“Y’all, nothing’s going to change,” Riley assured them. “This has been the only pharmacy in town for half a century. Almost everybody comes here. That’s not going to change just because Walgreens opens up on the other side of town. People aren’t going to be so easily seduced.”
She hoped like hell that was true.
“I think we oughta call in Norah,” Ruby said.
Earlier that year, Norah Burke had waged and won a war against a warehouse store that had threatened their small town way of life. She’d mobilized the citizenry to form a citizen’s coalition and made huge strides in the revitalization of downtown Wishful—and that had all been before she’d been hired as the new City Planner. She was a woman who made things happen. But even she couldn’t put a genie back in its bottle.
“Norah has bigger things to do than be bothered about something that can’t be changed,” Riley said. “If Walgreens is already in the process of retrofitting the building, they’re coming. Even she’s not going to be able to stop that. Our customers are loyal. We’re going to be fine.”
A steady stream of patrons put an end to the discussion and seemed to prove Riley’s point. They were exceptionally busy for a Saturday, with everybody trying to get in before the pharmacy closed at noon. As the lunch hour drew near, Riley cut Jessie loose to go work on the latest city beautification project, so she was alone as the last customer of the day wandered in.
“Tara! How good to see you.”
Tara Honeycutt crossed to the counter with an unconscious grace that Riley envied. “I come bearing a special delivery of legal stimulants from Cassie. Just got off my shift at The Grind.”
Pleased, surprised, Riley accepted the coffee and took a deep inhale. “God, I have such a weakness for these. Thanks. Those are really fabulous earrings, by the way.”
Tara lifted a hand to the funky chandelier earrings made up of long, fanciful twists of wire. “Thanks. They’re just something I’ve been playing around with in my spare time.”
“You made those?” Riley leaned in for a closer look. “Those are amazing. You could absolutely sell something like that.”
“I did for a while on Etsy before they screwed the marketplace by removing the handmade requirement. These days it’s too hard to get found there, and I don’t have all that much time in the first place juggling both jobs and the kids.”
“Where are they today?”
“Vacation Bible School this week. Not that Austin is any happier about that than he has been about anything he’s done this summer.” She rolled her hazel eyes. “I am not, as he likes to point out, his parent.”
“Raising your siblings has to be hard on you.”
Tara shrugged. “It’s better than the alternative. They need someone in their life who’s stable and responsible. Anyway, I needed to pick up some more syringes for Ginny before I teach my one o’clock class at the gym.”
“Which is it today?”
“Pilates. Then yoga at two-thirty. You should come.”
Riley snorted with laughter. “I am not bendy, nor am I graceful.”
“You can’t get bendy without trying,” Tara pointed out. “There’s a beginner class Tuesdays and Thursdays at seven. Great way to unwind from the day.”
“I’ll think about it. Now. Syringes.” Riley retrieved them. “How’s Ginny doing on that new dosage? Are you having any trouble?”
“Her blood sugar’s pretty stable, but we’re fighting the athlete’s foot again.”
“Bless her. There’s an oil for that. Several, actually. But probably your best option is Melaleuca.”
“Mela what now?”
“Melaleuca. Tea tree oil. It’s likely to work when the over-the-counter stuff doesn’t. Want to give it a try?” Seeing her brief hesitation, Riley added, “It’s really affordable. A little bit goes a very long way, so a bottle is likely to last you up to a year.”
“Okay. How do we use it?”
Warming to her subject, Riley all but bounced. Essential oils were a personal passion. She retrieved the oil and scribbled down instructions on application to send home with Tara. As she launched into an explanation of carrier oils, the bell over the door jangled. Even though she didn’t look, even though she was very focused on her customer and her pet subject, Riley knew Liam had just walked in. The store suddenly felt ten degrees warmer, the air thicker and harder to breathe.
Done with the instructions, Riley held them out, keeping her gaze fixed on Tara. “You should also use it to make a shower spray to use between showers. It’ll help kill the bacteria that keeps reinfecting her feet.”
As Tara took the offered paper, Riley caught sight of Liam standing patiently off to the side. God he looked good. She hadn’t seen him in days, and it was a struggle to keep her attention on the sale. Pathetic. Up until January, she’d hardly seen him in twelve years.
She finished ringing Tara up. “Let me know how it works out for you.”