Page 92 of The Tattered Gloves
“Thank you,” I said, still stunned by her generosity.
She’d canceled on clients to help us and worked into the night for us, and now, she was saving us with coffee and pastries. It was too much.
“That’s what awesome aunts do.” She shrugged as I took the coffeemaker from her hands.
It was sleek and shiny, perfectly matching with the decor we’d put together. I decided it would work best today on the counter along with the huge helping of pastries. Later, I might move it to the nook, depending on how things went, but having this beauty up front and center today was key.
I wasn’t sure what the extra art supplies were for, seeing as we’d already littered the town with flyers and made huge signs for the windows, but the minute Addy was free of her bags, she got to work.
“Who wants to stand outside in the freezing cold?” she hollered.
No one answered.
Not a single person.
“Okay, let me rephrase that. Who wants to volunteer to be our first greeter of the day?”
“Like Walmart?” I asked, trying to understand what she was up to.
“Kind of,” she replied. “I want someone — a nice someone,” she clarified, “to stand outside and greet people as they walk by, telling them about the sale. This is a small town, and we love to chat. Strike up a conversation, and maybe offer them a cup of coffee or a pastry. Then, hopefully, we’ll find ourselves with some sales!”
“That’s pretty smart,” I replied. “Please don’t make me do it.”
Sam laughed. “I’ll do it. Let me grab my coat.”
One hour later, we were in business. Sam had proven to be up for the task, nearly freezing to death outside with nothing more than a thin jacket and his beanie, but he had been tireless in his efforts. He’d managed to get nearly every single person passing by to stop in. Most he knew, some he didn’t, but all were charmed by his honest spirit and drive. By noon, we had more sales than the previous week combined.
I felt like I was flying.
Addy worked hard on new flyers. Some she hung on our own windows while others she moved to her unfinished salon. I wasn’t sure it made a difference, but I thought she enjoyed putting her crafting skills to work.
“Willow,” Allison called out from the back where she’d sequestered herself. She’d put herself in charge of Internet traffic, and she was taking her job very seriously, sitting on the floor, glued to her phone. “The bulk of the cheerleading team is coming this afternoon, and I think I have a go from almost everyone in my History class.”
“Why History?” I asked, watching her send another text.
She shrugged. “I had their numbers. I figured it was worth a try. People don’t have much to do until it gets dark on New Year’s Eve, so I took the chance that everyone was bored… and I was right.”
“You’re a genius.”
“No, I just know how people think. Well, mostly,” she muttered.
“Still nothing from Eddie?” I asked, knowing she’d been waiting to hear from him for forever.
“No.” She pouted. “I’m giving up. I’ve decided I’m not good at this boy thing. First, I fall for my best friend, the boy who has basically been my brother since birth… and then I decide to go for a guy who apparently doesn’t know I exist. I think a little drama-free, boy-free time will do me good. For the time being, I’m just going to live vicariously through you and Sam.”
“That’s… weird.”
She laughed. “Not like that. I don’t need to know details or anything — unless you feel like sharing. I just meant that knowing my two best friends are happy and in love is all I need right now.”
In love?
Is that what we were?
The only person I’d ever really loved was Addy, but Sam was different.
The butterflies I felt when Sam was near, was that love? Or just teenage lust?
The way he made me feel… the safety and trust I knew I had when he was near, was that love?
