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then I can stop dwelling, but I doubt it."
    "Well, I hope that's the case," she says and gives my hand one more squeeze. She walks back over to her seat and picks her coffee back up before taking a long drink. "Joey makes the best coffee."
    She compliments Joey's coffee making skills every morning, and sometimes he's still here to receive the compliments. Turning to organize a few stray invoices, I hear the bell above the door ring. Edie greets Gwenn before I get a chance to.
    "Good morning, Gwenn."
    Gwenn glances over at me. "Good morning, Edie. Marin, I'm so sorry. There was an accident—"
    I cut her off, "It's OK. I talked to Joey this morning and he filled me in. No biggie. Things like that happen, unfortunately."
    "You look pretty today, Marin. Not that you don't always look pretty, but extra pretty today," she says as she fluffs her long blonde curls and then applies some lip gloss.
    Gwenn is a couple years younger than me and is a Hollywood beauty. Not literally—she could be one if she really wanted to, but her joy is reading and literature. She is an English literature major in her senior year of college CFU and is leaving in about a month and a half to pursue her Master’s in it as well. The only problem is it's in NYU, of all places.
    I'm going to miss her like crazy when she goes. Not only does she know her stuff when it comes to all things books but she makes me laugh at least once a day. Men come into the store for the sole reason of trying to pick her up and she puts on her dumb blonde cashier mask for them at first and then WHAM! She hits them with her smarts and they all leave without a date and a little bit dazed.
    "Says the girl with the supermodel looks." I grin and roll my eyes. "But thanks. I went to the police station today."
    Gwenn rushes to my side. "Oh, my God. I'm sorry. I totally forgot what today is. I'm so damn stupid."
    "It's OK, Gwenn. It's no different than last month, or the month before, or every other damn month before that." Irritated—with myself more than anything—I gather up a notebook, pen, and sticky notes. "I'll be in the office for a bit if you need me." I give her a peck on her cheek and walk over and give Edie a hug; she gives me an extra squeeze.
    They don't argue with my retreat to the office. By now, they are used to it.

    ******

    At around lunch time, I decide to make an appearance back out into the store. I notice there are a couple people browsing the stacks, and it makes me smile. I can't help but love that there are people out there that share my love of books. It's not hard to tell the difference between a book lover and someone looking for a book for a certain reason: gift, research, or just to try to get into reading.
    The real book lovers come in with a smile and leave with a smile. I catch them occasionally smelling the books, which Cole thinks is weird but Gwenn and I totally get. They rub their hands down the spines of them and caress them and care for them.
    Glancing over, I see Gwenn ringing someone up and bagging their purchase with a smile. It really is going to be hard replacing her. Looking over, she makes eye contact with me and makes a silly face, sticking her tongue out. She always tries to make me laugh. I check on the coffee bar and make sure everything is fully stocked there and then check the cooler that holds several sodas, juices, and water.
    Plopping down on the stool beside Gwenn, I let out a short sigh. "Everything going good out here today?"
    "Yeah," she answers after restocking the bags under the counter. "Kind of a slow day, though."
    "Hmm … Wonder if there is something else going on in town?"
    The bell rings and an older gentleman walks in and waves at us and then turns toward the history section.
    "So the girls and I are going out tonight, just to blow off some steam and vent about everything shitty in our lives. You should go with us." She knows I won't go. She has asked me this almost every weekend since about a month after Benji's