by Nancy Naigle
Bea ran a tape against the final numbers, and then pressed the button that fed the paper out. She peered over the top of her glasses as she carefully penciled in the final figures in the old ledger. “Yes! I knew it. My biggest sales day all year. And I have you to thank for it.”
“Me?”
“Yes. Don’t think I didn’t notice how you helped people find little extras to add to their purchase. The coloring books, and I think you may have sold me out of the literary coffee mugs. And if there’s one copy of the latest bestseller by Nicholas Sparks, I’ll be shocked.”
“Well, that’s an awesome book. I read it in one night.”
“You’ve earned your keep. Thank you for happening in my store when you did.”
But it was Sydney who felt like she should be thanking Bea. The last couple days had given her new hope that she could find a way to rebuild a good life with RayAnne, and maybe there was a chance to do that in Hopewell long term. She’d thought it might be a soft landing place just for a little while. She could gain practical work experience to build a résumé so they could move back to Atlanta, where all of RayAnne’s old friends were. And with the passing of time, hopefully Sydney’s friends would have forgotten all the drama between her and Jon. But maybe that wasn’t the only long-term option.
“I think you’ve found your natural gift. You’re great at helping people find what they didn’t even know they wanted.”
“Maybe you’ll keep me on after the holiday and next year will be your best year yet.” She was digging for information. Hoping that what Wes had said had been just a rumor.
“Oh Sydney. I probably should have been more specific when I told you this job was just for the holidays.”
Sydney’s stomach took a backflip. It was true. Here it comes, she thought.
“I’m closing the doors of The Book Bea on New Year’s Eve.”
“But why? I don’t understand. Business is good, and you seem to really love spending time with your customers.”
“I do, but I’m too old to keep this kind of schedule anymore. It’s time.”
Sydney turned away, not wanting to show her disappointment. It was selfish after all. Bea had to be in her late seventies. She deserved the chance to slow down. But this was a good place. And Sydney needed it right now. “The town needs The Book Bea. It’s more than just a store, it’s part of the town’s charm.”
“That’s so sweet of you.”
“What if I help you? I could open and close every day. Or we could adjust the hours to help make it easier for you to work. Or you could have some days off. Maybe you do a short week like hair salons do with the ‘closed on Mondays’ thing.”
“I’ve thought this through. It’s time.”
“Oh, Bea, working here the last couple days has been the best part of my whole year. I really hate to think the store’s not going to be here anymore.”
“It’s more than just me growing old. I’m so behind the times. We need technology to keep up, and I just can’t do it. I don’t have any interest in learning all that new stuff, and I don’t have the money to invest, either. But thank you. You’re going to be the best part of this last season here.”
“What are you doing with the building? I’m assuming you own it. Right?”
“Oh yes. My sweet husband bought it for me as a wedding gift. His family lived here in Hopewell their whole lives. When he brought me here to meet them, this old building was the town library. It was so enchanting.”
Bea looked as if she’d drifted back fifty years in time. “When I saw it I told him that I dreamed of living here. It hadn’t even been for sale at the time, but my sweet Henry was quite persuasive when he wanted to be.”
“He sounds like a very special man.”
“Oh, he was. Spoiled me like crazy.”
“So, you actually lived here at one time.”
“Yes. We’d hoped to fill every single bedroom with a big family. All eight of them. But we were never blessed with any children.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“Me too, dear, but in a way every child who passes through those doors is mine. At least they take a little piece of my heart from this store. That’s been enough.”
“Is there a reason you didn’t put this place up for sale? I mean if you’re closing and all.” She realized she might be jinxing herself right out of an opportunity by asking, but she also didn’t want to take advantage of Bea.
“I’d thought I’d sell the business, but there’s no one locally that really loves this place like I do, and it wouldn’t do to bring an outsider in. They wouldn’t understand how things work around here. I’ll probably let the building sit as is for a while until I figure it out. The tenants who rent the three upstairs apartments have all been so good. I hate to turn them out. There aren’t too many places to rent in this town.”
“Hadn’t thought about that, but if you’re willing to let it sit for a while, why not just stay open? I’ll help. I love this place.”
“Maybe I’ll find someone to rent the downstairs out as another shop of some kind.”
“Or maybe as a living space. The kitchen is still in working order, isn’t it?”
“It would take so much work. I can’t even really think about that. I really wish I’d found the right person to take it over from me. Someone like you.”
“I would love to own this place. I don’t know how I could do it, but if you really are thinking to sell The Book Bea, maybe I could buy it.” And there she was again, letting the thoughts in her head roll right out to the universe without a second thought. She didn’t have the means or the experience to run The Book Bea. What was she thinking?
Bea’s face lit up. “I can’t tell you how long I’ve waited in hopes that someone would want to take over my little store. I’ve prayed about it. And I’ve believed that someone was on their way.”
“So many of the independent bookstores have closed back where we lived. It’s hard to see that happen.”
“We’ve remained profitable. That’s not the problem.”
“This place has a wonderful vibe to it. I feel alive when I’m in here. It’s like … like an embrace.”
