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“This is like a whole month of income,” she said. “You know what this means? People will take my business cards off the table. And I’ll have more pictures.”

She put her hands over her mouth.

I came in and hugged her.

I hadn’t touched her since the hug I gave her a month ago at New Year’s, when I got the kiss on the cheek. But I held her now so tightly I could barely breathe.

I was so proud of her.

“I’ll be able to pay the loan back,” she said, her chin over my shoulder.

“Thank God.”

She laughed and pulled away to look at me. Her eyes were sparkling.

I would co-sign two thousand dollars and roll two thousand salami roses all over again every day to see that look on her face.

“I knew it would happen,” I said.

She laughed a little.

“I have an idea to celebrate,” I said.

“What?”

“How about I take you for a book haul.”

She gasped.

“You get two minutes to grab as many books as you can carry,” I said.

“Are you serious?”

“Totally.”

“I could just swipe books into a basket and you’d buy them,” she said.

“That is correct.”

She gave me a look. “Christopher, I could do a lot of damage in two minutes. I don’t think you understand how strong I am. I can carry a lot of books.”

“Good.”

“Do I get to scope the store out before the clock starts?” she asked.

“Sure.”

She clapped her hands happily.

I shook my head. “I love how you won’t take my money but you’ll bankrupt me at a bookstore.”

“Totally different thing,” she said.

“Is it though?”

“It is. The books are for us.”

I gazed at her.