Page 403 of Safe With You
By lunchtime, three customers had mentioned the article.
One of them saw it before she came in. Another spotted the copies near the register and bought one along with her books. The third asked whether I was going to start charging for autographs now.
“Absolutely.”
She laughed. “How much?”
“Twenty dollars.”
“For your signature?”
“You brought it up.”
She shook her head and took her receipt.
“Congratulations, Luna.”
“Thank you.”
That part got easier every time I said it.
Thank you.
No explanation afterward. No reason the compliment didn’t quite count.
Just thank you.
The bell above the door rang again while I was putting a return beneath the counter.
“Miss Luna!”
I smiled before I looked up.
Mila was already coming toward me, with Ellis following behind her, one hand holding the strap of her backpack.
“Hey, Bug.”
“Daddy said your magazine came out.”
“It did.”
“Where is it?”
Not hello. Not how are you.
I pointed to the stack.
She grabbed one and immediately started flipping through it.
Ellis reached the counter.
“Hey.”
“Hey.”
He leaned across and kissed me. It was quick, familiar enough now that I barely thought about the fact that Naomi was somewhere nearby and would probably have something to say about it later.
“Congratulations.”
