Page 9 of Windward Hearts

“Besides,” Eleanor countered, “way more movies are based on books than you realize. What are your three favorite movies?”

Shane tilted his head, thinking. ‘Okay,” he said. “One, Jurassic Park.”

“Book,” Eleanor said.

“Everyone knows that one,” Winnie agreed.

“Fine, I think I’ve heard that,” Shane acknowledged. “But how about… Die Hard?”

Eleanor offered him a sympathetic cringe. “Sorry. Book.”

“Really?”

“Uh huh,” she said, while Winnie looked impressed. “What else you got?”

He pressed his lips together, then snapped his fingers and pointed at her. “Well, this isn’t one of my favorites, but I did know a certain redheaded little girl who couldn’t get enough of the Parent Trap.”

Eleanor snapped her fingers back at him in imitation.

“Believe it or not,” she said, “book. German book, but a book. Gotcha.”

“This cannot be true!” Shane exclaimed. He put down the pile of books in his arms and quickly researched it on his phone. “Huh. You’re right.”

“And don’t you forget it,” Eleanor bragged, her elder sister energy coming out in full force.

This energy, of course, always pulled out Shane’s little brother determination.

“I bet you that I can find a classic, well-known movie that you will enjoy,” he said, “that is not based off a book.”

“I mean, you can’t, but let’s say, for the sake of argument, that you do,” Eleanor challenged. “What are the terms of the bet?”

“If I win, you and Garrett make dinner for Winnie and me. Appetizers, entrée, and dessert,” he said. “If you win, Winnie and I cook for you guys. Plus, bragging rights.”

They were siblings; of course bragging rights were part of the deal. But the bet overall sounded like a good deal of fun, since there wasn’t any real way to lose, not when the stakes amounted to dinner with several people she adored.

“I’m in,” she agreed. They shook on it while Winnie, who didn’t have any siblings, looked at them like they were alien creatures. Alien creatures she certainly was fond of, but aliens, nonetheless.

Shane and Winnie left with their purchases after that, Shane muttering to himself about the Criterion Collection and whether his sister was likely to enjoy films with subtitles, given that she liked reading so much. Eleanor went back to work, processing new arrivals and shelving stock for a few hours. It was midafternoon when the shop door opened and Cadence Meadows and her daughter, Isabelle, came in, clearly on their way home from school.

Small towns, Eleanor thought with a frisson of pleasure.

“Hey there,” she called to them. Cadence was another member of the book club, and her daughter was a total sweetheart. “Looking for a good weekend read?”

Cadence put her hands on Izzy’s shoulders. “We’re here for Izzy, actually,” she said. Then, bending down to address the girl directly, she said, “You can pick one to buy, just make sure that it’s something that you’re interested in enough to read.”

“Okay, Mom!” Izzy said brightly, heading toward the kids’ section in the back of the store. “Hi, Ms. Eleanor!”

“Hey, sweetie,” Eleanor said, ruffling her hair as the girl passed her. As soon as Izzy was out of sight, though, Cadence’s smile faded, replaced by a look of concern. “Everything okay, Cadence? Nothing’s wrong with you and Tyler, is it?”

“Oh, no, nothing like that,” Cadence said at once, much to Eleanor’s relief. Cadence and Tyler had gone through a rough patch in their marriage a few months ago, after they’d struggled with their unsuccessful attempts to have a second child, but they had reconciled and now seemed stronger than ever. Eleanor was happy for them and glad to hear that nothing else had arisen to cause strife.

“It’s Izzy,” Cadence confided quietly, peering over Eleanor’s shoulder to confirm that her daughter wasn’t within earshot. “Her teacher told me that she’s been struggling with staying focused at school, so I’m trying to find her something that she’ll enjoy reading. I’m hoping that will remind her that learning is fun, and then she’ll engage a little more.”

“Oof, honey, that’s stressful,” Eleanor commiserated, laying a comforting hand on her friend’s shoulder. “Has she said anything to you about it?”

Cadence shook her head, the strawberry blonde hair that she and Izzy shared bobbing about her ears.

“No, I asked her, but she said nothing was wrong,” the woman explained, concern causing her blue eyes to scrunch in dismay. “Did Jeremy ever go through anything like this?”