“Yes.” Bea snapped her fingers in the air. “That’s exactly what I said the first time I saw it. I said Henry, when I walk inside that building I feel like I’m in an embrace so loving that nothing could happen to me. That’s so funny that you used the same word. I felt such a peace come over me when I was here. I still do.”
“I feel it too.”
Sydney didn’t know how she would do it. Or why she’d want to. Owning a business was a big undertaking, and she’d never been impulsive. But the old Sydney was someone she wanted to leave behind. The new Sydney should learn to follow her dreams even if it meant taking a risk. Maybe even build a legacy that she could share with her daughter. A legacy like The Book Bea.
Bea softened for a moment. “I got the feeling you weren’t planning to put roots down here in Hopewell. That this was temporary for you.”
“That’s not my hope, but it is sort of the plan. I promised RayAnne we’d reassess staying in Hopewell after the school year, but it’s not because I don’t want to put roots down. My divorce has made things very complicated.”
“Maybe it doesn’t have to be. Sometimes it’s a lot easier to uncomplicate things than it looks like when you’re sitting in the middle of the mess. Take a step back. Maybe you were meant to stick around.”
“Maybe.” But was she fooling herself?
“Tell you what. I was planning to have someone pick up my entire inventory for a flat rate, just to expedite things. But if you really want to hang out here a little longer, I’ll put that on hold. Then we’ll take this a step at a time.”
“But I can’t make the promise that I’ll stay right now.”
“What if you change your mind-set? Really believe you’ll stay, rather than just hope. And if things don’t work out, then just promise you’ll stick around long enough to help me with the li
quidation. Is that a deal?”
Sydney wanted to be able to stay here so badly. Far away from Jon’s stronghold. Raising her daughter in a small town with good people would be a good thing. She’d treasured the time she’d spent here with her grandparents. RayAnne could grow to love it here, too. She felt an excitement she hadn’t felt in a long time.
“Yes. You most certainly have a deal on that.” If she believed it, could it possibly come true? Crazier things had happened. I believe, she thought fervently.
“I’m so proud of you, Sydney. You can do this.”
“I hope I won’t let you down.”
“Hope? You need to substitute every hope with believe.”
She mentally slashed through the word hope and replaced it with believe in all capital letters. “I won’t let you down.”
“That’s better. It’s a big undertaking, but I believe you could do even bigger things with this place than I ever have. The Book Bea has taken good care of me for decades. It would do the same for you.”
Sydney scanned the room. Could this really be hers? As big as it was, it made her feel light and able. “It feels right somehow.”
“There are good things for you in Hopewell.”
“I hope—” She stopped herself. “I’m eager to see what that is.”
“And I’ll always be behind you. So later this week let’s sit down and go through all the ledgers together. You need to know what you’ve got to start with. It will make every little change you make taking my old store into the next generation that much more exciting for you. You will breathe new life into The Book Bea.”
“That’s so sweet of you to say.”
“I’ve made such wonderful friends because of this store. Not just locals, but people who stopped in and paid a visit and then kept in touch. You can’t put a price on that. Friends are the true assets of your life. Not your house or cars or jewelry.”
“You and I will be forever friends,” Sydney said.
“Oh yes. You can count on that. There are other perks to being the owner of the bookstore, too.”
Bea didn’t need to sell Sydney on the idea. She was already fantasizing about it. “I know. It would be like having an unlimited personal book budget. I might have to learn how to read without cracking the spine though.” Wouldn’t that be awesome to have every single story and place right at your fingertips?
“Oh yes. That too, but I was referring to something a little less tangible. Through this store, I know things going on in people’s lives before anyone else does. Sometimes before they even realize it themselves.”
“Gossip?”
“Oh heavens, no. I’d never gossip.”
Sydney tried not to smile, because she was quite certain that she’d call about ninety percent of Bea’s conversations with her customers today just that. Gossip.
“More like being on the inside. When a customer buys a book, fiction or non-fiction, it usually ties to something going on in their lives. It’s like getting a puzzle piece. Not a nice edge or corner piece, though. One of the murky middle ones that takes a while to figure out. It’s like unweaving a mystery. I’ve always been a sucker for a good mystery.”
The only puzzle Sydney wanted to solve right now was how she might be able to take over The Book Bea. Was it a good business decision for her in her new role as a single parent? The ledgers would show her the numbers, but did she really have what it took to run her own business?
Chapter Eight
Traffic was light as she left the bookstore to pick up her car at the church. As she walked down the sidewalk, strangers smiled. You couldn’t spend much time in a town like this and still feel like a newcomer.
Hopewell made her feel welcome, much more than how she’d felt in her own hometown once Jon’s dirty laundry had been aired.
Between that and Jon’s shenanigans on the sale of the house, she’d felt like she’d been pushed right out of the place that she’d called home for so many years.
But tonight she didn’t need to sit and mull over all of that stuff. Tonight she had plans. Her first guests since she and RayAnne had relocated.
She figured RayAnne’s favorite dinner would be a safe bet for the kids. She’d fix a salad for Diane and herself with the fried chicken nugget pieces on top, and a glass of wine. Simple, yet satisfying.
