“God, this really is my lucky summer,” I say, leaning on the counter and trying to pay. Graham puts a hand on my hip before I can, and hands his card to Mrs. Miller.
“Two of those,” he says. “And two rainbow sprinkled donuts.”
‘You havethose,too?” I ask, with wide eyes, trying to ignore the way Graham’s hand burns on my hip. I can feel every finger through the thin fabric of my sundress, and it’s terribly distracting.
“I’ve been trying to keep them in stock just for you,” she says with a wink, not at me, but at Graham. I look at him, increasingly confused by this visit, but Graham just shrugs as if he doesn’t understand, either. Mrs. Miller has also been a bit of a character, so I just brush it off. A moment later, she hands us the white pastry bag with donuts, then takes Graham’s card before we’re instructed to step aside while Mrs. Miller takes another customer’s order, and we wait for our coffees.
“I think I want to do more of that,” he says, and I look at him with wide eyes.
“More of…?” My mind is still on that simple touch, the idiot I am.
I quickly learn that Graham’s is strictly on business.
“Working with local businesses, seeing if we can wholesale from them and carry their products in the gift shop. I was about to place a wholesale order for gift shop items, but maybe it’s better to be more niche. Benefit the local economy, create community, like you keep telling me is important…make it obvious that we’re not just here for the season, but here to actually benefit the town as a whole.”
I stare at him in awe. It seems my weeks of ranting and raving and gushing over the town that I love so much are paying off.
“That’s genius, Graham.”
“You’re the one always telling me how amazing but small this town is. If we want this place to work long-term, it can’t just be for tourists; we need support from the town year-round.” I nod, agreeing. “Let’s spend the afternoon looking around. Do you know any places that would be good candidates?” I blink at him before hesitantly nodding.
“I mean, yeah, but?—”
“Great. Show me around, June. Introduce me to your favorite place on earth.”
There’s something about the way he says it, like he not only understands that Seaside Point is genuinely my favorite place on earth, but also wants to give me the gift of sharing that with him.
I can’t help it.
I move to my tiptoes, wrap my arms around his neck, and hug him tight.
“Oh my god, this is going to be so fun!” I say, cheer dripping into the words. He just stares at me before giving me my second-ever Graham smile and wrapping an arm around my waist to return the hold.
We walk the entire boardwalk.
I show him the candy shop where my grandmother used to get saltwater taffy, and we leave with a giant bag.
I point out the bagel shop Grandpa used to take me to every Sunday.
I show him the best arcade, and the one that’s a total scam.
I show him the little store that makes statues out of shells.
I show him the only sweatshirt place I actually recommend, the one that isn’t just overpriced tourist crap.
I show him the store where they shine up beach diamonds and make all kinds of jewelry.
I show him the candle store, the one that makes the mugs Mrs. Miller showed us, and the shop that has art prints.
“Yours should be up there,” he says low, tipping his chin to a wall that sayslocal artists. I push at his shoulder and roll my eyes before bringing him to our next stop.
“What about these?” Graham asks as we walk through a gift shop. I’ve been making a list of items that would work in the gift shop to try and find local creators or sellers to reach out to over the next few days, but when he points to a cage of hermit crabs, I can’t help but laugh. “They’re kind of terrifying.”
He bends a bit, looking into the chicken wire with a dozen sets of little claws latched onto them with a look of disgust. I can’t blame him, since they aren’t exactly cute. Not that I would ever tell Claire th at.
“They’re hermit crabs. Claire has nine of them, now.” His head lifts, looking at me with confusion and a bit of horror.
“She has nine of those terrifying things? On purpose?”
