“Here, let me help,” Holly said as she hurried to kneel down and pick them up. “Sorry I was almost late, but I stopped by the library before coming here, and it took a little longer than I thought.” She collected the book lights and began to put them back in their display, one by one.
Fiona shrugged as she rubbed her belly. “No biggie. Like I said, just let me know if you’re going to run late. I trust you. It’s not like you’re going to just leave me high and dry. Things come up, and I have absolutely no problem giving you some wiggle room.”
As she turned to Fiona, Holly thought it seemed like Fiona’s baby bump had grown since the last time she’d seen her. “How many babies do you have in there anyway?” Holly asked. “Are you sure you’re not having twins?”
She hadn’t been around any pregnant women before, and she’d never realized just how big a pregnant woman’s belly could get. And if this was how big you got with only one baby, how big did women who carried twins and triplets get?
“Believe me, sometimes it feels like it,” Fiona chuckled. She began moving through the front of the store, cleaning and arranging stacks of books on the nearby tables while Holly moved around the counter and dropped her backpack. Holly was straightening up behind the cash register when Fiona came back.
“I feel like I’m always starving, but only for very specific things. If it’s not something that I’m craving, I don’t want to eat it. So, I end up eating a lot of watermelon and Mexican food. On top of that, I think I go to the bathroom every thirty minutes. Some days while I’m busy working, I realize suddenly I have to go to the bathroom. Then, I return to work and I’m just getting back where I left off, and I realize I need to go again. It’s horrible,” she sighed. “Maybe I should just live in the bathroom and eat. At least I’d save myself some time.”
“Something about that scenario doesn’t sound very sanitary to me,” Holly said with a laugh as she walked out from behind the counter. She started moving along the rows of books, adjusting the ones on the lower shelves that Fiona had trouble getting to. Holly had learned early in Fiona’s pregnancy that unless she wanted to help Fiona get up once she was on her knees, it was better to just do it herself.
How things ended up in such a mess was beyond her. It was a habit she and Fiona had gotten into. She and Fiona always went through the store when they took over for each other to make sure everything was in the correct spot for the other one.
“I’m going to have to start looking for someone to cover the store when I have the baby,” Fiona muttered, “although I don’t plan on taking a full-blown maternity leave. I just want to take enough time off for me to get back on my feet. The baby and I will have to figure out how to manage here eventually, so I kind of thought the sooner we start, the better.”
She caressed her belly lovingly. “Besides, I think it will help me to stay in the flow of things. I don’t like sitting around the house, and I know I’ll go crazy if I spend too long there.”
“That makes sense,” Holly said with a chuckle. “You don’t exactly sit still very often, anyway. You’re always off doing something. I can’t wait until you have the baby. Do you think it’s going to have your red hair, or do you think it will be darker like Brandon’s?”
“Oh, Lord. I hope it doesn’t come out with blazing red hair. You should have seen the baby pictures of Brigid and me. Mine was a bit darker, but hers, oh my gosh. It was so red,” Fiona chuckled. “Do you know what sounds good right now?” she asked suddenly.
“What?” Holly asked as she moved to the next row of books.
“Watermelon. Oh, and tacos. Hmmm, I wonder if I could make watermelon tacos.”
“Fiona, that sounds absolutely gross,” Holly said as she made a gagging noise. “Please don’t. It will spoil tacos for me forever.”
“Did you bring something to eat?” Fiona asked as she headed behind the counter and pulled on her long black knit sweater.
“No, I didn’t, but I’ll be okay,” Holly said with a wave of her hand as she finished straightening up. “I had a sandwich earlier.”
“Just a sandwich? Girl, you need something more filling than that. I’m going to swing by the Mexican restaurant. I’ll grab something while I’m there for you,” Fiona offered.
“Really, you don’t have to,” Holly said as she took her seat behind the register and began to open her backpack. She had a few pages of homework to get done tonight, and she didn’t want to forget.
“Please, what are aunties for?” she said as she kissed Holly on the side of the head. “I’ll be back in just a few.” She picked up her keys and slipped out the back door. As the door clicked shut, Holly stood up from the chair where she was sitting and walked over to the small radio that played soft music throughout the store. She changed it over to the modern jazz station she preferred and then returned to her seat, focusing on her homework. Fiona’s words were echoing in her mind.
The whole concept of being a part of a family, while not actually being a part of it, was starting to feel a little confusing to her. It wasn’t that she needed to put labels on things, but it all seemed a bit awkward to her. These people felt as if they were family to her but legally, they had no obligations toward her.
Even though she knew that they’d never kick her out or make her feel unwanted, the thought was still there. Any time they wanted to, Brigid, Linc, Fiona, and Brandon could just refuse to consider her as part of their family. Then where would she be? She tried to push the thoughts away, knowing they were completely unjustified. Instead, she distracted herself, as she always had, with school work.
About half an hour later, she heard Fiona open the back door, and she headed to the store’s back room to help her. “I got your favorites for you, a chicken burrito ranchero and two shredded beef tacos,” Fiona said as she set down the white takeout bag.
