"When I was twelve, I punched him in the nose for teasing Donny Knee about not being able to say 'fish.'"
"Wait." She blinked. "Are you Max Finnegan?"
"That's me, yes," I said, confused. "Or it was. My last name is Sayers now."
"It's me, Denise," she said. "I remember you doing it. It's one of my all-time favorite memories."
"Denise Wilmington?" I looked up at her, and suddenly I realized why her voice sounded familiar. "But your hair..." The Denise I remembered had been a flaming redhead.
She laughed. "I put a temporary color in it, just for fun. I'm still a ginger."
"Wow. You look good either way. I'm so glad to see you!" I said, still clutching the book. "I had no idea you were still in town!"
"I manage Sea Beans," she told me.
"The coffee shop down on Main Street?"
"That's the one," she said.
"I can't believe it," I said, my spirits rising a little bit at the encounter with an old friend. We'd been inseparable those summers in Snug Harbor, but had lost touch after that time had ended. "I'm so glad you're here. We'll have to catch up!"
She glanced behind her at the line. "I should probably let you ring up your customers, but I'd love that. I've got to go home and get dinner for the kids, but are you around tomorrow?"
"All day," I said.
"I'll bring some coffee after the morning shift, and we can catch up!"
"I'd love that," I said, feeling my heart expand. I finished the transaction and handed her the book. "Thank you so much for coming."
"The pleasure was all mine," she said, eyes sparkling. "See you tomorrow, okay?"
"I can't wait."
6
I spent the next hour at the register, too busy to think too much about the contested deed or the permits or my ex-husband or Scooter Dempsey. Well, almost too busy. Sales were remarkably good that first night; we moved a lot of Kirsten's books, along with a smattering of other books, mainly from the front display table Bethany had put together, and I asked Kirsten to sign stock so that we could continue featuring her books for folks who couldn't make it to her reading. As uncomfortable as it was knowing that she was my ex-husband's girlfriend, I was grateful to her, and I couldn't say I disliked her.
Although I wasn't going to come out and say I liked her, either.
"This was so fun!" she gushed as she signed a book, looking up at me from long-lashed eyes. Ted stood a few feet behind her, looking like he wasn't sure what to do, and my mother was watching all of us as she pretended to rearrange napkins on the snack table. Bethany had just dished out the last of the punch to a few stragglers and had promised to take over the register until close. "I think you're going to have a great little business here," Kirsten said. "Theodore tells me you're interested in writing mysteries, too!"
I glanced at him with a stiff smile. What hadn't he told her about me? "I've thought about it," I confessed.
"Well, you absolutely should. I know it never seems like the right time, but you just have to dive in there, you know? I mean, just like you did with the store here, and look how well that's turning out!"
Considering the conversation I'd had with Cal Parker a few hours earlier, I wasn't so sure how well it was turning out, but I wasn't going to share that with Kirsten. "I'll think about it," I said.
"You should start a mystery writing group. That's how I got my start in the business. It would be fun, and bring people into the store, too!"
I hated to admit it was a good idea, but it was. "You may be right," I admitted. "I'll talk to Bethany about setting something up."
Kirsten finished signing the last book with a flourish and added it to the stack. "I know the bookstore is about to close for the evening, and I was wondering: would you like to join Theodore and me for dinner? I feel like I already know you, but I'd love it if we could be friends."
I stole a glance at Ted, who looked like he'd rather spend a few quality minutes in an electric chair than go to dinner with his ex-wife and his new girlfriend. I shared the sentiment, so I declined. "Thanks for the offer, but I'm so wiped out from the launch that I think I'm going to clean up, take a bath, and collapse in bed." I smiled at her. "I appreciate it, though, and enjoyed meeting you. Thanks again for coming out; it really made a big difference."
"My pleasure. Anytime!" she said, getting up and smoothing out her tight skirt. "Theodore, do you have my bag?"
"Right here," he said, producing it like a dutiful Sherpa. He'd done the same for me so many times over the years. And now he never would again. The grief shot through me again, suddenly, taking my breath away, realizing that what we had for so long, as imperfect as it was, was finished now.
"Well, we're off. Theodore tells me that the Lobster Thermidor at the Chart House is divine. If you change your mind..."
"Thanks," I said, "but perhaps another time."
"Of course," she responded. "Thanks again. And it's a beautiful little store you've got; I wish you all the success in the world."
"Likewise," I said feebly.
"Good to see you," Ted said awkwardly, then walked over and gave me a wooden-feeling hug.
