Page 67 of Library or Lattes?

Pop looked at Jo, who shrugged and smiled, indicating it was his decision.

“Are you sure?” Pop asked me carefully.

“Yeah, of course. It’ll be fun.” I smiled at Jo.

She stepped out from behind Pop. “Why don’t I run to the store and get us some snacks. Any requests?”

Pop waved his hand dismissively, then stopped. “If they have any of those peanut butter cups, I wouldn’t say no.”

“I’ll grab enough for seven,” Jo said. “Bye!”

And then it was just us. Pop and me, like always.

“I’m sorry for freaking out,” I apologized. “You’re entitled to your own life.”

“Wills, you had every right. I shouldn’t have kept it from you. And of course, we both have our own lives, as well as the one we share, but up until now, we’ve always told each other everything. I’m the one who’s sorry.”

I shook my head. “Forget it. It’s over.”

“Your mom and I told each other everything. And when she passed, we kept that going. It’s been us against the world for so long that I didn’t know how to deal with it …?”

“We’re good,” I said with a smile. “And, Pop, Jo seems really nice. I can’t wait to get to know her outside the library.”

“She is really nice. Thanks for giving her a chance. And your travels, Will?”

“I think I’m going to do some,” I admitted.

His eyes sparkled. “That’s what I like to hear.”

When Jo was back and my friends arrived, we didn’t really watch the movie. Well, it was on in the background, but Lennie and Jo were busy talking about books, and Krista, Avery, and I were interrogating Sara about her intentions with our best friend, in a super-chill way, of course. Pop kind of just sat there and looked at us all fondly, probably relieved that nobody was fighting anymore.

When Pop left to take Jo home, Krista turned to me. “Okay, we grilled Sara about Lennie, and now it’s your turn, Willa Taylor. What’s going on with you and that hot guy from the coffee shop?”

I sighed.

“Well, we’ve kind of been having this weird on-off thing. Like either full-on making out, or him having a full-on personality transplant and being all cold and weird.” I felt a rush of … something as I remembered him telling me I was the best thing in his week, just before I announced I was leaving.

“Okay, let’s never not talk again,” Lennie begged. “I’ve missed out on so much.”

“Yeah, seriously, guys, do you know how annoying that was for the rest of us?” Krista asked.

“What she said,” added Avery.

“Continue!” Sara demanded with a grin.

I filled them in on—almost—everything that had happened. I wanted to keep James separate from the stuff about Aunt Lisa. “And well, it’s so strange, because he can be really sweet, like he noticed when one day I didn’t wear my green scarf and he knows my favorite mug at the coffee shop … but …”

“But?” Sara prompted.

“But then, like I said, total personality change to cold and grumpy. I know he had a fiancée, but he hasn’t told me anything about it, or her. So I don’t know if, really, it’s all something to do with that. It’s so confusing.” I exhaled with the relief of sharing my worries.

“You need to go for it, he’s gorgeous,” said Sara. “Have you seen him, Lennie? Like total rugged-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside vibes. Like a Tootsie Pop in a flannel shirt …”

Lennie squinted at her. “You got all that from just looking at him?”

“I’m perceptive.” Sara shrugged. “And I only mean gorgeous if you’re into that sort of thing,” she added, embarrassed.

“Are you into that sort of thing?” Lennie gave Sara an exaggerated shocked face.