Page 37 of Lovewell Lane

“When you first came here… why did you leave where you came from?”

Her eyes widened. “Oh, I guess I wanted to get away from Sienna’s dad. It wasn’t a good situation.”

“I’m sorry,” I said, instantly regretting the question.

“It’s okay. Honeyfield had the Dreamers Program, so it seemed like a miracle. Everything sort of fell into place after that.”

I nodded. “It feels like home now?”

“More than any other place I’ve ever known.”

I nodded and gestured for her to follow me to the back. Shiny stainless steel greeted us in the doorway. “As long as the curse doesn’t run my store out of business, I think I’ll call it home too,” I joked lamely.

Lila looked at me with questions in her eyes. “The curse isn’t real, Margo.”

“Oh, I know. I was just kidding.”

She gave me a strange look. “She’s right next door, you know.”

“Who is?”

“Ms. Fields. The founder of this town.”

My eyes widened into saucers. “What? At the drugstore?” That was the one business I had yet to enter. The first few days I came into town it was closed, and I thought it had been ever since. Never once had I seen anyone enter or leave.

Lila nodded. “You haven’t met her yet?”

“I thought it’d been closed this whole time.”

“No,” Lila said thoughtfully. “I think she just runs it still to have something to do. It’s open, but doesn’t get much business.”

This place got more and more mysterious by the day. Lila turned around swiftly. “Well, it looks great,” she said. “Do you need help with anything?” I shook my head. “If you change your mind, please let me know.”

“I’ll take a girl’s night redo,” I offered.

She smiled and gave me a quick side hug. “We can have that arranged.”

I watched Lila’s blue car pull out of the parking space in front of my store, leaving my Kia alone once again. The only other car parked along the entire street was Derek’s familiar Chevy that was parked across from mine.

I decided to venture out and found myself in front of the drugstore. The windows were dusty, and inside it looked almost like a scene from The Walking Dead. Half-empty shelves, nopeople in sight, and flickering lights made the place seem abandoned.

I pushed the door handle, and an old-timey bell rang as it swung open. “Hello?” I called.

Walking further, into the store, the wide and tall shelves blocked my view of seeing much. “My name is Margo. I’m your neighbor,” I called into the silence.

I found a register and walked up to it. The place even had a manual cash register. I wasn’t sure I’d seen one before outside of a movie screen.

“Hello, dear,” an older woman shuffled up to the counter. “You must be Margo.”

I nodded. “Yes, are you Ms. Fields?”

“Call me Amelia, dear.” She held out a hand, and I shook it firmly. She was short in stature, so she had to reach up to hold my hand. “I’ve been waiting to meet you.”

My cheeks heated, and I was sure I flushed pink. “I am so sorry. I had no idea you were here, I assumed the store was um—”

“Closed?”

I cringed at the implication. “I guess I just wasn’t paying attention.”

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