“You know you really didn’t have to,” Holly said. Meanwhile her stomach growled loudly. She may not have needed the food, but that didn’t mean she didn’t want it. She was glad Fiona had remembered what her favorites were, because right now they smelled amazing.
Fiona laughed. “Seriously, it was no trouble. You’re such a huge help to me, I don’t feel like I can ever repay you.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Holly said waving her off. “You pay me well. That’s more than enough.”
“I’ve been thinking, I know you read a lot. Why don’t we set up a special section here in the shop with your latest recommendations? We could do it on a shelf or a table, whatever you’d like,” Fiona said as she leaned against a table with her hand on her hip.
“Are you serious?” Holly asked excitedly.
“Yeah. A number of customers have told me that you have great taste, and you’re always suggesting books to them that they love. I thought this would be a good way for you to reach out to the customers even when you aren’t here. What do you think?” Fiona was grinning from ear to ear. It was obvious she already knew the answer.
“Of course!” Holly said with a squeal. “I’ll start thinking about it tonight. I have a couple of new ones that I’ve read that I can recommend. I’ll figure out which one I liked the best.”
“Good. Leave me a note, and I’ll see where we can squeeze it in. Have any place in mind?” she asked as she straightened up.
“No, wherever you think is fine,” Holly said quickly. “I can’t thank you enough.”
“It’s no trouble,” Fiona said. “Well, I guess I better head home. Brandon is probably wondering what happened to me.” She began walking towards the back door.
“Oh, Fiona, I wanted to tell you,” Holly realized she’d almost forgotten to mention Levi. Fiona turned back around to listen. “I have a classmate from school who’s coming here to the shop in a little while, so I can help him with his algebra. He just moved to Cottonwood Springs from Denver, and he’s behind in math.”
“That’s fine,” Fiona said. “Just make sure the customers are taken care of and only allow him to be where you are. I
’m not saying he’s not trustworthy or anything…”
“No, I get it. I promise he won’t be a problem. Thanks again,” Holly said as she walked Fiona to the back door and then locked it behind her. She grabbed the bag of takeout food and went back to the front of the store, so she could eat while she did her homework.
Thirty minutes later, just as she was ringing up a customer’s purchase, the bell over the door chimed. She turned to greet the latest customer when she saw Levi’s brilliant hair and glasses.
“Oh, hey!” she said with a smile. “Come on in.” She thanked the woman who had bought several romance novels and handed a receipt to her.
“This place is awesome,” he said as his eyes grew wide, taking in the rows of bookshelves and the mismatched armchairs.
“That it is. I love it here,” Holly said, beaming. “Take a look around if you’d like to.”
“No, we better get started on the math first. I don’t want to take up too much of your time,” he said shaking his head. “I’ll look around when we’re done. Otherwise, I’ll want to search every bookshelf and read everything. Math won’t stand a chance.”
“Come on over here,” Holly said motioning to the empty table they kept near the coffee pot. Usually it was used for people who came in and just wanted to hang out, but tonight it would work well for their study session. It was a large round table that was usually cleared off, but when the book club met at the bookstore, it was covered with books. It also served as a place to put special sale item books and whatever else Fiona wanted to promote.
Levi put his backpack on one of the chairs and started to pull his books out. “You’re so lucky you get to work here. I’d be in heaven if I got to hang out in some place like this.”
“It’s my home away from home,” Holly said simply. Looking around the store, she realized just how fond she’d become of the place.
“I love how everything is mismatched, but still seems to go together,” Levi said as he looked around at the various chairs, the smaller tables covered with books, and the bookshelves. “Even the little signs. It’s awesome.”
“Thanks, I just found out I get to have my own little recommended reading area too, so when I really like a book, I can put it on display.” It wasn’t that Holly was bragging, she was just very excited about the new prospect.
“That is too cool,” Levi said holding out his hand to shake hers in congratulations. “Where’s it going to be?”
“I don’t know yet,” she admitted. “But it doesn’t really matter. Just the fact I get to do it is mind-blowing to me.” She sighed and cracked open her algebra book. “Okay, we better get started.”
“You’re right,” Levi said. “But let me know when you get your little space up and running. I’d like to check it out. I bet it’s going to be awesome. I mean, knowing that people read books just because you suggest them impresses the heck out of me. I feel like I should ask for your autograph or something,” he said with a grin.
“Ha-ha,” Holly said, but she was smiling. “Here,” she flipped open her notebook to a blank page and scrawled her name on it. “Now you have it.”
“I’ll cherish it forever,” Levi said as he took it and tucked it in his algebra book.
CHAPTER 11
“How were things at the bookstore?” Brigid asked as Holly shut the front door behind her when she got home. It had been a very slow night, and she was glad to be home. “Read It Again” may have been her home away from home, but that didn’t mean she got to lounge around in her pajamas there. Nothing beat being at home in her own element just relaxing and doing whatever she wanted to do.
Levi had really taxed her brain, and it was nice to finally be able to shut everything off for a while. She knew he was really close to understanding it, and it was just a matter of finding that moment when everything clicked into place for him.
