“This is why I should’ve sent Mona back here.” She pulls out of my arms and turns on the heel of her orthopedic tennis shoe. “I don’t have the patience for this mess.”

“You don’t have patience for anything.” I follow her, ignoring customers as I chase after her.

“Damn straight.” Her hoarse voice drifts through the store like the tendrils of smoke that used to follow her around when she would have a cigarette hanging out of her mouth. “Now, hurry up.”

I fall into step beside her, forcing myself to be semisocial and say hello to old and new customers alike. A woman in the romance section offers a quick, shy smile as she flips through the pages of a book she’s considering.

As we approach the final bookshelf before the nook comes into view I brace myself. The nook is where I’ve always felt the most connected to Gran. On days I’m missing her extra, I’ll come back here and sit in her rocking chair. But since I talked to Connor and had my not-so-minor meltdown right after, I’ve avoided this space.

We round the corner and I’m met with the same symphony of greetings that have surrounded me for the last year. I take in their bright, smiling faces, lined with proof of lives well lived, as their eyes crease with happiness to see me. I don’t know if this brings me comfort or makes me more confused. Surely knowing that Gran wasn’t connected to this place as much as I thought she was should change things. The paint shouldn’t look as shiny, the projects we’ve completed should look more shabby than chic.

But they don’t.

Everything is exactly as it was before.

“There she is!” Mona pushes out of her rocking chair. She looks as stylish as ever in her stilettos with her pink-painted lips as she rounds the table, her arms spread wide before she wraps me in a tight hug. “You know, when we decided to set you up with Jasper, we didn’t realize it would mean we wouldn’t see you anymore.”

The dull pain in my chest turns sharp at the mention of Jasper’s name, but it’s the confirmation of what I already assumed that has me pulling away.

“I knew your devious brains were up to something more than book club when you pulled Jasper in here.” I try to joke, but all I want to do is cry.

Thankfully she doesn’t seem to notice.

“Well, considering you’re always out with him, going on all sorts of dates, you can’t complain.” She looks down her nose at me. “And don’t think I haven’t noticed the way your skin has had an extra glow the last few times I’ve seen you.”

Oh.

My.

God.