Page 70 of Of Literature and Lattes
“The book. You can decide about you,” Janet quipped.
“It’s not far off,” Jeremy conceded. “You should probably charge for that bit of therapy.”
“Reading is therapy.”
“It is... So you’re game?”
Janet snagged a pen. “Give me the date and time, and I’ll mock up a poster for you. And of course we’ll give it the usual book club 15 percent discount.”
“Excellent. I appreciate this. And what about July thirtieth, four weeks from now?”
“That’s fast,” Claire cautioned.
“If you don’t think it’ll be detrimental to the club, I’d like to move fast. It’s time for me to get going.”
“Then we’ll make it work.” Janet rolled her chair to her desk and started typing.
Jeremy smiled. Janet and Alyssa were alike, he thought. They both seemed to believe in him. “Thank you.”
Movement caught Jeremy’s eye and he turned away. Madeline and Becca had just dropped a stack of books on the customer service counter. “And speaking of that, I’d better go. My daughter’s buying out your store.”
Janet called after him, “I’ll bring some posters by tomorrow.”
“What did you two find?” Jeremy met his daughter at the store’s bright green counter and lifted the first book off the stack.
Becca looked to Madeline.
Madeline shook her head. “You can do it... You tell your dad.”
By the soft way she encouraged his daughter, Jeremy got the impression Madeline had picked up on Becca’s consternation. And, while thankful, he lifted a hand to sift through the titles himself so as not to embarrass her.
But Becca picked up the book first. One by one, she sounded her way through each title. “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. Biscuit Goes Camping. Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus. Frog and Toad: The Complete Collection.”
Madeline smiled. “And I’ve put others aside for when you finish those, right?”
“Right.” Becca grinned, then turned to her dad. “Frog and Toad wasn’t on the list, but Madeline says it’s her favorite.”
“I’m a little like Toad.” Madeline tapped the book. “Remember me when you get to the story about cookies and willpower, okay?”
“Okay.” Becca nodded with more enthusiasm about reading than Jeremy had seen since discussions over school and moving, and everything else, began.
Books in hand, Jeremy and Becca hit the sidewalk again. “On to our next stop, Ladybug.”
He led her across the square to the Sweet Shoppe and pushed open the door. The smell of sugar enveloped them, and Jeremy knew they would not leave without some yummy delight. Becca raced forward and reached the display case before the door’s bell finished chiming.
“I’m coming” preceded a woman emerging from the back. She had shoulder-length dark hair and was probably only a few years older than he was. He had never met Jill Pennet before, but knew she owned the shop.
“I’m Jeremy Miller.” He wagged a finger toward the door and across the square. “I bought the Daily Brew.”
“Yes. I’m sorry I never got over to welcome you. I’m Jill.” She reached across the counter.
Her hand felt small and cool within his own.
“It’s my fault. I didn’t reach out to anyone. I was so fixated on the shop.” He looked down at her baked goods, then back to her. “I have a business proposition for you. Without duplicating what you sell here, I wondered if you’d be interested in creating some new things for Andante.”
“Me provide your baked goods?”
“I’m using a mix.”
