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When my heart was no longer in my throat, I carefully climbed down from the stool and turned toward the front entrance.
The fear from my almost-fall dissipated immediately at the puff of white hair and infectious smile that stood behind the glass pane.
“Jojo!” I called, running to the front and flipping the lock as fast as I could.
The stout woman burst through the door with a surprising amount of strength for someone her age and wrapped me up in a bone-breaking hug.
“My little Lark.” Her joyful, raspy voice echoed in my ear. “Oh, how I’ve missed you, sweet girl.”
I returned her embrace, my arms circling her soft middle as my heart constricted. Miss Jojo had worked at Mom’s store for years and years. There wasn’t a memory I had in this place that didn’t include her. She was like the grandma I never had, always looking out for me and slipping me sweet treats whenever she could.
I swallowed back sudden tears as it hit me how much I had missed her.
“It’s so good to see you, Jo,” I croaked.
Her arms somehow tightened even more before she let me go. Her blue eyes were watering and she dabbed at them with her red fingernails.
“When your mama said you were coming to run the store, I almost fell off my seat! I am so, so happy you’re back home, honey.”
Back home.
The sentiment had me shifting. I didn’t know whether Ember Hollow was my home anymore. But that wasn’t a thing to bring up here and now. So I returned her teary-happy smile and nodded.
“I’m not sure how long I’ll be here, but I’m glad I get to spend time with you.”
Her smile dimmed slightly before she pulled it back up again. She threaded an arm through mine, bumping her round bottom against me with a cackling laugh. “And a fun time we’re gonna have! Come on now.” She pulled me toward the checkout counter. “I want to hear all about what you’ve been up to since you’ve been away.”
I let out a nervous laugh. “Trust me, there isn’t much to tell.”
She waved a hand with a scoff. “None of that. I want to know everything! And pay special detail to anyone of the male variety you’ve been seeing.” She waggled her gray eyebrows as we slipped behind the counter and sat in the two chairs there.
“Definitely no fun stories in that department.” I shrugged.
Jojo pursed her lips. “Nothing? But you’re gorgeous, baby. I can’t imagine you haven’t had anyone interested.”
A flush creeped up my neck. In order to get any interest from anyone, you had to be around people. And that was something I avoided at all costs.
Living in the city had been a bit of a culture shock at first, but it had been exactly what I needed at the time. It gave me a place where I could disappear, even when I was surrounded by people. I really enjoyed my marketing work, especially the graphic design I did, and going into the office every day gave me the opportunity to get into a routine. Every day, I knew what to expect and who I would see. I lost myself in that.
Jojo nudged me, and I shook my head. “Sorry,” I said. “I don’t get out much.”
Jo’s shoulders slumped. “Well, we can work on that while you’re home, don’t worry.” She winked, and before I could protest, the bell above the front door chimed.
Our heads swiveled as a customer walked into the shop.
The woman was young and small, probably not much taller than me—and I was pretty short. Her long, deep red hair fell in soft waves down her back as she scanned the store, adjusting her green-rimmed glasses.
“Can we help you find something, honey?” Jojo asked.
The woman’s head snapped to us, her eyes widening.
I forced what I hoped was a polite smile.
“Actually, I think I just found what I was looking for.” She hurried toward us, her leather messenger bag bouncing against her thigh. She halted at the counter, directly in front of me. “Are you Lark Meadows?”
My stomach sank. Instinctively, I leaned away from her. When I agreed to run the shop for a while, I had expected people to come in simply out of curiosity or to bother me. I just hoped those people wouldn’t be the first ones in the door.
“And who cares to know who she might be?” Jojo chimed in. Her voice was light, but with a threatening undertone.
