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Cat shook her head. “I didn’t know him personally, but I did some work for one of his clients. It’s a small world.”

“It really is.”

“Do you have kids?”

Elena chuckled. “Yeah, about two hundred of them.”

“What!”

“I was a teacher. After Dean and I got married, he rose up the proverbial ladder rather quickly. I had been teaching for about five years and saw a need in my elementary school. With Dean’s success we didn’t need my income, so I quit my teaching job, but then I started a reading program. I could concentrate on a few students at a time and it made a big difference not only in my life, but also in the lives of my students.”

“That’s amazing,” Cat said in awe.

“These kids were slipping through the cracks and needed a more one-on-one approach. It worked out well.”

“Are you still teaching?”

Elena shook her head. “When Dean died I felt lost, so I turned the program over to a group of volunteers.”

Before she could even think about it, Cat reached over and squeezed Elena’s hand.

Elena smiled at her. “I haven’t talked about this with very many people and here I am telling you all about it and we just met.”

“We may have just met, but I know we’re going to be friends,” Cat said.

“Me, too!” Elena exclaimed. “We are friends.”

“I have a feeling you’ll figure out what you want to do next and in the meantime you have a place right here at Your Next Great Read.”

Elena smiled. “I told you this place had a welcoming vibe. I hope you don’t get tired of me.”

“Never.” Cat paused and leaned in a little closer. “Maybe it’s time for us to visit The Bottom Shelf.” She watched as Elena’s eyes widened.

“Oh, that sounds like a great idea.”

“Yeah?”

Elena nodded.

Cat stood and got Jessica’s attention, indicating she’d be in the back. “Let’s go.”

Elena got up and followed Cat to the back of the store. Before going inside, Cat stopped and turned to Elena. “Do you want to go in alone? I don’t have to go with you.”

Elena grinned. “No, I want you with me. I may need your expertise.”

Cat could feel her cheeks begin to warm. “I’m not sure that would be me.” She opened the door and they walked inside. “Honestly, Elena. I learned about sex toys from CeCe’s customers.”

“What?” Elena asked as she gazed around the room.

“You’d be surprised what people share with their stylists.” Cat chuckled.

“Or new friends that are easy to talk to,” Elena added.

Cat stopped and met Elena’s soft brown eyes. “Yeah, I wonder why that is.”

Elena shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe it’s easier because new friends don’t know all about you. However, you have your sisters. I’m sure you can tell them most anything.”

“Some things, but not everything,” Cat said. “CeCe was telling a story about a vibrator one of her customers mentioned. It got me thinking, but I certainly didn’t tell my sisters. I would’ve never heard the end of it.”