Page 78 of The Story Between Us

Below it, a grid. Twenty squares for twenty chapters. And next to each completed chapter, a small gold star.

Seven stars. Seven chapters done.

“Who did this?” Livvie asked.

Edie glanced over her shoulder. “Oh, that was Remi’s idea. She thought it would be fun to track his progress. You know, give the town something to root for.” She slid Livvie’s coffee across the counter. “Everyone loved Emma’s books. We want to see Nate finish what they started.”

Livvie stared at the seven gold stars. “And how did you know?”

“Lila keeps us updated.”

Oh, right. And Livvie kept her aunt updated. Still. The whole town. Rooting for him. Counting chapters. Waiting to see if he could do it.

She thought about Nate alone in his office, convinced he was a fraud. Convinced no one cared about his work, only Emma’s. Convinced he was writing into a void.

He had no idea.

“I’ll tell him,” she said quietly. “About the board.”

“You do that.” Edie handed her a paper bag with the scone inside. “And tell him we’re all pulling for him. Every single one of us.”

The green Craftsman sat quiet in the midday sun when she arrived twenty minutes later.

Livvie let herself in with her key—still strange, still wonderful, still something she tried not to think about too hard—and called out.

“Nate? I brought sustenance.”

A muffled sound from the office. Something that might have been “thanks” or might have been “go away.” Hard to tell with writers.

She set the coffee and scone on the kitchen counter and peeked through the office doorway.

He was at his desk, shoulders hunched, fingers moving over the keyboard. The screen glowed with text. His hair was a disaster, and he was wearing the same Henley as yesterday—or maybe the day before—but there was an energy to him that hadn’t been there a week ago. A focus.

He looked up.

And smiled.

Not a big smile. Not the kind you’d notice if you weren’t looking for it. But real. Warm. The kind that reached his eyes and made something flutter dangerously in her chest.

“Hey,” he said.

“Hey yourself.” She held up the bag. “Maple scone. Edie’s orders.”

“Edie has opinions about my eating habits?”

“Edie has opinions about everything. She also wanted me to tell you the whole town is tracking your chapters. There’s a board at the bakery. Seven gold stars.”

Something flickered across his face. Surprise. And underneath it, something that looked almost like hope.

“Seven stars,” he repeated.

“Seven stars. Remi’s idea. Apparently everyone wants to see you finish.”

He was quiet for a moment, looking at the screen, at the words he’d written. Then he shook his head slightly and turned back to the keyboard.

“I should get back to it.”

“I know. I’ll make lunch in a bit. Take your time.”