My Beautiful Neighbor (The Greene Family Book 1) by Piper Rayne (android based ebook reader txt) 📗

and there. Touches the wall the apple tree is painted on. Smiles at the toadstools. Frowns at the young adult section. When I hit thirteen, my mom feared how much books could teach me about boys. But that’s still my favorite genre to read.

“It’s cute. You did a great job. I knew you would.”

Then I realize that my dad still hasn’t come in. I thought maybe he was parking the car or something. “Where’s Dad?”

She sets her purse on the counter, near the cash register. “He sends his apologies. He had to work. You know how it is.”

I really don’t, but it’s the same excuse she always gives when it comes to him. “Oh, okay.”

“But he wanted me to tell you how proud of you he is. I think you’ll be getting a special delivery tomorrow.” She winks, which means a giant bouquet is on its way. It’s his go-to move. My dad should invest in growers with the amount of flowers he has to send every year.

“I’m sure I’ll love them.”

She winds her arm through mine. “Do we need to do anything beforehand?”

I look around. “I think I’m ready.”

I could use a bottle of vodka to calm my nerves before I unlock those doors and welcome all of Sunrise Bay. I’m not gonna lie, I wish Cade was here with me, but clearly whatever we were is over.

“Then show me the town,” she says as though Sunrise Bay is Disney World.

“Yeah. Want to do lunch?”

“Not at the brewery though, right?”

Although they have great food, I am not entering that establishment until I have to. “Nope. We’ll find somewhere else. A lot of the places on the bay have opened up now that tourist season is almost here.”

She pats my hand. “I can’t wait to spend the day with you.”

She beams, seeming like she’s genuinely on cloud nine with me. She tried for years for a child and always says I was her blessing, her answered prayer. This might be the first time in a long time that I’m really feeling it though and it took me coming here for it to happen.

As we step out of the store and I lock it, Cade is crossing the road from The Grind, a drink in his hand. He looks horrible. When he glances over, he stops. Mom’s too busy chatting about how the town looks like a place Dad took her up in Vermont to notice.

My eyes lock with Cade’s, and I wish more than anything that I knew what made him do a one-eighty with me. What scared him away? I wish he could talk to me about it.

I turn my mom in the other direction and I don’t look back because as it is, I’m sucking back tears. Where did it all go wrong in such a short amount of time? But my breakdown will have to wait. Right now, I’m going to enjoy the time with someone who wants to be with me.

Clara bites her lip and nods. “Do it.”

I unlock the door and she claps. My mom is busy rearranging the kids’ section because she said I should put my most loved books from when I was younger, front and center. I watch while the people of Sunrise Bay walk into my new store for the first time.

“Now you can sample the beers over at Truth or Dare, but we both have the bundles of the beer and books to purchase,” I announce, but everyone is looking around and they don’t seem to pay much attention.

Clara elbows me. “Everything’s going great. A few old ladies are in the romance section, pretending to be lost.”

I’m not surprised that I recognize them from the Northern Lights Retirement Center.

A few customers ask me for specific books, telling me they love that I’ll be just down the street. Others ask me about special orders and if they can place a request. A woman approaches me about starting a book club one night a month because she loves discussing books but none of her friends like to read what she does.

Everything is going great. Midway through the night, the crowd dwindles because I’m sure most of them are congregated over in Truth or Dare—hopefully buying more books and beer. Jed said it’s important that we sell a lot tonight, that there’s some kind of bragging rights for the two companies that earn the most.

“Seems everyone loves your store.” Mom comes alongside me as I’m checking a woman out.

“I think so.”

“Now you just have to hope it continues and it’s not a one-night thing.”

My mom can be pessimistic when it comes to something that’s working against her. And The Story Shop succeeding is definitely working against her because it means I’ll stay here.

Over the years, I’ve learned not to fight with her but go with the flow. No need to rile her up when nothing is final. “I hope so.”

Her hand runs down my back. “You did a great job. I’m going to head next door and check out what they’re doing to drive business here.”

“Really?” I ask because a brewery is not my mom’s scene.

“Well, I want to make sure they’re showing off your books just as much as they are their beer.”

Clara smiles from across the room.

“Clara, do you want to take her over there?” I ask.

She sets down the book in her hand. “Sure. Come on, Mrs. Knight. You might like one of the beers.”

“Oh no, I do not drink beer.” My mom looks at Clara for a moment. She hasn’t yet addressed the fact that Clara’s my biological sister. I’m pretty sure it’s Mom’s way of pretending it’s not happening. “If you had blonde hair, the two of you would be spitting images of one another.”

Clara glances at me over my mom’s shoulder in surprise, and I’m sure I match her expression.

I waggle my eyebrows at Clara. “Maybe you should go blonde.”

“I did, about a decade ago. Too much maintenance,” she says with a smile.

“Truth. Maybe I