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Elena laughed. “It was originally a bedroom. I explained to Nicolas what I had in mind and he suggested tearing out this wall and making it open to the living area and raising the ceiling.”

“You don’t know it’s here when you walk in the front door, but when you come around the corner—wow!” Cat exclaimed. “Except…”

“Except what?”

“The shelves are empty. Can I help you put your books in it?”

“That’s the fun part.” Elena grinned. “I donated most of my books. You’ll notice there are a few on this shelf.” Elena walked over to one shelf that contained several books.

“I’m confused,” Cat said, furrowing her brow.

Elena chuckled. “What an adorable look on your face.”

Cat dropped her chin and eyed Elena.

“The fun part is that I get to fill it with books I’m reading now. Once I’ve read a book, I’ll put it on a shelf.” She walked across the room and pointed to a few books on another shelf. “These are the books I’ve read so far from Your Next Great Read. I intend to fill this bookcase with books I love. I have a feeling sapphic literature may fill these shelves.”

Cat had an amazed look on her face and then smiled. “You want to fill these shelves with sapphic books?”

Elena nodded. “There are so many sapphic books to read and I know I won't want to part with any of them.”

“You know, there are books in other genres,” Cat said.

“Yes, I know that. But these are the books I’ve been wanting to read since college.”

“Then why are you just now reading them?”

“Let me top off our wine. Please, sit,” Elena said as she hurried to the kitchen to get the bottle. When she walked back into the room, Cat was sitting on the couch staring at the bookcase across from her.

“It’s so beautiful,” Cat said.

“Thank you. Nicolas did such a good job,” Elena said as she filled their glasses.

“He did. I want to meet him.”

Elena sat down next to Cat and smiled. “I would love for you to meet him.”

“Okay, you were about to tell me why you haven’t read sapphic books since college.”

“Fear. I worried about what other people would think if they saw me buying a sapphic book.”

Cat scoffed. “You can get them delivered to your doorstep. You know this.”

Elena laughed. “Yes I know that.” She ran her finger around the rim of her glass then looked at Cat. “Honestly, I was afraid if I started reading those kinds of books again I might find out some things about myself that I wasn’t prepared for.”

The compassionate look on Cat’s face went straight to Elena’s heart. “I get that,” Cat said. “Are you ready now?” Before Elena could answer, Cat added, “I guess you are or you wouldn’t be in my bookstore every day.”

“When I found out there was going to be a bookstore in that shopping center, I went to Your Next Great Read’s website and saw you wanted to make it sapphic-centered. I can’t tell you what that did to me,” Elena said. “It felt like a sign from wherever signs come from, that it was time for me to do exactly what Dean asked of me.”

“To find out who you are without him,” Cat said softly.

Elena nodded. “These books have opened up a world that I knew was there, but I was afraid to step into. Your bookstore and you have given me the courage I needed. It’s also given me so many questions and you’re my queer friend with all the answers.”

Cat threw her head back and laughed. “Oh yeah, I’m such a success in the relationship game.”

“You know what I mean,” Elena said, reaching over and squeezing Cat’s hand.

“I’m happy to answer any of your questions, my friend.”