“It’s not Monday,” he says when he answers.

“I know,” I say, ignoring his irritated tone. “But this can’t wait.”

“What is it?”

“I quit.”

A long, shocked pause. Then: “What? This is ridiculous! Why does nobody want to work anymore? Do you realize how inconvenient this is for me? How much time and effort it’s going to take to find a new manager? I—”

“That’s why you need to convince Ryan to come back.” My heart is pounding. This has to work. Everything relies on it.

He harrumphs. “Why should I have to convince him?”

“Because he’s the best person for the job,” I say. “And because a bookstore is more than just a store that sells books. It’s the heartbeat of the community, a place where stories and ideas come alive, where people come to explore new worlds, to challenge their thinking, to feel seen and welcomed. Ryan understands that better than anyone. He knows how to connect with readers in a way that builds trust and loyalty. He’s created something here—something real—and without him, this place loses its soul.”

Xander scoffs, and I know I need to bring this down to his level.

“And let’s be honest,” I say, “hiring and training a new manager takes time you don’t have. If you want to keep the store running smoothly and profitably, you need him.”

“True.” Xander seems to be mulling this over. “But how am I going to convince him? He made his feelings pretty clear.”

“First, you need to give him a raise,” I say. “He’s taking on more responsibility with this new position, and he should be compensated appropriately.”

Xander snorts, but he doesn’t say no. And after a moment, he adds, “What if that’s not enough to change his mind?”

“I’m going to tell you exactly what you need to say to him.”

After ending the call with Xander, I turn off my phone. I’m sure Ryan will call me when he hears what I’ve done, and I need more time to set things in motion.

I hear my mom’s words: Anyone can be brave and try again. And Jerome, talking about a mind in progress, with infinitely more to learn.

Finally, I hear my own voice, telling my sister to walk out the door and into the big world, even if it’s scary.

It’s time I listened.

—

Hours later, when I head back toward the store, the sun is setting and I’m exhausted—everything took much longer than expected, and now I’m running late. I’ve been practicing what to say to Ryan, to convince him to accept Xander’s offer and stay with me. I’m not sure I have the right words, but at least I’m allowing myself to hope. That feels like a pretty big deal.