Page 375 of Safe With You

Naomi passed behind me.

“You got it,” she whispered.

I turned my head. “Go away.”

She grinned and kept walking.

The writer laughed.

“Should we sit?”

“Yeah. We can use the café.”

I led them toward the back, where Maya already had a table cleared near the window. She gave me a small smile when I sat down, but thankfully, she left it at that.

The writer set her recorder between us.

“Do you mind if I record?”

“No. That’s fine.”

“Perfect.”

She checked it once before looking at me.

“So, tell me about Chapter & Charm.”

I glanced around the store.

“That’s a big question.”

“It can be a big answer.”

I laughed.

“Okay.”

I settled back in my chair.

“We’re an independent bookstore, but I’ve always wanted it to be more than somewhere people come to buy books. We have the café, events, Open Mic Nights, author readings. People come in and work sometimes. Or read. Or meet somebody for coffee and somehow stay for three hours.”

“Was that what you pictured when you opened it?”

“Some of it.”

“Which part?”

“The books.”

She laughed.

“I definitely knew there would be books.”

“That’s a good start.”

“Right?”

I smiled.