Page 3 of Forget Me Knot

Finally, her eyes take in the crystal chandeliers I hand-picked to bring a bit of clean glamor to the space, where a few clusters of pink, orange, and mint beads hang inside. I sigh to myself, thinking of how hard they were to get installed, but how accomplished I felt when I finally managed to hang the first one.

Charlie nods as if she’s pleased with what she sees and says, “I own the essential oils and herbal medicine shop on the corner three doors down from you, Happy Healing. I brought you a premium basket from my shop. Ya got all ya need and more in there to get ya through.”

Through what? I have no idea.

“You, my dear,” Charlie says, clapping and whipping around in my direction, “have done a right fine job with this place. It used to be a soda shop, though I’m sure ya already knew that. Lots of pink for my taste, but I suppose it goes into the marketing of it all. I’ve got earth tones over yonder.”

She smiles at me, and then, though we quite literally met three minutes ago, Charlie—my new bff—grabs my shoulders and pulls me into a hug. “You are gonna do just fine! I’ll be here later, of course, to support you and introduce ya to the rest of the gang.” She pulls away but doesn’t release my arms. I am positive I look like a possum staring down headlights, and I have no idea whothe gangis exactly, but I wonder if they know all my personal information, too. “You holler if you need anything at all.”

With a twinkle in her eye, she pats my arms and turns on her tiny little heels without warning, calling over her shoulder as she leaves, “It smells divine in here, Dinah! It’ll be a grand opening, indeed.”

She flutters out the door as bubbly and suddenly as she entered, and I look around the space one more time, then at my mint shoes, clicking the toes together.

“Don’t fail me now.”

2

ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN

CAROLINE PENNELL

DINAH

As far as small-town grand openings go, Knotty & Nice is booming. The perfect playlist bounces lightly from the speakers on the ceiling. A handful of locals wait in line for their orders to be taken, and there’s been a steady flow of customers since I officially opened the doors a few hours ago.

As promised, Charlie smashed her face against my window again right at opening, pushing her way through the door first and introducing me to some ofthe gang, who are really just fellow business owners around town.

Jan, the owner of the local record store, looks as if she’s been dragged here against her will. She lingers in the corner at one of the high-top tables with a few of the others, scoping out every inch of the place as if she needs to find a way out.

“How are we doin’ over here?” I ask, refilling waters and complimentary coffees. “Can I get y’all anything else?”

“It looks like a Barbie box exploded in here,” Jan grumbles, sipping her coffee and wincing as she swallows. “You should use less pink.”

I look at my surroundings then back at the woman dressed like she stepped out of an early 2000’s music video. Emory went through a brief emo stage, herself. I recognize the signs: lots of black on black, impossibly tight ankle jeans, and Converse for every occasion. Shrugging, I give her my brightest smile. “I just love pink. But I’ll take that into consideration, Jan. Thank you.

Maloy, one of two brothers who own the most outlandish karaoke bar I’ve ever heard of—Tots, Collaborate, & Listen—smiles at me and leans over the table. “I don’t think ya need to change a thing. It’s sweet as sugar in here and seems to match you just perfectly. But why don’t ya pull up a chair and join us, beautiful.” I swear, his dimpled chin almost winks at me as he points a million-dollar smile my way and nudges his brother out of his chair. “We’d all just love to get to know ya better.”

Nate, Maloy’s older brother, could be his twin if it weren’t for his dark framed glasses and equally dark hair, against Maloy’s dirty blonde. He elbows Maloy and reseats himself. “What my brother meant to say is this place is great, and we are doin’ just fine.”

There’s that phrase again,just fine. I think it must be a Honey Hill thing until Charlie pinches Maloy on the back of his arm and he screeches, “Mama!” as he leaps from his seat.

“Forgive my son for bein’ an absolute rascal on such a big night for you, Dinah.”

Maloy looks only slightly chastised, rubbing the spot on his arm but grinning wide at me all the same.

Charlie puts her arm around my waist, classic Southerner with little awareness of personal boundaries, but I find that I don’t mind her affection. “Now, these pretzels are nothin’ short of culinary genius. Tell me you’ve thought about joinin’ the Badger Bites Competition?”

“I have no idea what those words mean.” I smile, feeling the eyes of the others on me. Maloy, in particular, keeps doingsomething akin to a smolder that either looks sexy or a little bit constipated.

“Oh, you’d be just perfect,” Charlie continues, giving my waist a squeeze and looking at me over the rim of her lavender frames. “Our local baseball team, the Honey Hill Badgers, are lookin’ for a snack sponsor. They’re makin’ it a whole big thang. Competition, taste off, and a big reveal at the first game of the year. Your pretzels are a shoo-in, girlie! You should enter!”

“Oh! Maybe I will. Sounds awesome.”

Nate leans over the table a bit. “You’ll have to beat our tots first.” Because, apparently, their karaoke bar sells nothing but various tater tot dishes. I stepped in once, and there’s honestly nothing like it. He winks and slaps his brother on the back.

“Oh, yeah,” Maloy rubs his hands together, hair falling in his face. “We’re cookin’ up something special. You’re lookin’ at some stiff competition, Dinah Knot. I hope you’re ready.”

I shake my head at the Banner boys’ antics and sincerely hope I get to spend more time with them. “Lookin’ forward to it. I’ll be back to check on y’all in a bit, okay?”

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