Page 39 of The Summer of Everything

“Don’t bring Nina into this,” Zay warns, but he’s beaming.

“This isn’t about your questionable music integrity,” Wes interrupts. He pats Cooper’s unreasonably tall hair. “You’re doing better, though.”

“We clearly have very different definitions of that word,” Ella says, plunking her paper straw into a glass of Dr. Pepper.

“Is it about finding new jobs now that we’re all about to be unemployed by the end of the summer?” Zay asks.

“We’re not gonna be unemployed,” Wes argues gently.

“I was overqualified for the job, anyway,” Ella proclaims. “I’m the most equipped to be successful out of all of us.”

“Bullshit.” Zay guffaws.

Ella balls up a napkin and flicks it at him. It bounces off his nose. He sweeps it off the table.

“It’s not about that,” Wes says, resting a hand on Ella’s before she can assault Zay with more accuracy. “We’re not looking for new jobs.”

“Then what’s this about?” Nico asks.

Wes is sandwiched between Nico and Ella. Little Tony’s minimal staff means their table hasn’t been fully cleaned from the previous customers. Nico’s repeatedly sticking and unsticking his fingers from the Formica’s surface. He and Wes switched shifts today so Nico could take his sisters to the beach. The smell of salt and sun and sweat lingering on his clothes and skin distracts Wes. Ella clears her throat.

“Right.” Wes wasn’t point-five seconds from burying his nose in Nico’s collarbone. He owns his weirdness, but that’s probably going too far. “The email said Mrs. Rossi is behind on her property payments. I’ve been thinking it’s because the store’s not bringing in enough money.”

“It’s not as busy as it’s been in the past,” Ella agrees.

“Corporate capitalism,” Anna says, scowling. “Online convenience has continuously made it financially impossible for brick and mortar establishments to remain afloat. The limitless ability of online corporations to provide cheap deals on product without skimming a high percentage off the producer has nearly eliminated independent providers’ potential to compete. It’s destroying the traditional business market.”

Wes blinks at Anna. “Who the hell are you?”

“I’m a business major.”

“Yeah, but.” Wes shakes his head. “You never talk like that at the store.”

Anna’s expression never falters. “Just because Idon’t, doesn’t mean Ican’t.”

Huh. Wes really needs to work on spending less time pining over Nico and more time getting to know his coworkers.

“You also smoke up with Cooper on lunch breaks,” Zay points out.

“I’m a business majorandan environmentalist.” Anna exhales contentedly. “Green is good.”

“Green is life,” Cooper affirms.

“Back to the bookstore,” Ella says, sounding exasperated. “We need to figure out ways to increase revenue, or it’s going to end up just like Book Attic and that Barnes and Noble.”

“And Page-Turner over near my neighborhood, too,” Zay adds.

“They closed Page-Turner?” Ella asks, eyebrows raised.

“Yup.”

Wes refuses to be fazed. Page-Turner was an obvious Once Upon a Page rip-off. They even had a neon sign in their front window that read, “Read More Books,” except the lighting in the “K” burnt out. “Read More Boos” was an accidental marketing dream around Halloween but hardly brought in any traffic the rest of the year.

“So…”

A sigh accompanies the bored expression of their waiter as he stands over the table. Constantine, the restaurant owners’ son, is a lanky dude with a perpetual sneer and shaggy, brooding-hero hair. He attends the University of Southern California, which makes him an automatic enemy. Kyra goes there too, but she gives Wes free tea.

“What’ll it be on your pizzas tonight?” Constantine asks, staring at the wall behind their booth rather than anyone at the table.

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