Page 41 of The Spellreader and the Phoenix

Most annoying sibling in the entire world

So, how does it feel to have employees?

Max could practically feel the smugness radiating off of the words. She hadn’t even done anything! Max hadn’t intended to hire anyone, no matter what she’d said, it was just that Alex and Rory had needed him, and he wasn’t about to ignore that.

Max

It’s fine.

Most annoying sibling in the entire world

And now you can do a lot more of what you actually want to do, and you see why it was foolish to put it off for so many years just because you say you don’t like people.

Max

I definitely don’t like people. It’s just that there are occasional exceptions.

You are not one of those exceptions.

Most annoying sibling in the entire world

[tongue stuck out emoji]

Max

Seriously, though, it’s working out okay. They both seem to like people more than I do. Alex is awesome with art, and Rory is fabulous with people. He keeps… planning things. And, like, working with people.

Most annoying sibling in the entire world

[eyebrow raised emoji] What kind of things?

Max thought about how to answer with his thumbs and then gave up and called Evie.

She answered the phone with a squeal of glee. “Oh, my god, you actually phoned me. Is it the second coming? Should I be ready for the apocalypse?”

“Ha ha,” Max said, dry as dust. “You’re so funny.”

She was grinning, he just knew it. “I know. I’m hilarious and a gift to the world. What’s Rory planning?”

“He talked to one of the local coffee shops, Brewed Awakening, and now we have a shelf full of books there, and they have coffee and cookies here.”

“With the books?” Evie sounded scandalized, which he knew she was putting on because Max had always had very strong opinions about situations where it was likely that books were going to end up stained and damaged.

“In a little section of the shop,” Max corrected. “He said the smell would attract people, and he seems to be right. We have a sign saying where the snacks are from, and it’s driving business over there, too. People are staying longer to browse or sit in a chair and read, but they’re buying, too.”

“I’m glad,” Evie said earnestly. Then she snorted. “How are you coping with the fact that it means more people in the shop?”

Max sighed, but rallied. “As long as I don’t have to deal with them, it’s not that bad. He also says he’s got some leads on renting out the basement for more activities. I didn’t know we were looking to rent it out.”

Evie laughed, a joyful peal. “Sounds like he has things well in hand. Someone who actually likes people dealing with people. And it’s working. What a stunning concept.”

It did make a fair bit of sense when she put it like that.

“It’s not terrible,” Max agreed.

“Just make sure he knows it, okay? That they both do,” Evie instructed. “Not everyone knows how to interpret grumpy Max.”

“If they haven’t figured out how to interpret grumpy Max by now, they would have fled screaming.”