“Yep. Me too,” he said. “But you’d better get used to it.”
With an eye roll that looked like it hurt, Jamie plopped down in the chair. “Are we going?”
Dan’s sister shrugged and nodded. “Sure. But don’t give Uncle Danny a hard time and don’t be little beggars asking him for everything in sight. He’s not your personal credit card.”
Like he wasn’t going to buy them something. It was a bookstore. What kind of uncle was he if he didn’t buy kids something in a bookstore?
“Yes, I am,” he whispered. Jamie liked that and put up her fist for a conspiratorial bump.
A few years ago, he’d decided the uncle code included a rule that said the answer was always yes. It wasn’t his job to be a hard-ass, and he had no intention of taking on the role. His sister was tough enough.
“You’ll need to leave me your keys and take my car,” she said, putting the kids’ now-empty lunch bags on a shelf in the pantry while the offspring put the sandwich containers in the sink and bottles in the recycling. If nothing else, Mel presided over a well-oiled machine.
“The Mom Mobile?” Did he really have to drive her half-minivan, half-SUV thing? It was horrendous. Functional, but horrendous.
“Yes, and I get to go play in the super-secret-agent-man car. You need the booster seats.”
Right. Booster seats. “Okay,” he said to the kids. “Put your backpacks in your rooms and meet me at the car. We are on a mission.”
Dan didn’t know what his mission actually was, but the kids would keep his mind off the trouble he was having starting his book. He had a sense of what he wanted to write, and that what he wanted to say was important, but he was doubting himself with every word that dropped on the page. The idea was still just a blob of thoughts, that needed form and structure.
Getting out with the kids would give his brain some time to sort out the ideas in his head. Hopefully.
*
For a weekday afternoon, Jane was surprised by the consistent traffic in the store. She’d gotten some decorating done early, but the tasks she’d planned to do this afternoon would have to be relegated to tomorrow’s to-do list. People had been in and out all day buying books, ordering drinks, and browsing for gifts. If this was a sign that she was going to have a good holiday season, she’d take it. Watching a couple of teenagers order coffee, Jane patted herself on the back for the decision to add the coffee bar to the shop. She’d hesitated, initially, worried about the expense, but so far it seemed to provide a steady stream of customers, and once people were in the store there was always the possibility they’d invest in more than caffeine.
Jane thought she had two minutes to breathe, when the bell over the front door jingled and she heard several young voices coming toward her. They sounded excited, and that always made Jane feel happy. Not much compared to kids who were excited about books.
“There’s a new series I really love, and the third book just came out,” a girl of about ten said as she came into view. Two younger children who were with her, a boy and girl, made a beeline for the children’s room without even looking up. They knew where they were going, and looked familiar, but she couldn’t remember names. Not quite regulars, she thought. But they’ve been here before. She heard a deep male voice, from the front of the store, resonant and strong, moving in her direction.
“Who is the author?” he asked.
“I don’t remember.” The girl stopped in her tracks looking back over her shoulder. “Is that a problem?”
“Not if you know the title, and even if you don’t, I bet I can guess.” Jane walked out from behind the desk and leaned her hip on the display table to her right. She had the child’s attention. “You want the new Camelot Academy book, don’t you?”
The girl’s azure eyes widened behind her big round glasses, while her little bow mouth curved into an “O.” “How did you know that?”
“Well, Merlin isn’t the only one with magical powers,” Jane teased. This girl could have been her, once upon a time. The vibe coming off the young lady was sparking with energy and curiosity. Yeah, Jane liked this kid.
“That’s true,” the deep voice said. “The legend around town is that the Fallons have a touch of magic