The new, expanded bookstore is organized and efficient, but we’ve maintained the personality of my old store, the coziness that invites customers to feel at home. And of course, our romance selection is still the largest and most diverse in the city.

Josie’s here now: moderating an event with author Luke Duncan about the second book in his Camp Shadows YA series, which our teen readers have been devouring. Josie and Luke—who used to write under the name William Lucas Duncan (I always thought the three-name thing was a bit pretentious)—are having a lively discussion about why it’s so important to let kids with disabilities be the heroes of their own stories, and the teenagers in attendance are rapt. Although it’s hard to say if that’s because of the conversation, or because Luke looks like a modern-day Paul Newman—which also explains why Eddie’s been lingering by the event space for the last hour.

“Hey, boss—I’ve got something for you.”

Cinderella’s smile is as bright as her hair, which is currently blue. She says she’s still trying to figure out who she is, but I think she’s a human rainbow: full of color and quick to make people smile.

She’s been smiling more lately, ever since she started “talking” to a very nice man. Carlton was the foreman of the construction crew that worked on our stores, and he kept coming in after the job ended. Cinderella insists they’re just friends, but I see the way she lights up when he walks in.

“Should I be nervous?” I ask.

“Don’t be silly,” she says dismissively. “Put your hand out.”

I oblige, and she places a sparkly pin in my open palm. It says: Book boyfriend Husband.

My eyes go wide, and I close my fingers around the pin, slipping it in my pocket next to the velvet box I’ve checked and rechecked a dozen times today.

“She hasn’t said yes yet,” I whisper.

“She will,” Cinderella says, patting my shoulder. “She’s a smart girl.”

The compliment makes me smile. Josie has managed to endear herself to all my OGs, which wasn’t the easiest task. Everyone made the transition to the new store except Eliza—and that’s only because she’s studying and playing soccer at the University of Florida. We miss her, but she’s promised to stop by whenever she comes home for school breaks.