Page 15 of Overdue I Love You's
“That’s not?—”
Thunder rumbles.
Sunny is fifty percent right. The sky is full of dark clouds, but I came prepared. There’s an umbrella shading the first chunk of my books, and the other half is inside the store. This is an investment. Sell a book, give a free flower. Boom, new customer in the making.
I’m a genius.
Scratch that, I’m Albert Einstein’s prodigy.
“Okay, maybe it will rain and only five people come but there’s a bright side to everything.”
“Being broke is not a positiveanything.”
Letting out a deep breath, I turn to tape the bold five at the front of the table. “Let’s give this a chance, please?”
Sunny slumps into the chair, pulling her curly hair into a bun as she looks at the street for herds of people to approach. “Fine, but if no one comes in the next hour, I’m leaving.”
I give her an air kiss. “I owe you an iced capp.”
“I’m not sure if someone your age should be reading it,” I hold onto the book with all the strength I can muster. The girl looks about ten or eleven—the age I first started reading books with graphic levels of smut in it.
“I’ve been on Wattpad,” she says through a gritted smile, pullingthe book towards her. I’m yanked forward. But I’m not quitter. I got this book when I barely had money—less than now, that is. One Saturday afternoon, before my first bill was due, I went out and the cover shone like a prophecy waiting for me to grab it.
“This is worse,” I pull the book back on my side. Her tight, blonde ponytail comes loose. She instantly huffs.
“Why have a book sale if you aren’t going to let me,” she pulls harder. “Buy the damn book.”
Then with mighty strength, she steals the book from my hand. Instantly, shoving it under her armpit and away from my sticky hands.
I narrow my eyes, making a hinder forward gesture with my finger. “Look, kid. Just give me the book back and we can be on our way.”
“Or,” she breathes out. Her cheeks red and exhausted. “You can sell me it and start reading self-help books because you’re crazy.”
“Thank you,” I glare. Not like I didn’t know that. “But give it back. I’ve decided not to sell it anymore.”
“It came out in 2013, why does it matter to you now?”
“Because.”
She cocks her hip out, a brow raised.
I scoff while tucking hair behind my ears. “You’re a child, I don’t have to explain myself to you.”
“I’m fifteen and probably speak to more guys than you ever have in your lifetime, grandma.”
Audiblegasp. What an insane kid. I snarl. Bare my teeth. Whatever dangerous animal has sharp fangs, I become double it. Scratch that, I become a hybrid of it. “Listen here you littlebrat?—”
“I amsosorry,” Sunny runs out of the shop and stands in between me and the twat. “Are you still looking to buy the book?”
“Sunny,” I say but she turns around and glares.
The girl smiles, inhumanely. Gosh, someone send her to a hospital. Or a science lab. “I am, yes.”
“It’ll be fifteen dollars,” Sunny speaks professionally.
The girl hands her three five dollar bills, sticks her tongue out at me, then walks away.
“I wasn’t going to sell the book,” I slump on a chair. “I didn’t even get to say goodbye.”