“Slow,” she said as she set her backpack down. “I like working days on the weekend so much better. People are far more likely to come in and find something to read on their days off. When customers are in the store, I have something to do that helps make the time pass. Otherwise it’s just listening to the cars go by outside and the music in the store. I love the nice weather months, but they don’t bring in as many customers. Everyone’s too busy doing outside stuff.”
Brigid nodded. “That’s understandable. But at least it's a job where you can do your own thing when nobody’s there,” she pointed out. “And you won’t get in trouble if someone comes by to keep you company.”
“Very true,” Holly said as she went to the kitchen and pulled out a bottle of root beer. She loved the fact that Linc had started keeping some in the fridge. She wasn’t sure if he did it for her or if he’d actually always liked root beer.
“I’m not sure how those people who work at a job where they have to do the same thing day after day survive. I couldn’t stand that.” She returned to the front room and flopped down in a chair as she shook her head. That’s when she realized something was missing. “Where are Linc and the dogs?”
“He and Jett went for a run. When I walked by your room a little while ago, Lucky was snoozing on your bed. He’s had a busy day playing with Jett, and I think he’s worn out,” Brigid chuckled. “But he’s been a good boy so far. They went for a walk, played at the dog park, and just had a good time together today. So far he’s been very easy.”
“In that case, I’ll let him sleep,” Holly said as she leaned back in her chair. If Lucky’s had a busy day, he probably wouldn’t appreciate me waking him up. “Did the vet find out anything about Lucky?”
Brigid shook her head. “Nope. He used one of those little scanners and looked for a microchip while we were there having him examined, but there wasn’t one. The receptionist even checked out a few places online she knew about to make sure he wasn’t up on one of those, but there was nothing. As far as they could tell, along with the shape he’s in, they think he was dumped off most likely for doing something silly that his owner just wasn’t equipped to deal with. Poor little guy.”
“What do you mean by not equipped to deal with?” Holly asked. From what she’d seen, having a dog was pretty straightforward. Dogs have to go to the bathroom, get some exercise, and get some attention. What was so hard about any of that? She thought they were a lot easier to get along with than cats, at least that had been her experience.
“Well, for one thing, people often buy puppies because they think they’re so cute. They make their kids promise to take care of the puppy, but animals require more than most kids understand. They need to learn things like potty training, walking on a leash, and how to deal with them when they’re chewing on anything and everything. I’m grateful I didn’t have to go through all that with Jett, but I did my research beforehand.
“I knew I wanted a dog, so I read articles, watched videos online, you know, stuff like that. Most people see a free puppy, think it’s adorable, and take it home.” Brigid shook her head and sighed. “When they get bigger, the messes get bigger, and suddenly nobody wants to deal with the puppy or dog anymore.
“The sad thing is, most people don’t even bother to post online that they’re looking to rehome their pet. They just dump the dog somewhere, thinking someone will pick the animal up and take it home. But little dogs like Lucky can’t fend for themselves. He truly is lucky that you guys saw him and stopped. Who knows what could have happened to him if you hadn’t rescued him?”
“I get it,” Holly said nodding. “They like the puppy when it’s cute and small, but when it gets bigger and starts to make a mess, they’re done with it. But what I don’t understand is giving up on it. You’d think they’d love the animal enough to keep on trying.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Brigid said. “Dogs are living, breathing beings that are full of emotions. They need more than just food and water. They need exercise, patience, and discipline, kind of like people,” she said with a smile.
“The vet said Lucky was suffering from a bit of m
alnutrition, but otherwise he was fine. When we left the vets, we took him to a dog groomer to trim the tangles out his fur and make him look a little better. He had a few on his belly that I didn’t feel comfortable trimming myself, plus I wanted to find out if he needed any special sort of treatment because of his coat.
“The groomer said if we just keep him brushed and give him an occasional bath, that should be good enough. She did tell us she thought he was the cutest little dog she’d ever seen and said if we ever just wanted to freshen him up a bit, she’d make time to squeeze him in. He was a good boy for her.”
“Glad to hear it. I think he looks cute with all that fluff. I’d hate to see it trimmed,” Holly said.
“If he gets hot in the summer, we may have to trim him a little more than he is now, but I don’t think that will be a problem. Jett does just fine, and look how much hair he has,” Brigid said. “However, every dog is different, so we’ll have to wait and see.”
“Makes sense to me. Oh, I almost forgot to tell you that I went to the library today before work to see if I could find out any information on who may have donated that coat.”
Holly decided she wanted to see if Brigid knew any of the people who might have donated it. Granted, she had Wade checking online, but that didn’t mean he’d be able find the person they were looking for. And she was concerned that they only had last names for two of them.
Even though Cottonwood Springs was a small town, there would probably be several residents who shared the same last name. Add to that the fact that someone from a nearby town could have decided to drop off coats and the search area just expanded.
“What did you get?” Brigid asked, interested. Holly knew she couldn’t resist a good mystery. Putting clues together was one of Brigid’s favorite hobbies. It was the reason she was being added on as a consultant for the sheriff's department. Brigid was just good at figuring things out. Once Sheriff Davis realized how helpful she could be, he was more than happy to have her join him after she’d gone through some basic law enforcement training.
Holly Lewis Mystery series Box Set Page 19
