Page 13 of Rescued Hearts

She stood back to survey the stack of packages, her mind already leaping ahead and analyzing her inventory for the festival.

When her sister walked in, Honor was still poring over her notes.

“Hey, sis.” Felicity stopped in her tracks. “Looks like we’re eating dinner on the sofa tonight.”

She surveyed the items spread out not only across the kitchen table but the counters too. “Sorry about the mess. I’m analyzing my inventory for the festival in Ember Springs.”

Felicity let out a soft laugh. “Are you sure you need all this for one festival?”

Honor smiled at her sister’s amusement. “I do research my way, you do it your way. I’ve seen all those books stacked up on the floor around your desk.”

“I need to reference them for the book I’m writing.”

“And I need all this.” She swept a hand through the air, then stopped at what she spotted in Felicity’s hand. “Is that a plate ofbrownies?”

“Yup.” She carried it over to the counter and shifted several trays of beads aside to set the plate down. “Mia baked them herself and thought you’d enjoy some.”

“I love those ladies in your shop. And I love small towns!”

Chuckling, Felicity removed the cling film from the plate and brought a brownie to where Honor sat at the table. While they munched on the delicious double fudge brownies, Honor skimmed over the list she’d made after the last festival. Any tension left from the prospect of Sully being in town had faded.

“Beaded earrings are always one of my top sellers. So are the bracelets with silver charms.” She pointed out the tray that held three solitary bracelets. “I have to get busy if I’m going to create enough stock for the festival.”

“You don’t have very long.”

She chewed her bottom lip. “I know. And my turquoise pieces totally sold out. So did the feather charms.”

“Looks like you have a lot of these left.” Felicity pointed to a container filled to the top with purple jasper bead bracelets.

She contemplated the jewelry and considered adding a pretty scripted sign to them and rebranding the item with a new name that appealed to customers. She quickly scribbled down several names she could use.

“What do you think of Whispering Heather bracelets?”

Felicity darted a look at the bracelets and then wrinkled her nose.

“Okay. How about Twilight Amulet?”

Her sister cocked her head. After a long moment, she nodded. “It has a more mystical ring to it.”

“Exactly. Okay, these are now Twilight Amulet bracelets.”

Her sister watched her for a while. “You’re really good at this, you know.”

She looked up, meeting Felicity’s gaze, touched by her praise. “That means a lot to me.”

“How is the storefront fund coming along?”

Her question made Honor slump a little. “I had to dip into it to buy the van. But I needed the van to camp in during festivals…and I intended to live in it after I left Sully. Otherwise, I’d be homeless.”

“You’ll never be homeless, Honor. You always have a place with me. How long will it take for you to build your fund back up? I know you’ve always dreamed of having a small shop of your own.”

She shrugged. “Depends on how the summer goes for sales. I have six festivals on my list so far. I’d like to book up the whole summer.”

Her sister picked up one of the Twilight Amulets and slipped it on her wrist above the wire-wrapped one with her birthstone charm. She rotated her arm, studying it. “These are really pretty.”

“Keep it. Maybe your customers in the bookstore will see it and ask where it came from.”

“Speaking of the bookstore, don’t forget you’re doing the jewelry-making workshop there tomorrow. Bring a few of your things to sell. I’ve got the perfect spot to showcase the items.”

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