Recommended for You
Page 19
We get to baking, and I discover baking alone with Jake Kaplan is infinitely better than baking with Jake Kaplan and his mom and assorted friends because when I bake alone with Jake Kaplan, every now and then he’ll nudge my shoulder, and every now and then I’ll throw a pinch of flour at him, and every now and then he’ll throw a glob of batter at me, and by the time the peanut butter truffle brownies are in the oven and we’re both sitting on the stools out front, laughing and covered in various baking ingredients, he might say, “I really like you, Shoshanna Greenberg.”
And I might say, “I really like you, Jake Kaplan.”
And we might stare at each other with wide eyes for a really long time that would probably make our moms ask about a wedding date if they were here. Which, thank hashem, they’re not.
When the brownies are done, Jake takes them out of the oven and serves them in bowls with two scoops of homemade vanilla ice cream. It smells like happiness, and I’m sure it’ll taste like euphoria, but just as I lift up my spoon, Jake interrupts with an “Ooh!”
“What?” I ask, my eyes on the brownie.
“Look outside,” Jake says. “It’s snowing! On Christmas!”
I drag my gaze away from the brownie to look at him. “I didn’t know you were so invested in Christmas, Mr. Kaplan.”
“Ha, ha.” He grins. “I’m not invested. But snow on Christmas in Georgia feels special. Even for us Jews. Don’t you think?”
I glance out the window. Flurries fall and dance around the stringed lights. It is beautiful— magical, even. “Yeah,” I agree, turning back to Jake. “Pretty darn special.”
He laughs, and when his eyes flick back to mine, my stomach flips.
And when he takes my hand, my breathing hitches.
And when he says, “Shoshanna,” I do a full-fledged swoon.
And when we lean forward to kiss, his lips warm against my own, I feel pleasure radiate through me from inside to out.
And when he pulls away with a soft smile, both of our cheeks flushed, he nods and says, “Pretty darn special, indeed.”
Epilogue
Black beans or pinto?” I ask.
“Pinto. Actually, let’s do black beans.” I begin to scoop when the guy says, “Actually, let’s do half and half. That’s not extra, is it? Is the guac extra?”
I keep a smile plastered onto my face as I slap his half-and-half beans into the bowl. “Not extra for the beans, but yes, guac is extra.”
He rolls his eyes. “Of course it is.”
I (barely) bite back the urge to say I don’t make the prices, as he moves on to the next station and I move on to the next customer. It’s April, and Once Upon closed its doors two weeks ago. Although it’s hard to still work at the same mall, I wasn’t going to pass up the job when Geraldine told me Bo’s Burritos was hiring.
After another thirty minutes of slapping rice and beans into bowls, I finish my shift, hang up my apron, and walk over to the wishing fountain, where Geraldine and Cheyenne are hanging out before their shifts start.
“Friends!” I say.
“Friend!” they respond.
“Look at this.” Geraldine shoves her phone in my face. “Three thousand views. Three thousand people watched my video, and not one of them hates me!”
“You’re a rock star!” I say.
“Huh?” Cheyenne asks, looking up from her phone.
Geraldine rolls her eyes. “Seriously, Chey. You work in the same mall as your girlfriend, and you’re still texting with her twenty-four-seven?”
“She doesn’t work Sundays,” Cheyenne points out while finishing her text. “I miss her.”
“You literally saw her last night,” Geraldine replies.
I snort, and then my own phone buzzes. I pull it out to find a message from Mom, a thumbs-up and a fingers-crossed emoji. She had a job interview today, and according to the emojis, it sounds like it went well! My moms have been in therapy for a few months now, but it’s still too soon to say what will happen with them.
“Is that Jake?” Cheyenne asks, passing me her milkshake.
“Chocolate strawberry?” I check.
She nods. “But of course. I’m not a chocolate-banana monster like Geraldine.”
“Hey!” Geraldine shouts, sipping on her own milkshake.
I laugh. “And no, not Jake. My mom— Wait.” My phone buzzes again with another text, and this one is from Jake.
Jake: If you pick me up from work later, I’ll bake you mint fudge brownies.
Me: 100% deal. Barbra Streisand and I will be there at 8.
My cheeks warm as I put my phone back down. Cheyenne and Geraldine exchange a look.
“They’re so cute,” Cheyenne says.
“Painfully cute,” Geraldine agrees.
Then Cheyenne’s eyes lock on something in the distance. “Hey, is that Daniel?”
My pulse picks up as I scan the Sunday mall crowd, and sure enough, I find Daniel and Lola standing in line for smoothies. I can even see Daniel’s Spider-Man socks from here! It was hard when Myra told everyone the news, and even harder when I told Daniel I’d known that news for a couple of weeks. He wasn’t mad at me or anything like that, but it still pushed some sort of invisible distance between us—or maybe that was the physical distance. I haven’t seen him since he got a job at his university bookstore in February. Though he did snap me a picture of their newly improved shelves thanks to his recommendations, and I did send him a link to my review of that Sleepwalker graphic novel—it was as awesome as he promised.
“Be right back!” I shout at my friends, and then race up to Daniel and Lola.
She spies me first, eyes brightening, her hair now blue instead of pink. “Shoshanna!”
“Hey!” Daniel says.
“What are y’all doing here?” I ask. “How are classes? I miss you!”
We chitchat for a few minutes when Lola suddenly lowers her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “You heard the news, right?”
“Lola.” Daniel nudges her arm.
