Page 30 of Beanful Wishes

Sophia leans in, her reporter's instincts clearly piqued. "What kind of wish?"

Elena's eyes sparkle with excitement. "What if we could create a mobile library? A bus converted into a mobile library and reading space. We could bring books and literacy programs to underserved areas of the city."

I feel a jolt of excitement at the idea. "I like it. But it would be a massive undertaking."

"I know," she nods. "That's why I wanted to run it by you first. I thought maybe we could make it a community-wide project, tie it into that fall event you've been planning."

Sophia and I exchange a look, and I can see the same enthusiasm I'm feeling reflected in her eyes. "It's ambitious," she says slowly, "but I think it could work. We could get local businesses involved, maybe even partner with the school district."

As we start brainstorming ideas, the energy between us is palpable. This is what I love about working with Sophia—the way we can bounce ideas off each other, building on each other's thoughts until something magical takes shape.

In the midst of our excited planning, Mr. Thompson approaches us, his face beaming. "I can't thank you enough for all of this," he says, gesturing around the room. "You've made such a difference for these kids."

I feel a lump form in my throat, overwhelmed by the genuine gratitude in his voice. "We're just glad we could help bring your vision to life," I manage to say.

As Mr. Thompson moves away to help another student, I turn back to Sophia and Elena. "So, what do you think? Should we put this mobile library wish up on the wall?"

Sophia grins, her eyes alight with that spark that never fails to captivate me. "Absolutely. Let's make some more wishes come true."

Coffee Loft hums with its usual afternoon bustle as I wipe down the counter, my mind still buzzing from the Reading Oasis unveiling earlier. The bell above the door chimes, and I look up to see Sophia walking in.

"Hey there, handsome," she says, sliding onto a stool at the counter. "One Lofty Spiced Vanilla Latte, please."

I chuckle, already reaching for her favorite mug. "Coming right up. How was the rest of your day?"

As I prepare her drink, Sophia fills me in on the follow-up interviews she conducted after the unveiling. Her enthusiasm is contagious, and I find myself grinning as I listen to her recount the students' excited reactions.

"Here you go," I say, sliding the steaming mug across the counter to her. "So, ready to tackle our next big project?"

Sophia's eyes sparkle with excitement. "The mobile library? Absolutely. I've been thinking about it all day."

I glance around the shop, making sure Kathryn has everything under control before joining Sophia on the other side of the counter. "Me too. I've got some ideas I want to run by you."

We move to our usual corner table, and I pull out a notebook filled with rough sketches and notes. "I was thinking we could convert an old school bus," I explain, flipping to a page witha basic design. "We could install bookshelves along the sides, maybe have a small reading nook in the back."

Sophia leans in, her shoulder brushing against mine as she studies the sketch. "This is great, Jake. What if we added a fold-out awning on the side? We could set up chairs outside when the weather's nice."

I quickly jot down her suggestion, our ideas flowing back and forth as we build on each other's thoughts. It's moments like these that I cherish most—the easy collaboration, the shared excitement, the way we instinctively understand each other's vision.

As we talk, I notice how close we're sitting, the warmth of Sophia's leg pressed against mine, the way her hair falls forward as she leans over the notebook. My hand itches to brush it back, cup her cheek, and draw her in for a kiss.

But we're in public, and we agreed to take things slow.

I clear my throat and force my attention back to the task at hand. "We should probably start reaching out to local businesses for sponsorships," I say. "And we'll need to find a bus we can convert."

Sophia nods, seemingly unaware of my internal struggle. "I've got some contacts at the school district. I could start there."

"Perfect," I reply, jotting it down. "I'll talk to Elena about organizing a book drive specifically for the mobile library."

As we continue planning, we move to the fall community event. "We could use the event to publicly launch the mobile library project," Sophia suggests. "Get people excited about it, maybe even start a fundraising campaign."

I like the idea. "We could have a booth set up with information about the project, maybe even have a small-scale model of the bus for people to see."

Sophia's face lights up with another idea. "What if we set up a 'Wish Upon a Book' station? People could write their favoritebook titles or reading memories on paper stars and pin them to a big display board."

I laugh. "Look at you, coming up with wishing wall ideas. I'm rubbing off on you."

She grins, playfully bumping her shoulder against mine. "What can I say? You're a bad influence."

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