I told her she couldn’t spend the rest of her life stuck in an apartment, that even though she was scared, she needed to get out. She was frustrated, at first, but eventually she listened. And now she’s living on her own, rocketing toward her goals.

Meanwhile, I’ve done exactly what I didn’t want Georgia to do. I’ve gotten comfortable, focusing all my efforts on the bookstore so I don’t have to face what scares me.

How many years did I spend avoiding the Boston Public Library because of bad memories? How many years did I refuse to even talk about how devastating it felt to leave college? But Ryan’s been a safe space to share all this—whether behind the scenes as RJ or in real life. He’s encouraged me, cheered me on as I stepped outside my comfort zone, hosting events, presenting at IBNE.

Like my mom said, love creates the perfect environment to face our fears.

I think of my little bookstore again: Tabula Inscripta, and how Jerome explained why he chose that name. He wanted to capture the way each book leaves its mark on us, inscribing new perspectives and ideas on our minds like a well-worn page. All the stories I’ve read have been my teachers, sheltering me when I needed comfort, making life richer, showing me how to face adversity. It’s never been a choice between fiction or reality, books or people, it’s both. I am the product of every book I’ve ever read and every experience I’ve had, each heartbreak and failure, every moment of sadness and joy. The people I’ve met and the characters I’ve encountered, the events that challenged me and the narratives that have stretched me—all this is inscribed on my soul. They are the stories that shape who I am today and give me the strength to reach for more.

Turning, I head inside, back into Ryan’s apartment. I wish I could go in his room and wake him up, tell him my plan, but I stop myself. He isn’t going to like what I’m about to do—he’ll try to stop me. But I need to do it anyway.

I find a pen and paper and leave a note on his coffee table: I have some things to take care of today. Meet me at the bookstore at closing tonight?

Heart pounding, I hesitate before adding: Love, Josie.

Then I gather my things and head out into the brilliant sunshine of a new day.

—

An hour later, I’m at my own apartment. I’ve completed my first step of the plan: asking Cinderella to cover the store today. She hesitated, until I promised her I’ll do everything possible to get Ryan back as manager.

Now it’s time for step two.

I pull out my phone, take a steadying breath, and call Xander.