Page 351 of Safe With You

“It’s a local magazine.”

“And?”

“And I’m saying⁠—”

“Don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

“Make it little.”

I closed my mouth.

Naomi turned the laptop toward me again.

“They came to you.”

“I know.”

“They want to interview you about your store.”

“I can read.”

“Apparently not with the way you’re acting.”

I laughed.

She came around the counter and hugged me before I realized that was what she was doing.

“I’m proud of you.”

Something caught in my chest.

I wrapped my arms around her.

“Thank you.”

“And I’m telling everybody I work at a famous bookstore now.”

“Please don’t.”

“Too late.”

“We haven’t even done the interview.”

“Doesn’t matter.”

She let me go and immediately reached for her phone.

“Who are you calling?”

“My mama.”

“Why does your mama need to know?”

“Because she’s been telling everybody I work at a bookstore since you opened it. Now she can add that it’s famous.”

“It is not famous.”