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“It’s me,” I call, picking up a book tastefully placed on one of the display tables. Love and Other Words. I turn over the hardcover in my hands, studying the beautiful gold-sprayed edges and all the small details decorating the spine.

“Have you read this one?” Lola asks when she comes out of her office. “It’s the tenth-anniversary edition of the book. Just . . . beautiful.”

I put the book back. “I’ve heard of it, but, no, I haven’t read it.”

She nods toward it. “Take it. Early Christmas gift.”

I laugh. “Christmas isn’t for another three months.”

“Come on, take it. I have a feeling you’ll love it.”

She’s like that, Lola. Generous beyond belief, even when it comes to the store she just opened a few months ago. It’s the final milestone in her lifelong dream to open the first bookstore in the entire province dedicated to the romance genre.

She picks up the book and holds it out, waiting for me to take it. So I do.

“Thank you, Lols.”

I hug her briefly and drop a kiss on her temple.

“What are you doing here?” she asks.

“I’m not staying. Charlee is waiting for me in the car.”

Lola’s mouth forms an O. She leans against the table and crosses her arms, as if she has all the time in the world and is about to hear the most interesting story of her life.

“So you talked to her. And she agreed.”

I nod. “She did. Not without trying to get out of it first, but she did.”

Lola hums but doesn’t say anything else. She just watches me, which in Lola’s language means that she’s trying to figure out how I feel about having Charlee here with me.

I don’t want to think about it.

I don’t want to start exploring the rush that surged through my body when I drove past the town’s sign and realized she had finally arrived in Pine Falls.

No, I can’t open that can of worms right now.

“What?”

“You can’t hide from it forever, Oli.”

“I know.”

Lola presses her palm to my arm. “You’re gonna have to forgive yourself at some point. Maybe now’s the time to face your demons.”

“I don’t know.” I let out a sigh and run my hand down my face. “I finally turned the page and put this behind me.”

“Did you, though?” She looks so smug with her cocked eyebrow.

I shake my head, chuckling. “This isn’t what I came here to tell you anyway. Charlee is waiting for me. I should head back. I don’t want to put her in a worse mood than she’s already in.”

“If she’s here, I’m guessing you came to tell me you wouldn’t be able to make it to tonight’s dinner.”

“You guessed right.”

Lola puts on a shocked face, one hand on her heart. “I can’t believe your first time missing our Friday night dinner is for a girl. Matt and James are gonna have a field day with this when I see them later.”

I groan. “You know I’m already feeling guilty as shit, Lols.”