Turns out, owning a store is easier when you have someone to share it with. Daisy ditched her internship and, in a move that has Dad seeing red, decided to join me at the Book Nook.

“Of course! Dani and I are hosting a book club on Thursday and Elsie is coming for story time. We’ll be fine without you.” Daisy pushes a steaming mug across the counter of our new coffee bar. She’s been working on perfecting her latte-making skills for the last week and I’ve been vibrating from the amount of caffeine I’ve had as her test subject. “Try that one. It’s snickerdoodle.”

I take a small sip—she’s inconsistent at best and I’ve had more than one spit shot over the week. Lucky for me, though, this one is delicious.

“Oh my god.” I take another sip. “This might be your best one yet!”

She rounds the counter and pulls the mug out of my hands, taking a sip for herself as the bell over the front door chimes.

“Welcome to the Book Nook,” I shout out before I turn and see Jasper walking toward me.

I thought it would wear off. I didn’t think it was sustainable for me to still feel giddy beyond belief every time he walks into a room. But it hasn’t and I hope it never does.

“Hey.” He only has eyes for me as his long legs stride through the store, only slowing once he’s reached me. Just like he does every day when he greets me, he slips his arms around my waist and pulls me into him, touching his lips to mine so gently that even Daisy sighs. “You ready?”

“Yeah.” I kiss him once more, wanting his mouth on mine as often as possible. “My bags are in the office.”

“You two make me sick,” Daisy says, sounding anything but sick. “You don’t need to rub your happiness in our faces all the time. The poor people of Alaska don’t even know what’s about to hit them.”

“Hater.” I stick my tongue out at her and wink. She loves us.

Ever since learning about all the possible exit plans Gran mapped out for me and the Book Nook, the pressure I felt running the place has disappeared. Getting to choose to keep it open instead of feeling it as a burden I’d placed on myself has changed how I feel about everything.

I don’t know if it’s what I’ll want to do forever, but for now, I’m happy running it with Daisy and getting to know my sister better.