Cameron smiled and captured Lacey’s lips.
CHAPTER 35
River
“Thank you,” she said, handing the woman her bag.
“This place is great, but have you ever considered another shop?” the woman asked her.
“Sorry?” River said.
“Franchising or something; putting another one in LA or San Francisco; really catering to tourists?”
“We get a lot of those here, too.”
“Just asking. I would’ve missed this place had I not seen that stuff on social media. Did you really get to meet Cameron Levine and Kennedy Gannon?”
“Um… I did, yeah,” she replied and looked over the woman’s shoulder at the longest line they’d had in a while, which was saying something because they’d been busy many times over the years.
“They are, like, goals, you know? Hot, strong women, and they’re together. It’s like the dream, right?”
“Right,” River said through somewhat gritted teeth.
“Anyway, I saw on Insta that Kennedy was hanging out here one day,” the woman went on.
“She came in to… buy something, yeah.”
“So, you’re, like, friends with her now? How cool? Is she here now, or will she maybe be later?”
“That was the only time. And I don’t know. I doubt it. She’s really busy.”
“Oh, cool. Well, this place is kind of out of her way, I bet, but if you had one in LA, she’d probably come more.”
“Maybe. I don’t know. We don’t really talk,” she lied. “She’s a big-time celebrity and everything. I workhere.”
“Excuse me? Can I check out, please?” the woman behind this one asked.
“Yes, sorry,” River replied, thinking she’d have to get another register if this kept up and maybe another employee, too.
“Okay. Well, thanks, I guess,” the first woman said and finally walked off.
River had been slammed open to close ever since that one customer had posted the photo of Kennedy in here and mentioned the shop. She’d had a line nearly non-stop since as well, but this was the longest it had been, and it was almost out the door. She had Michaela over at the other counter, and she had called in her other part-timer, but Zoey had been in class and couldn’t work until later. River would have to see if they could work more hours or she’d have to hire someone else, at least temporarily, to help cover everything. Calista had joined them today, too, and she was making sodas and helping in front of the counter, floating around wherever she was needed, but she couldn’t be here all day every day.
River both wanted this to continue indefinitely and also needed a break. Her favorite part of running this place had always been making people happy with the things she made, but at this pace, she couldn’t spend more than a few minutes in the back making candy, nor could she spend more than a few seconds helping someone pick out their new favorite flavor because they were so busy.
“So, Kennedy Gannon shops here?” another customer asked a minute later.
“Just that day.”
“But you’re the one from that date thing, right?”
“I won the prize, yes, but Kennedy was just here to pick out some candy.”
“She was in a shirt like yours,” the woman noted. “Like she worked here.”
“She doesn’t. I… gave it to her as a gift. Yeah, I gave it to her as a gift,” she repeated for no reason. “Something to remember the shop by.” River’s eyes went wide at her own word salad, and she handed the woman her change. “Thank you for stopping by today.”
The woman walked off then, and River sighed because it was time to close up.
