Logan smirks. “He doesn’t need questioning, Summer. He needs advice.”
“I don’t,” I say automatically, but resign myself to listening anyway. Just as Summer will always be the family baby, and we’re going to be protective of her, Logan will never step out of his older brother role either. He loves giving advice. I rarely admit it out loud, because I’d never hear the end of it, but it’s usually damn good advice.
“You’re the only unmarried brother here,” Blake points out with a grin. “If I were you, I’d be taking notes.”
Chapter Fourteen
Caroline
On Saturday morning, I’m at the bookstore at six o’clock, helping Dad and his one employee, Ailish. She’s in charge of the coffee shop’s kitchen, and she’s a whiz, having worked at Starbucks for a year.
“Caroline! I’ve got all this,” she assures me. “Go finish the inventory.”
“I’m going, I’m going.”
At ten o’clock, we have our first customers—well, customers is perhaps not the right word. They are old friends of Mom and Dad’s who are here for company and gossip, not to buy anything, but at this point, I’m grateful for anyone coming in. An empty store is unnerving.
Later today, I’m hoping some of my school contacts will show up. I spent the entire week spamming the parents at pickup, talking their ear off about the bookstore. The problem is that most of them live near the school, and the bookstore is literally at the other end of the city, but here’s to hoping some will show up anyway.
Niall arrives shortly before lunch, and I greet him with a hug so tight, I almost suffocate him. God, how I missed my brother.
“Wow, you did a great job,” he says once I step back. He sweeps his eyes around the room as Dad gives him a shorter and manlier hug. “Great job. Looks even better than in the pictures.”
“Want a coffee?” Dad asks.
“Sure. I’ll drink it while you give me the tour.” Niall runs his hand through his hair, ruffling it a bit. Though my brother’s hair is as dark as mine, he has reddish hues because Niall favors our mother more than I do.
While Dad makes him coffee, Niall pulls me a little farther away. “How are the finances on this? Was the money enough?”
Niall and I both chimed in with an equal amount of money for the renovation.
“Yeah, it was just about right.”
“If he needs anything else, tell me. Dad doesn’t always tell me if he’s in trouble.”
Shifting my weight from one leg to the other, I say, “Could you call him more often? He misses you.”
Niall nods, swallowing. “I’ll try to. I don’t mean not to call him, but my schedule is insane. But I’ll try more. I promise.”
“Okay.”
As Dad hands him the coffee cup, we begin the tour, which ends all too quickly because Niall has to return to the conference.
I head to the back once he’s gone, going through the boxes containing the latest batches of books we ordered. I might finish in the back today, and tomorrow morning I’ll arrange the new merchandise on the shelves inside.
Several hours later, I’m neck-deep in lists and boxes, double-checking everything on my computer.
“Caroline, how are you doing in there?” Dad asks, poking in his head.
“My eyes will cross soon,” I answer honestly.
“Take a break, come out to the front.”
“Okay.” Stretching, I follow him out. “Whoa.”
The back door opens into the coffee shop area, and there are more people than I expected milling around, some sitting at the tables, others inspecting the shelves lining the walls. It takes me a few seconds to realize quite a few are named Bennett. How the...? I specifically didn’t invite them because I didn’t want them to feel obligated to come. But man, am I happy to see them. Daniel must have told them.
“Wait a second. I’ll go shut down my computer and join everyone for an extended break.”