Susanne took it, careful not to let their hands brush. “Who made them?” She nodded down at the zoo of animals waiting to be hung.

“I did. Not during working hours, if that’s why you’re asking. I enjoy getting creative in my spare time, so I don’t want Nobby to pay me for it, and the paper I used is my own.”

“No, that’s not why I asked.” Susanne sighed, but she couldn’t blame her for being a little defensive. Even though they seemed to have achieved some kind of truce now, Frau Lamm probably wouldn’t forget that she’d told Uncle Norbert he might need to fire her. “I just think they’re cute. That’s all.”

“Oh. Thanks.”

Silence descended on them as Susanne pinned the fox. When she looked back down, Frau Lamm stood with her back to her, sorting through the paper animals.

“Listen,” Susanne said. “I know you think I’m a heartless bitch, and I really shouldn’t care, but when I told my uncle he might need to fire you, I really didn’t—”

“No.” Frau Lamm turned around.

“No, I should care, or no, you don’t think that about me?”

A hint of a smile flitted across Frau Lamm’s face. “Either. Both.”

Susanne gave her a dubious look.

“You do come across like a bit of a hard-ass, but I don’t think you’re entirely heartless.”

Entirely? Susanne arched her brows. Thanks a lot.

“You’re here, after all, and I doubt it’s because Nobby is paying you handsomely for your services.”

Her uncle wasn’t paying her at all. He had tried to offer her money, but she had refused to accept it. Susanne said nothing and took the next animal Frau Lamm handed her. It was a dove that carried an olive branch in its beak. Was that supposed to be a peace offering?

The look in Frau Lamm’s eyes—a lot friendlier than before—made her think so. Susanne gave her a nod and pinned the dove to the ceiling.

Frau Lamm reached for a frog next, but when Susanne wanted to take it from her, she held on. “What do you think our chances are?”

She spoke so quietly that Susanne had to strain to understand her. “Of saving Paper Love, you mean?”

Frau Lamm bit her lip and nodded.

“I can’t give you a specific number. Not yet at least. It’s not just this store I’m not familiar with; I also don’t know much about the stationery industry in general—and I have a feeling that’s part of the problem. The stationery industry, I mean. I bet it’s changed a lot since my grandfather first opened the store in 1950.”