The church lot was empty now, and it wouldn’t take long to drive back to the farmhouse.
Her thoughts wandered. What would things look like next year at this time?
Would RayAnne be back in her old school?
Would she be helping with the Christmas program, dealing with the women who were always trying to push their personal agendas? Those same women who were part of the PTA and blew every little problem at the school into a big deal?
Back to normal didn’t have nearly as much appeal now. Being away from it, even for this short while, had made her realize just how out of balance her life had been.
The only inviting images in her mind were those of The Book Bea, neighbors coming out of church, and friendly nods on Main Street.
When she got home, she went straight to work in the kitchen and had everything prepared right at six-thirty as she’d planned. She slipped the food in the warming tray of the new oven. That fancy appliance had been a splurge, but something she’d always wanted and so she’d put it on Jon’s account and had it shipped before she moved out. Why should Jon be the only one getting what he wanted?
She set the table and then started a fire in the fireplace to chase the chill from the downstairs. Just as she slid the fireplace screen back into place, she heard a car pull up. Through the sheers in the living room she could see the dark-red minivan in the driveway.
Kids piled out of the car, doors slammed, and RayAnne led the charge to the front door.
Shrill screams of delight were a welcome sound. The house seemed too quiet when she was alone here. The bad part was that mini-dose of quiet she’d just had was just a little taste of what it was going to be like once Jon picked RayAnne up on Wednesday. It was going to be a long holiday. Thank goodness she had the store to keep her busy.
Sydney opened the front door and RayAnne, Jenny, and Zach raced right past her.
RayAnne did a u-turn and came back and hugged her.
“Did you have a good day?”
“Best time ever,” RayAnne said. “We popped popcorn and watched Christmas movies. Jenny’s so neat. We’re like almost twins, or at least sisters. And her mom made us popcorn balls with the leftover popcorn.” She held up a cellophane-wrapped wad of popcorn and what looked like sticky caramel.
“That looks delicious.”
“It is. We tasted them.”
Of course they had. Who could resist? “You’re gonna share, right?”
“Heck, yeah! Later.” RayAnne grabbed Jenny by the hand. “I want to show Jenny my room right now. How long before dinner, Mom?”
“It’s ready. Are y’all hungry?”
“Yes!” All three of them yelled.
Diane walked inside. “I swear I fed them today. They just burn it off faster than I can fill their tanks.”
Sydney laughed. “Trust me. I get it.”
“Let’s eat first,” RayAnne reasoned. “Then can I show them my room?”
“Works for me.” Sydney looked to Diane for confirmation.
“Absolutely. I’m counting on girl talk tonight,” Diane agreed.
“Awesome. What are we having?” RayAnne looked concerned.
“Your favorite. Golden chicken nuggets, macaroni and cheese, and apple sauce.”
“I love you, Mom!” RayAnne jumped up and down. “It’s the best. Y’all are going to love this dinner. My favorite. Come on.” RayAnne led the way.
Sydney closed the front door and followed them to the kitchen.
“Anything I can help with?” Diane asked.
“You can open the wine,” Sydney said. “Everything else is ready.”
It only took a few minutes to put dinner on the table.
RayAnne proudly offered to say grace, and the kids devoured their dinner before Diane and Sydney even got through half of their salads.
“May we be excused?” RayAnne looked like a runner in the ready stance.
As soon as Sydney said yes, all three kids took off so fast she heard the chairs screech, and the footsteps hit the stairs almost in one long sound bite.
“Thanks for doing this tonight. It was a treat for me to not have to cook,” Diane admitted.
“It’s nice to have someone over. It’s been an interesting adjustment the last couple of weeks.”
“I bet,” Diane said. “I mean coming from Atlanta to Hopewell is a big change. What brought you back?”
“It’s a long story.”
Diane sat back and took a sip of wine. “We’ve got a whole bottle. And if I can’t drive, my sweet husband can pick us up.”
“Tell me about him first.”
“Tony? Oh gosh. Local boy. Football quarterback. This town lives for high school football, you know?”
“I remember.”
“Did then. Still do. Tony was like royalty. We had a winning season our senior year. We’d been friends forever, but never dated or anything. Then it was like out of the blue he asked me to the spring formal. He said he’d known I was going to be his wife since the first day he laid eyes on me.”
“He’d had his eye on you the whole time,” Sydney mused. “That’s so romantic.”
“I was completely clueless he was even interested. The rest is pretty much history. Graduated. He took over his daddy’s service station. We got married at the church. Babies. Happy ever after and then some.”
“Sounds like a romance novel.”
“I still think it’s funny that I had no idea. He was kind of shy. How was I supposed to know?”
“Don’t ask me. I don’t have a good track record for what falling in or out of love looks like on a man.”
“Ouch,” Diane said. “Was it that bad?”
Sydney topped off both of their glasses. “The worst Valentine’s Day you could imagine.”
“No card?” Diane raised a finger in the air. “Worse. No candy. I love Valentine’s Day chocolates.”