I laughed. “Yes.”
She shyly glanced away. “You’re way cuter though.”
That made me laugh even harder. I stood and handed her the book. “You should add this to your list if you haven’t read it yet.”
Reaching out, she took it. “Thanks, I’ll put it in my phone. I keep a list of books I want to read in there.”
Before I turned to walk to the front of the bookstore, I said, “Happy reading.”
“Thanks! Enjoy your day.”
Candace stood at the counter speaking to an older gentleman while Greer checked out who I assumed was the man’s wife.
With a genuine smile, Greer handed her a paper bag that had the bookstore’s name on it. It was cute, adding a personal touch to their shopping experience, which I liked.
With a wave, Greer said, “Have an amazing weekend, and enjoy your stay in Boggy Creek.”
“Oh, we will,” the older man said with a wink in her direction.
I cleared my throat, and Greer turned to face me. My eyes immediately drifted down to her mouth before I had to force them back up.
“All done?” she asked.
“Yep, at least for right now. I didn’t get much writing in, unfortunately.”
She frowned but then grinned. “Well, I have great news. My father said the cabin is yours for as long as you’d like. He’s not planning on using it this fall, and neither is my brother.”
“That’s wonderful news. Can I Venmo him the money for it?”
Greer laughed. “No. I don’t think my father even knows what Venmo is. Instead of paying him to stay there, he wants to know if you’re handy with a hammer and drill.”
That caused my brows to draw in. “Um, I am.”
“Perfect. He said there are a few repairs that he and my brother have been meaning to get to but haven’t had time yet. Nothing big. If you think you can fix them, you can stay there for free.”
“Free?” I asked, pulling my head back in surprise. “I can’t stay there for free.” It was my turn to frown. “What does this cabin look like?”
She chuckled. “It’s actually super cute. And I’m just passing along what he said. It’s just sitting there empty. He emailed me a list of things and told me to take you up to check it out. If you’re interested, I can bring you up now. I mean, if you’re not doing anything else.”
I had to force myself not to shout the word yes. Instead, I waited a few moments, pretending like I was seriously considering it all. Then, I nodded. “That sounds fair. Now, do you do gift cards for the bookstore?”
“Yes. Do you want to buy one for someone?”
With a nod, I pulled out my wallet. “Yes. There’s a young girl sitting in the back corner. She mentioned she can’t afford to buy the book she’s reading, and that you let her come in and read.”
“Oh, yeah, that’s Jenny Mills. Her father has been raising her on his own after his wife died giving birth to their second child. The baby didn’t make it very long after Jennifer—Jenny’s mom—passed away. It’s just been Jenny and Milo. He tries his best, and honestly, he would give her money for books, but Jenny tries not to burden him. She’s saving up for college. She wants to be an English teacher, and with her father being a teacher himself, money is…tight.”
I glanced back over my shoulder in the direction where Jenny was sitting, most likely still reading. “Well, I’d like to buy her a gift card, so she can buy some books.”
Something on Greer’s face changed, and she stared at me for a moment before she placed her hand over her stomach.
“That is so sweet of you!” Candace said when Greer didn’t acknowledge my request. “How much did you want on the gift card?”
Greer was still staring at me, so I turned my attention to Candace. “Um, six.”
“Six dollars?” Candace asked.
I let out a nervous laugh and said, “No, six hundred.”
“Six-hundred dollars?” both women said at the same time.
“Is that not enough?” I asked.
“Not enough! Hudson, that’s more than generous. Jenny would be happy with twenty,” Greer stated.
“Well, I know what a voracious appetite I had for books at that age, and she had a pretty long list of books on her phone. That should give her a good start. I know how expensive print books can be.”
Both women stared at me. Greer had that weird expression on her face again, and I moved my gaze from her to Candace and then back to Greer. “Are you two okay?”
Candace took a step back and held up her hands. “I totally just swooned. You made me swoon—and let me tell you, I do not swoon for just anyone. Denzel Washington. Regé-Jean Page…they make me swoon, but you just got added to my list.”