Page 145 of Safe With You

I smiled.

We might stop by later.

I stared at the message for a second before sending it.

Might.

Like I hadn’t already decided.

Luna responded before I could put the phone down.

I’ll put a couple dragon books aside for her.

Then another message appeared.

And for the record, I still think you’re wrong about the syrup.

I laughed.

Let it go, Bennett.

Never.

I slipped the phone back into my pocket.

Tasha didn’t say anything.

I appreciated that.

Because the truth was simple enough without her help.

Mila wanted to go to Chapter & Charm.

And so did I.

I pulled into the parking spot in front of Chapter & Charm eight minutes later than I planned, which wouldn’t have bothered me nearly as much if Naomi wasn’t already sitting on the bench outside waiting for me.

Naomi looked up from her phone when I climbed out of the car, then made a show of checking the time.

Her smile followed me onto the sidewalk.

“Good morning, boss.”

“Good morning, employee who’s about to get left outside.”

“You wouldn’t.”

I stopped in front of the door and looked at her.

Naomi took a long sip from her water bottle. “Okay, you would. Open the door.”

I laughed under my breath as I dug through my bag for my keys. I’d spent most of the drive mentally rearranging everything I wanted to get done before we opened, but the list was already starting to feel less urgent now that I was standing there. The shipment wasn’t due until sometime before lunch, the invoices Naomi left on my desk yesterday weren’t going anywhere, and the returns from yesterday still needed to be shelved.

One thing at a time.

The bell sounded above us when I pushed the door open, and Naomi reached past me for the light switch.

“I started on payroll yesterday,” she said, following me inside. “But I need you to look at something before I submit it.”