“I’ve been helping out with the books for a couple of years. I’ve got the basics down. It’s just math rules. I’m great with math rules.” And then Daniella jutted her chin out to dare anyone to defy her on this point.

Rinn definitely wasn’t about to. Neither was Imogen, by the waves of understanding washing across her face.

Jo, however, shook her head. “Even if we got all the logistics down, why on earth would anybody want to buy Jordans to save a bookstore that they haven’t even heard of? What’s in it for them?”

“I could put poems on them,” offered Daniella, like that was the kind of thing she said every day. Like she was normally someone who bragged about being able to do accounting and write her poetry.

For a moment, Rinn didn’t know what to do.

Maya broke the silence in the room. “You write poetry?”

Daniella jutted her chin out again. “Yeah. I do.”

“Is it something people would have already heard of?” Maya asked.

It was her earnestness, Rinn decided, that tipped the scales. Rinn watched as it disarmed Daniella and all of her defenses.

“I’ve got a solid account.” Daniella dropped her chin and went for that I don’t really care but actually I care a lot shrug. “Nothing like Rinn’s, but it’s enough to pull some people in, I think.”

“Her poetry is really beautiful,” added Imogen. “It’s legendary.”

And then Rinn watched as Daniella flushed, just for a moment, before returning back to her original shade. “I could even do some doodles or sketches on them. People would pay extra for those. I mean, they might. I can’t guarantee that they would. But it would at least add something so that you’re buying more than fake shoes.”

Rinn didn’t want to make it weird by crying or anything. But having Daniella come to her side and then offer to put her work out there for the cause was really just so much. Rinn cleared her throat on a cough, to be sure she wouldn’t sound emotional or choked-up, because she knew Daniella would hate it if she did. “Thank you. That would be amazing.”

Jo stared at the girls for a moment. “That could maybe work. Two influencers plus lots of photos and content. And I like it a lot better than unloading our problems directly onto somebody else. I’d really rather not screw over somebody else down the line. I’d like to think I have a slightly higher moral compass than somebody selling detox tea. Maybe I don’t. But I’d like to try to hold on to that idea of myself for as long as I can.”

“And you wouldn’t have to take out a loan that would destroy you,” said Imogen, in what could almost be mistaken for a positive tone.