Page 67 of Worth the Trip

“I love that concept. Children need more places where a book doesn’t come with somebody grading them afterward.”

Before I could answer, a circular display in the children’s section caught my attention.

Books had been arranged around prompt cards inviting young readers to redesign an ending, write a letter to a character, or create something inspired by the story.

An idea arrived before I could stop it.

“We could do something similar at Scoops & Stories. Not this exactly, but maybe one book every month, then let the children develop a dessert around it.”

Landon came to stand beside me.

I kept going.

“They could create flavors based on the setting or characters, draw labels, name the dessert, then invite their families for a tasting at the end of the month.”

“That sounds like you.”

I looked at him. “What does that mean?”

“Taking something sweet and making it do more than taste good.”

The answer found me before I could prepare for it.

I looked back at the display.

He didn’t ask when I planned to launch it.

Didn’t turn an idea into a deadline.

Didn’t start calculating what I would need.

He simply let me have it.

We wandered through the store for another twenty minutes. Near the poetry wall, a muted pink collection caught my attention. The back described poems about womanhood, rest, and figuring out who remained when usefulness stopped being the measure of worth.

I opened it.

Read one page.

Another.

Put it back.

Then picked it up again.

By the third time, I realized Landon was standing several feet away, talking to Ms. Renee.

Good.

I returned the book to the shelf and moved on.

Ten minutes later, he walked toward the register with it beneath his arm.

I stared at him. “You didn’t have to buy that.”

“I know.”

“Then why did you?”