Chapter 13 - THE BOOKSTORE AT THE END OF THE STREET
A year after I left Greyhaven Island, I opened a bookstore.
It stood on a quiet street in Monterey.
Two floors.
Tall windows.
Wooden shelves.
A small café in the back.
I called it The Blue Page.
Grace helped me choose the name.
She said it sounded hopeful.
I liked that it reminded me of my diary.
The book that had held the truth when I couldn't speak it.
The opening day was chaotic.
A delivery arrived late.
The coffee machine malfunctioned.
A local author forgot the time of her reading.
I laughed through all of it.
Not because I was pretending.
Because I was happy.
At noon, Damian arrived.
He stood outside the door holding a small bouquet of white flowers.
No entourage.
No expensive suit.
Just dark jeans and a navy jacket.
I walked toward him.
“Hi.”
He smiled.
“Hi.”
He looked around.
“Emma, this is beautiful.”
My eyes filled.
“Thank you.”
He handed me the flowers.
“I didn't know if you'd want me here.”
I smiled faintly.
“I invited you.”
He nodded.
“I know. I still wanted to be careful.”
We stood quietly.
Then Damian said:
“I remember telling you you'd get bored running a bookstore.”
I laughed softly.
“Yes.”
He looked ashamed.
“I was wrong.”
I smiled.
“Very.”
He laughed.
For the next hour, he helped carry boxes.
Made coffee.
Listened to customers.
And stayed out of the way when I needed to work.
At one point, Grace leaned toward me.
“Your ex-husband is alphabetizing the mystery section.”
I glanced over.
Damian was holding three books and looking deeply confused.
I laughed.
“He's putting them in the wrong order.”
Grace grinned.
“Should I tell him?”
I shook my head.
“I will.”
I walked over.
“Damian.”
He turned.
“Yes?”
I pointed.
“Authors. Alphabetical by last name.”
He looked at the shelf.
Then at me.
“Right.”
I smiled.
“You're terrible at this.”
He laughed.
May you like
“I know.”
And somehow, that small moment felt more intimate than all the diamonds he'd ever bought me.
