She cocks her head, studying me as if to see if I believe her.
And I think I might.
“I’ll go through my room today,” I tell her. “I’m sure I have some things I can contribute to the cause.”
“Only if you want to,” she says. “I don’t expect you to start giving up all your worldly possessions.”
“I do want to. You’re right. It’s just stuff.” I hesitate, considering. “Also, Mom? I should tell you. I’m planning this gala for the center. Kind of a fancy shindig thing, to raise money. And I’ve been asking local businesses if they can contribute gift baskets to the silent auction. I’d love to have something from Ventures Vinyl, especially because our theme is Yellow Submarine. But I get it if you guys can’t contribute anything.”
Mom’s grin spreads across her face. “Listen to you. I always knew you were going to be my little entrepreneur.”
I roll my eyes. “Mom.”
“I can’t help it, honey. Watching you kids grow up…” She sighs. “Well, maybe you’ll understand someday. Anyway. I don’t know about a gift basket. I’ll have to discuss it with your father. Could be a good opportunity to let more people know about the store. But you’re right. Money is tight, and I don’t know if we’re in a great position to be making charitable contributions.”
“I know. Totally no pressure. But…” I lift my finger. “While we’re on the topic, I’ve actually had some ideas about the store, and Ari has, too. Some things we can do to drum up new business or at least make the store feel more current. Maybe someday we could sit down and talk about it?”
She fixes me with a thoughtful look, the corners of her lips barely lifted. “I think your dad and I would like that very much.”
I nod. “I’ll start putting together a business proposal.”
She laughs and goes back to cleaning the golf clubs. “You do that.”
My eye catches on a box on a shelf, where Grandma’s old china tea set is settled into a bed of packing peanuts. “Are you getting rid of those teacups?”
Mom follows my look. “I was thinking about it.”
“Okay … but not today.” I grab the box. Mom doesn’t stop me and doesn’t ask what I’m doing as I carry it into the house.
Eleanor is in the living room, making a tower of alternating red and black checker chips.
“Hey, Ellie. While Jude and I are eating our lunch … do you want to come play tea party with us?”
The smile she gives me is all the reward I need.
FORTY-TWO
I’m twenty minutes early the next day, in part because my sleep schedule is indeed completely wonky. After yesterday’s long nap and an early bedtime, I woke up at four this morning, which is ridiculously early, even for me.
No matter. I had plenty of pleasant memories to keep my mind occupied before I managed to pull myself out of bed. I used my morning hours semi-productively … when I wasn’t caught up in unhelpful fantasies, at least. I’m giddy as I swing my bike into the parking lot, eager to tell Quint and Rosa and the other volunteers about my new ideas for the gala.
That—and I can’t wait to see Quint again. It’s been an entire day, and there’s a small part of me that thinks it might have been a fluke. Maybe we were just caught up in the romance of the storm. Maybe he’ll take one look at me this morning and regret everything.
But every time these doubts start to creep in, I think about his words, right after he kissed me the first time. I’ve wanted to do that for a while.
It wasn’t a fluke. It wasn’t a mistake. And I cannot go another minute without seeing him and kissing him and confirming that it was real. That he still likes me as much as I like him.
There’s only one car in the parking lot—Rosa’s, I think. None of the other volunteers have arrived yet. I tear off my helmet and practically skip to the door.
No one is in the lobby, so I make a quick pass around the yard and lower levels. No one in the kitchen, or the laundry room, or with any of the animals. I do stop to greet Lennon and Luna, but I can tell that they’re only interested in me because it’s almost breakfast time.
“I’ll be back soon,” I whisper. “First, I need to see Quint before I explode.” I squeal in the same