Page 64 of Winter Break

Holiday music played, but it didn’t sound busy in the store. I found Turner at his desk, his head hanging and resting in his hands.

“Turner?” He smiled so brightly when he saw me, but underneath that, it was clear something was worrying him.

“Nice shirt.”

“I’m ready for my shift!”

“I don’t … I can’t …”

I moved so fast, around the far end of the face-to-face desks until I was kneeling beside Turner, looking up at him.

“Baby, what’s wrong?”

He smiled again, at the endearment, I think. He looked at the computer, then down at me.

“The bookstore is doing great,” he said, but he didn’t sound happy about it.

“And that’s good news, right?”

“But I think, I mean, it’s possible I’ve bitten off more than I can chew, opening it right when Anita decided to leave. I’ve been so focused on the bookstore that the toy store isn’t making its numbers. And neither is the ice cream shop. The agreement they signed with Anita is based on profit sharing, so their success is our success. Turns out the residents and visitors of Breakwater Beach were not super excited to try ice cream with bugs in it instead of chocolate chips.”

“Bugs?”

“Don’t ask. They tried all these crazy flavors this summer. Which is fine, it’s great. Get creative, but ya gotta give the people their vanilla and chocolate too! You know?”

I nodded in agreement, though I’m sure my face still looked puzzled.

“Bugs?”

“Bugs, and onions, and jalapenos. Actually, that one wasn’t too bad.”

“I think they’ve learned their lesson, and hopefully we can get them back on track, but I’ve been running the numbers, and I might have to close the toy store a few days a week after Christmas. We’ve never done that before. Anita’s never done that before.”

Turner was on the verge of tears. I moved him physically in his rolling chair and reached up to hug him. It was an awkward position, and it relied on him to reciprocate. I was overwhelmed when he did, holding me tight and crying into my shoulder.

“We can figure this out, Turner.”

“Anita is going to be so disappointed.”

“No, she will not!” I said emphatically. “Anita is the first person to support crazy ideas. She probably endorsed bug ice cream before she left, and she definitely endorsed the bookstore. I’m sure she’s proud of you. Hell, I know she is. She still talks to my mom all the time. This is fixable, Turner.”

“I know it shouldn’t be a big deal for the store to be closed a few days a week during the offseason, but it was always so important to Anita that this place be here and open for kids to wander in all year round!”

I cupped his cheek. “Yeah, she would always want to make sure she was open in case any kid needed a place to go.”

“I wasn’t a kid when I showed up here, Dalton.”

“I am glad you said that because the way I figure it, you weren’t that much older than I am now.” That got a little smile out of him.

“Young, but not a kid,” he said, kissing me.

“I can help out.” Turner looked like he was going to protest. “You don’t need to pay me. Or more precisely, I can pay you rent since I’ll have to stay here with the number of hours I’ll be working! We can call it even.”

“Dalton!”

“Say ‘thank you,’ Turner.”

He glared at me for a moment then smiled before he did.