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“It’s a lot of money, Dragan. The store. We have two mortgages out, and behind on payments.”
“I know. June showed me the numbers a couple months ago. I promise you, Missy, I have more than enough and would pay it ten times over if it would help. Let me do this one thing.”
She studied him carefully. “Are you the one behind the surprise Caribbean trip?”
“She told you about that?”
“She was so confused. Her list of suspects is small, I would tell her sooner rather than later,” she warned.
He started to ask what she meant, but she cut him off. “So. How would we go about this?”
Progress. He wasn’t quite sure what her hesitation was, or why she suddenly stiffened. Did she not like that he now had money? Did she not like the surprise vacation?
But it almost didn’t matter. His goal from the beginning was to give June breathing room — and that meant securing The Little Prince.
“I will transfer the funds to you, and you pay it off. You can just say you received an anonymous donation.”
“When will you tell her it was you?”
“I—I’m not sure, exactly.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I know it will change things.”
Missy pursed her lips and grabbed her bag. “Dragan, honey, you’ve always been like a second child to me. I’ve always wanted you and June to be together, as more than friends. But keeping information from one another isn’t healthy, and it isn’t sustainable. I’ll agree to this, for June. But promise me you’ll tell her soon. The longer you wait, the more damaging it will be.”
Dragan nodded, and she stood. She gave him a tight hug, holding on for longer than he expected. It was a mom hug, the kind that transfers strength and holds fears. The kind that says everything will be okay, even when it doesn’t feel like it.
He saw her out, grabbing his keys and wallet and waiting a few before leaving himself, walking to get the money transferred from his bank to hers as soon as possible.
44
June shelved some of the Used Books that had been donated, listening to Anna and Ruby going over where to put the authors who would be speaking at the Spring Cleaning Event. Since Anna was one of Ruby’s and June’s best friends, despite all three being in different circles in high school, Ruby decided to enlist her help.
“They sure sound like they’re going to change this place up,” Missy said, coming up behind her.
“Yeah, I think that’s part of Ruby’s MO. ‘Let me go in and renovate,’” June laughed.
Her grandma grabbed a stack of books and started putting them in their correct genre slots, alphabetical by author. “I’m surprised Dragan hasn’t been here in a few days.”
June’s cheeks flushed at the sound of his name. Her grandma side-eyed her, a small smile at the corners of her lips.
“He, uh, he said he had a lot of family stuff going on but that he’d try to stop in later.”
“Good. He better be good to you.” Missy focused on the books she was shelving, thrusting each one in its correct spot with purpose.
“Grandma, he’s wonderful to me.”
“Did you ever figure out who sent you that vacation?”
“No… Did you?” It was June’s turn to side-eye. She frowned, her grandma’s tone alluding to knowing something.
“Ha! Why would I figure it out? Oh, well. I’m sure the person will step forward eventually.”
“Yeah, hopefully.” June wasn’t hopeful, and if her detective work of it being Rhys was right, she needed to take care of that sooner rather than later.
“Do you still think it’s Rhys Dougherty?”
As if reading her mind.
“I don’t know who else it would be, Grandma.”
