Page 143 of Will Bark for Pizza
“I know we haven’t officially closed yet?—”
“Does she know?” Joe asked.
“No,” Aspen answered for me. “It’s a surprise. So you’re sworn to secrecy, Uncle Joe. Got it?”
Joe nodded.
“Now that that’s settled, I’ll let you two boys chat. I have to run. Owen’s grilling steaks.”
Joe and I stood there in silence, both looking around the empty space. I wondered how he saw it. Did he see the new life breathed into it? Or did he picture the past, when his wife hid away up here to read? Did he hate the changes I made?
“You care about her, don’t you?” he asked me.
“I do.” No point in lying. Kira might not be ready for arelationship right now, but a feeling deep in my gut told me one day that would change.Patience, Aspen had advised. A whole helluva lot of patience.
“I’m glad you’re the one buying the building. Gives her the best chance of making it.”
“She will,” I said.
“You sound pretty confident.”
“I haven’t known your daughter long, but I’ve known her long enough to recognize her unmatched resilience. If anyone can save the bookstore, it’s Kira.”
That brought a slow smile to Joe’s lips. “I certainly hope you’re right, son.”
Son.
The single word threw me off balance, like a friendly punch to the shoulder. How many times had I desperately wanted to hear my own dad call meson, just once? But he, like my mother, was too busy wishing they never had a son at all.
“What else you have planned up here?” Joe asked.
“More than I probably should,” I admitted.
Joe’s smile doubled in size. “I know a guy who can get you materials at cost.”
“You don’t have to?—”
“I want to.”
There was no point in arguing, so I simply said, “Thanks.”
“Now, tell me what you have in mind.”
FORTY-FOUR
KIRA
The dry rattleof the doorknob left me puzzled. I didn’t remember locking the door to the bookstore apartment. In fact, I distinctly remembered leaving itunlockedso Beckett could paint this week.
I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of tasks we needed to accomplish before our soft opening next week and wanted a quiet escape. Just for a few minutes.
I took a deep breath, but the thoughts ran rampant anyway.
Thankfully, Grandma Connie worked her magic and repaired a severed relationship with one of the major publishers. Turned out, she had an old friend still working as a book rep, and called in a favor. It wasn’t as much progress as we hoped, but having some recent releases and bestsellers was certainly better than having none. The books, however, would arrive before the bookshelves I ordered. We might only have a day or two to assemble thenew shelves and stock them. It all left me feeling a little . . . dizzy.
Because there was absolutely no time to head to the lake today, I sought the solace of the empty apartment to clear my head.
Except the damn thing was locked.
