Page 59 of The Summer of Everything

“I like that.” Anna swipes her phone screen a few times. “Kyra can help. Get the coffee shop involved. They might let us borrow their space.”

“Is this an excuse for you to read poems about Wes’s mom?” Ella inquires.

“Coop. Gross.” Wes shudders.

“What? Not cool.” Cooper’s face wrinkles. “All my sonnets are about Angie Thomas.”

“Yo. I respect that,” says Zay, fist raised in the air.

Wes’s thumbs blur across his phone’s screen.

The Bookish League: Saving Once Upon a Page

1. Book Drive—Text Leeann to ask Leo for help.

2. Storytime—Buy costumes.

3. Author Meet-n-Greet—Find someone other than Mom.

4. Speed Booking—Leave up to Ella. Notify local authorities.

5. Open Mic Night—Talk to Kyra. Don’t let Cooper read poetry.

“This is awesome. I’m already getting content ready for the bookstore’s social media accounts.” Cooper twists on the counter, holding his screen in front of Wes. “We officially have an Instagram, Twitter, FB, Snap, VSCO.” He scrolls through each page.

Wes is impressed. @OnceUponaPageBookstore is live.

“Let me know when we get verified,” Zay says, shifting to his knees before standing. He dusts off his army-green joggers. “I’m gonna go hit Kyra up for an iced coffee. Anyone in?”

Anna quickly follows while fixing loose pieces of her blonde hair. “Coffee and Kyra. Yes.”

“I need to head out too,” Nico says, packing up a few books in his drawstring nylon backpack. He tucks his skateboard under one arm.

“Hot date?” Ella asks, strategically talking to Nico while staring at Wes.

Wes bites his thumbnail to refrain from flipping her the bird. But he anticipates Nico’s response. Mrs. Rossi usually schedules Nico for longer, later shifts.

“If you count babysitting a date, then, yeah.” Nico sniffs, pushing a hand through his hair. “Mom’s got a business dinner with clients.”

Mrs. Alvarez is a bilingual consultant for an insurance firm. According to Google searches, it pays well. Occasionally, she drives into the city or to places like Malibu for client meetings and consultations.

“I promised my sisters we’d play that new dance game on Xbox.”

“Disco Dance Revolution Xtreme?” Cooper says, awed.

“That one,” confirms Nico in a flat voice. “Anyway, I’m on little monster patrol for the night.”

The twins are seven now, which makes Sofía nearly nine years old.

“It’s a shame you have to work,” Nico says, chewing the inside of his cheek while looking at Wes.

“Yeah.”

He wouldn’t mind finding an excuse to sneak Nico out to the beach to execute his plan. Then they could spend the night sipping juice boxes and marathoning Pixar movies with the twins passed out on the floor, Sofía tucked under his arm, and his own head pillowed by Nico’s shoulder. It’s the perfect boyfriend scenario.

But Wes has a shift to work. And a bookstore to keep in business.

“Next time?”

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