Page 30 of The Summer of Everything

“Tea Leaf and Coffee Cup House?” Cooper says slowly. “Bogus name.”

“It’s atrocious,” Ella groans. “But real.”

“No. She would’ve told us,” Wes says to the counter. Making eye contact with anyone would unleash the tears he’s fighting. He doesn’t even blink. “Mrs. Rossi would’ve said something.”

“Well, she didn’t,” Ella snaps. “She didn’t say a damn thing.”

Wes wants to scream. He wants to stand up, heave the stool over his head, and shatter one of the storefront windows. He also wants to curl up in a corner so he doesn’t puke. His head’s fuzzy, as if he’s swimming but drowning.

Thing is, Mrs. Rossi’s kept this a secret. From him. From the one person who spends more time caring for this bookstore than he does for his own future. Once Upon a Page, for better or worse, has been his past, his present, and it’s always hung neatly in the photo Wes has had in his mind of what his future would look like.

When Wes finally looks up, Ella’s rubbing her temples. “I need a drink.”

“You’re underage,” Cooper murmurs as if it’s a secret.

“Thanks, Obvious Police.” Ella turns to Wes. “She gives me all this shit about being late and not caring… butthis.” She pokes the paper again. Wes’s heart lurches. “She’s the one who doesn’t care. How could she not tell us?”

That cold hand tightens around Wes’s chest. But his mind manages to backtrack. “Wait. You knew about this.” He squints at Ella. “You knew while I was gone. Every time we talked, you never mentioned it.”

Ella sucks in her bottom lip.

“And since I’ve been back, you haven’t said a damn word. You brought up all that Book Attic bullshit, but not this.” His breaths are clipped, but he lets the anger rise. “How couldyounot say anything? You know how much this place means to me.”

“I didn’t want you to have a breakdown.”

“Mission unaccomplished then.”

“Wes, you—” Ella cuts herself off, looking away. “You can’t handle things like this.”

“I can’t?”

“No.” She meets his eyes. “You. Can’t.”

Wes finally blinks. The first hot tear slides over his upper lip, catches on the scruff along his chin. He needs to shave. He can’t believe that’s what his mind chooses to focus on.

“I love you. You’re my best friend.” Ella reaches out for his hand, but he drags it back, shaking. She frowns. “This is reality. A fucked up one, but it’s real.”

Wes watches her walk away. Again. He sniffs as another stinging tear traces the tip of his nose before falling off.

“Wes? You okay?”

Zay’s voice sounds muffled, distant. Wes’s impressed that he can stare at Zay while not breathing properly.

“You look like you’re gonna blow chunks.”

Then Nico’s at the counter, examining him with concern. “Wesley?”

Anna’s next to him.

“Háblame,” Nico whispers to Wes.

Talk to me. Wes knows that much Spanish. He also knows that, no, he doesn’t want to talk to Nico. He doesn’t want to talk to anyone.

He stands on shaky legs, his head spinning.Bathroom. He has the tiniest grasp on his bearings. Nudging past Zay and Cooper, Wes escapes from behind the counter. His feet feel heavy, but he walks. He moves as quickly as his body will allow.

“Wesley?” Nico calls out.

A fraction of Wes’s brain wants to finally tell Nico, confess everything. But confessing his mind-numbing crush on Nico won’t save the bookstore or fix this newly splintered piece of his future. The internet didn’t need to teach Wes what he already knew about love; it doesn’t solve all of life’s problems.

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