding the desk. “Think of it like networking.”

“I don’t know…” My fingers tie themselves into knots in my lap. I know she’s right, but I really wish I didn’t have to admit it.