Page 4 of The Spellreader and the Phoenix

Most annoying sibling in the entire world

LOL True. And we do eat our fair share of sweets. I keep thinking that Adam couldn’t possibly make something more delicious, and then he does. Every time.

Which you would know, if you ever came to visit.

Max

I can’t leave the shop.

He’d taken over the bookshop when their parents died, and he couldn’t imagine doing anything else. (Unless he had a breakthrough and figured out how to eliminate customers from the equation.)

Most annoying sibling in the entire world

Then do what normal people do and get some help.

That… was indeed what normal people did. Max and Evie had helped in the store growing up. When their parents died, they’d had a life insurance policy that had gotten Evie through therapy and school, and there’d been just enough leftover that Max had a bit of a cushion to make mistakes and figure out how to run the store on his own in those early years.

Max had poured all his focus into making sure the shop continued to succeed. He definitely didn’t have his mother’s customer service skills when it came to Spellreading, but he’d figured out early that there was no way he could pretend to be something he wasn’t. His real personality was going to shine through, and he’d rather ensure that people knew what to expect from the beginning.

Evie had been nagging him for ages to hire some help, pointing out how the bakery she worked at had even hired a part-time baker to start learning from Adam, the maker of the best desserts ever.

Max

I’ll think about it.

Most annoying sibling in the entire world

If you haven’t hired someone by the time I come visit you, I’m going to take matters into my own hands!

Max

I said I’ll think about it.

Most annoying sibling in the entire world

And I know what you mean when you say that.

Yeah, so Max hadn’t really been planning to hire anyone, dammit. And the problem with Evie was that she probably meant it. Thankfully, it was only mid-September; he had several months until her post-Christmas visit. He could come up with a plan by then. Probably.

Max

I have to go.

Most annoying sibling in the entire world

[eye roll emoji] I’m right, and you know it. Don’t spend all night reading spells.

Max

Go annoy some of your customers instead of me.

Most annoying sibling in the entire world

[tongue stuck out emoji]

Max realized that he was smiling. Even though she really was incredibly annoying, Max loved his sister. He was glad that she was flourishing in California. Losing her parents as young as she had definitely hadn’t done her any favors, but she was persevering.

She was his exact opposite in many ways, and she’d gone to university for Hospitality. She handled most of the bakery’s corporate events and catering. For some inexplicable reason, she loved people.