I narrow my eyes. “What news? Is this a Marvel thing?”
“Tell her!” Lola insists.
Daniel sighs and rubs a hand over his hair. “I was going to wait until I knew for sure. I don’t want to get your hopes up.”
“Well, now you have to tell me.”
“Okay.” Daniel takes a breath and then looks both ways. “All right.”
“Daniel,” I say.
“Okay!” He claps his hands together and locks eyes with me. “I heard that Myra was talking with Ms. Serrano. And Ms. Serrano said she couldn’t imagine her life without Once Upon in it, and she was bored with the whole retirement thing anyway, so—”
“Shut up!” I scream the words so loud that half the people in the food court start to stare at me, but I could not care less. Adrenaline pulses through my veins as I turn to Lola. “Is he saying what I think he’s saying?” I turn back to Daniel. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
“Oh!” He holds a hand to his chest. “Am I allowed to talk now?”
“Shut up, yes,” I tell him.
He grins. “Yes. I’m saying what you think I’m saying. Ms. Serrano is buying the store. Papers are getting signed next week. Once Upon is—”
“—starting its next chapter!” I shout.
“Nice pun,” Lola says.
“Impressive,” Daniel agrees.
I’m smiling so hard, I can feel it down to my toes. “I know, right?”
Acknowledgments
Mom and Dad, you are both texting me as I write these acknowledgments. I couldn’t be more grateful to have such a close relationship with my parents. I love you both an infinite amount. Thank you for always fostering my love of reading and writing and for being there for me on every occasion.
Elise LaPlante, you are my person. I can’t wait to watch you cry again when you read these acknowledgments. I love you a gross amount and am obscenely lucky to call you my best friend.
Bubbie and Papa Bobby,
I’m grateful to have two incredible grandparents in my life. I love you both and look forward to many more phone chats and visits. Lauren Sandler Rose and Melissa Sandler, thank you for being exceptionally amazing cousins. I love you both and am grateful that, despite living so far apart from each other, we are only growing closer each year.
Kiki Chatzopoulou, Anna Meriano, and Amanda Saulsberry, although we no longer live in the same place, we still talk most days, and that brings me so much comfort and happiness. Thank you for always being there to confide in and to bring a smile to my face. Love y’all!
Rachael Allen, Lauren Vassallo, and Kayla Whaley, thank you for reading this book in various pieces and stages and helping me work through it. I wouldn’t be able to write without critique partners, and I’m grateful to have such excellent ones in my life.
Jim McCarthy, this past week marked our five-year anniversary. Each year I’m happier than the last to have you as my agent. Thank you for all your guidance and support and for answering the approximately three million emails I’ve sent you.
McElderry Books, thank you for welcoming me to your imprint. Kate Prosswimmer, it’s been such a joy working with you, and I hope to do so again many times in the future. Thank you for your wonderful notes and warm encouragement. Thank you also to Nicole Fiorica, Justin Chanda, Shivani Annirood, Chantal Gersch, and the rest of the team for all your hard work and support. And thank you to Maggie Cole, the brilliant artist behind this cover.
Thank you also to all these wonderful people for their support: Rebecca Arnall, Kelly Bryan, Kayla Burson, Alison Doherty, Brittany Kane, Deborah Kim, Katie King, Katie Locke, Katherine Menezes, Christy Michell, Harmony Viray, and Randy Winston.
As always, I’m already worried and embarrassed I’m missing people, so to those people, I apologize for having a terrible memory, and thank you, thank you, thank you.
I took write what you love to heart with this book, so thank you to my list of inspirations: The Office, 10 Things I Hate About You, Emma, Clueless, You’ve Got Mail, Superstore, New Girl, and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.
And last but certainly not least, thank you to every incredible bookstore and bookseller out there. Thank you for making my life fuller, happier, and more inspired!
Love,
Laura
About the Author
Author photo by Katie King
LAURA SILVERMAN is an author and editor and currently lives in Brooklyn, New York. She earned her MFA in writing for children at the New School. Her books include Girl out of Water, You Asked for Perfect, and It’s a Whole Spiel. Girl out of Water was a Junior Library Guild Selection. You can contact Laura on Twitter @LJSilverman1 or through her website LauraSilvermanWrites.com.
Visit us at simonandschuster.com/teen
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Margaret K McElderry Books
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MARGARET K. McELDERRY BOOKS
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This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Text copyright © 2020 by Laura Silverman
Jacket illustrations copyright © 2020 by Maggie Cole
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Book design by Debra Sfetsios-Conover
Jacket design by Debra Sfetsios-Conover
Jacket illustrations copyright © 2020 by Maggie Cole
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Silverman, Laura, author.
Title: Recommended for you / Laura Silverman.
Description: First edition. | New York : Margaret K. McElderry Books, [2020] | Audience: Ages 12 up. | Audience: Grades 7–9. | Summary: Shoshanna Greenburg loves her job at the bookstore, Once Upon, until Jake Kaplan joins the staff, a handsome nonreader who challenges her for a bonus she needs.
Identifiers: LCCN 2020004048 (print) | ISBN 9781534474192 (hardcover) | ISBN 9781534474215 (eBook)
Subjects: CYAC: Bookstores—Fiction. | Competition (Psychology)—Fiction. | Jews—United States—Fiction. | Lesbian mothers—Fiction.
Classification: LCC PZ7.1.S543 Rec 2020 (print) | DDC [Fic]—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020004048