Page 42 of Here With Me

Ouch. Sadie immediately stuck her fingertip in her mouth. Oh, that hurt. But the cover of the ledger stayed open, and her dad’s familiar handwriting peeked out at her.

After shaking her hand, she pulled out the book and flipped through the pages. The yellowed pages were filled with names and numbers. Some of the entries were over twenty years old, and the pencil markings had faded. There was an entry from Dale Kensington. He’d moved out of town years ago. She continued looking through the names.

Every single entry listed someone who took out a line of credit at the store.

She gripped the book to her chest and pushed back from the desk. It was too soon to get her hopes up, but maybe, just maybe, this would help her keep the store.

If these were really outstanding charges, perhaps she could collect a few of them. It would go a long way toward the remaining amount due to the bank. Since paying the bank had wiped out her savings, any extra funds would be appreciated.

The bell jingled, and Sadie stood up. She’d have to worry about this later. “Be right there.”

“Just me,” her father called back. Well then, she’d get a chance to talk to him now.

Sitting back down, Sadie opened the ledger and studied the names.

“Brought you some lunch. Your mom made soup and thought you’d like some.” Her dad set a thermos on the desk and settled in the black plastic chair across from her. “Oh, I know that look. What’s up?”

Sadie slid the ledger forward and tapped it. “Don’t you think that this is something I should have known about? We have lines of store credit and a massive bill due. You didn’t think to tell me about this?”

Her dad bristled. “Those are people in town who needed some help. Those are my friends, and this is between me and them.”

“Are you serious right now?” What about her? What about the store?

Her dad nodded. “Yes.”

“Who’s running this store? You or me? You asked me to come home, to run the store. Have you changed your mind?”

Her dad’s shoulders rounded. His wrinkles deepened. She hated fighting with him, and guilt racked her for upsetting him.

“Haven’t changed my mind. But these credits weren’t given to just anyone. Sometimes things are hard. Those people had big families, medical bills, a burst pipe, a large freeze that knocked out their crops—each person has a story. And while I do run a business, those are my people. And if I can help them out, I will.”

“They should pay you back.”

“They’ll pay when they can.”

“This isn’t a charity, Dad. This is a business.” Sadie shook her head. “Do you trust me to run it?”

Her dad scooted forward and placed his elbows on the desk. “You know I do. It’s just…this is not just business. These are my friends.”

“Friends who enjoy having a local hardware store. But we can’t keep our doors open this way.” Sadie let out a sigh. Her dad’s jaw ticced. “Why not tell me about this?”

Shaking his head back and forth, her dad stood and paced away from the desk. “I saw those as personal, not business. But you’re right, I should have told you about them. I guess I’m having a harder time letting go than I realized. But I trust you to do the right thing.”

The bell jingled, and Sadie called out a greeting. “Work calls, Dad.”

They walked to the front of the store together, her dad patting her on the back. “I’ll tell your mom I gave you the soup.”

When Sadie stepped out of the aisle, David stood with a tiny bundle of orange fur pressed against his firm chest, a cat carrier in one hand, bits of cat hair spread across his black T-shirt.

The kitten.

Her dad sneezed. “I’d shake your hand, but I’m allergic. Talk to you kids later.” The bell jingled as he left.

David’s gaze flickered to the door then back to Sadie. “You okay?

The kitten snuggled deeper into David’s chest, and, wow, if it didn’t make him even more appealing. Talking about anything other than her mixed emotions toward him would be easy.

“There’s so much going on behind the scenes here. You have no idea.”

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