Page 51 of November

“Youworked all day, too,” India said before she set her purse down on the table and sat in the empty chair next to Maisie. “Let me help. I can at least order you dinner or go pick something up from that place you like, the blue shack.”

Maisie laughed and said, “You know it’s not called The Blue Shack.”

“That’s what it looks like,” India replied. “A little shack. I’m not sure how it survives storm season.”

“They’ve rebuilt it twice,” Lainey supplied. “And Iamstarving.”

“I assume they don’t deliver?” India asked.

“No, but you don’t have to go there. I’ll order us pizza or something,” Maisie said.

“I’ve got it,” India replied, pulling out her phone. “Is Frederico’s okay?”

“That place is bomb,” Lainey said. “They have the best garlic bread in New Orleans.”

“Is itchillenough for you?” India asked Maisie, teasing her.

“Yes.” Maisie laughed.

“Oh. Can I buy this, or are you officially closed?” India asked.

Maisie wasn’t sure what she was talking about until India lifted a book from behind her purse. It was the romance book with the pink cover that the old woman had told her to put on the front counter.

“It’s book two. I didn’t know that the one I’d grabbed the other day was part of a series. I saw it just sitting on the counter. I can put it back if it was there for someone else, though.”

“You can just take it,” Maisie said quickly.

“What? No, I want to buy it,” India insisted.

“You’ve bought me and my staff more than enough coffee to pay for it.”

“I’ll buy dinner, too, and we’ll call it even,” India suggested.

Maisie smiled and gave her a nod.

“Oh, speaking of coffee,” India said. “I had a question for you.”

“A coffee question?”

“Are we ordering pizza or not?” Lainey asked, sitting on Maisie’s other side.

“Here,” India replied and handed Lainey her phone. “I pulled up the app. Add whatever you and Paige want.”

“Cool,” Lainey said and stood up to walk, probably to find Paige.

“She might add the whole menu,” Maisie said.

“That’s fine. She can take all the leftovers home,” India replied.

Maisie laughed and asked, “You had a coffee question for me for some reason?”

“Oh, not about coffee specifically. More about the shopandSouthern.”

“Okay…”

“There’s this gap over there.” India pointed to the gap between the shelves that the old woman had looked at and pointed out earlier. “Does something usually go there?”

“Huh?” Maisie asked, still trying to process.