Page 84 of Library or Lattes?

James: I’m up I’m up!

Me: Don’t lie

James: Fine, I’m up now …

James sent me a picture he’d taken in the mirror. Bed hair, boxers, mid-yawn.

Me: See you in ten ☺

I put on my sweatpants and hoodie, tied up my hair, and jogged to James’s place.

He opened the door before I reached it and handed me a glass of water.

Then I grabbed his hand and pulled him outside into the milky blue dawn.

I hooked my arm through his and we walked through Oak Falls, to nowhere in particular.

“So why did you want to walk so bad? And so early?”

“Okay, well, I’ve kind of decided what I’m going to do about the money.” I shook my head. “Not kind of. I’ve decided.”

“Oh, really?” James’s hand tightened around mine.

“Well, I was looking through my travel journal last night.” I had to tell him everything. “And then I read some of my mom’s old notebook … and it was just like, really obvious. Like the answer was there in front of me the whole time.”

I realized we’d walked all the way to the apple orchard now. The sun was coming up, and golden hues spilled over the trees, making their leaves glow.

“Oh yeah?” James asked tentatively.

We kept walking through the orchard, soft, dew-covered grass underfoot, then up the hill, toward the Kissing Tree. Like we’d been brought here by some kind of bigger force.

“I can’t believe we almost lost it,” I whispered, my train of thought diverted for a moment.

“You’re killing me here. Tell me. Is this it? Are we done?” James looked at me with genuine fear in his eyes.

“I’m going traveling.” I blurted it out. I hadn’t meant to say it like that, with no explanation, but it just came out, and I watched the disappointment wash over him.

“That’s great, Willa,” he said sadly. Willa. Not Red. He rubbed his neck and turned away from me to look out over the trees.

“James …” I put my hand on his stubbled cheek. “No! That’s only part of it. You see, when I looked through my lists, I noticed that in every single city I wanted to see, I’ve written Go to a coffee shop.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Sorry. This is completely my fault. I had a whole proposition for you and everything, I even rehearsed it on the way over. Let me start again … James … I don’t want to go to college next year. I want to stay and work in the coffee shop, and for you to make me … co-manager?” I smiled at him hopefully.

“Really?” The smile was slowly returning to his face.

“Really. The Little Acorn … it’s where I come alive. I’m good at the work. I love it. I’ve always loved it. Why would I ever want to leave? And now with you here? I know exactly where I need to be.”

James kissed the tip of my nose. “I’m not sure you’ll ever know how happy it makes me to hear you say that.”

“Hold that thought.” I held up a finger. “So. Like I was saying. I still want to go traveling. Just not all at once.”

“Okay …” James’s eyes were shining now, like he was just as excited for me as I was for myself.

“I want to use the money to go on research trips. I want to go to coffee shops in every city I visit, try the food, the drinks, take notes and pictures and bring it all back to Oak Falls. So it won’t just be the quaintness the tourists come here for, it’ll be for our international coffee shop! Everyone will love it, tourists and locals too. They can drink the drinks they love but with an Oak Falls twist!” I couldn’t stop smiling. And I had to take a deep breath, because I clearly hadn’t bothered doing it while I was explaining and now I was dizzy.

“You’re sure this is really what you want? Truly? You’re not planning to run off to Rome with Penn State?”