“Paper books will always remain, but it’s a reality that e-books are quickly catching up. I’m just as guilty as the next person. My wife runs a bookshop, yet I’m reading more and more on Kindle.”

This sparked another idea in Mia’s brain, but she would talk about what she had come here for first.

“I’m an all paper girl,” Mia said.

“Oh, I know that,” Annie said. “You must have quite the collection by now.” She winked at Mia.

“I do. I love books and I love bookshops like yours. They offer something that the big chains can’t. The number of books Annie has personally recommended to me, and the hours of joy she has provided me because of them. There’s just something about the vibe of an indie store like Annie’s. When you walk in, you immediately feel like you’ll be taken care of. It’s also a haven, a place away from modern technology. No phones, no tweets—only prose. I want this shop to go on forever.” Mia threw in a smile. She glanced at Lou for a second and saw her looking back with an amused expression on her face.

“Your passion is admirable,” Jane said. “And we feel exactly the way you do, but unfortunately not enough people have the same kind of passion for bookshops. They come in and run their fingers over the spines for the sensation of having an actual book in their hands, but nine times out of ten it’s more an act of nostalgia than a reason to purchase. People don’t buy anymore. Just the other week, we had a day with no sales. Zero. Nobody in Newtown needed a book that day. Isn’t that sad?”

“Or they got it at Pages,” Annie said wryly.

“Have you ever thought about serving coffee in the shop?” Mia cut straight to the chase.

Jane didn’t seem the least bit surprised by this suggestion. “Of course we have. Everyone is doing it these days, but, in reality, it would be another investment in something we’re not sure we can make work. Buy one of those expensive machines because no one would be caught dead anymore drinking a simple filter coffee, of course. Oh no. And Annie would be spending her time making coffee for people.”