Page 82 of November

“NOLA Guides is the best tour company in this city. If they start putting you on more tours, other companies will follow. You’ll get more customers, Maise.Chapter & Verseis not going anywhere.”

“What if Colter makes good on his threat?”

“I doubt he’ll bother with you now that he’s won, but if he tries something, we’ll handle it. Hell, I bet India would do something to stop him.”

“Wouldshe? She left yesterday.”

“Have you talked to her yet?”

“No, yesterday was intense, and I just needed to focus on the election and my concession. I went home, drank two beers, and let my tipsy ass fall asleep before I did something stupid like drunk-dial her.”

“What would you have even said?” Lainey laughed.

“That I think she’s really pretty and I’m sorry.”

“Why would that have been a bad idea, exactly?”

“Because I would’ve gone on to tell her that I want to make out with her face or something, and it would’ve gotten worse from there.”

Lainey laughed harder and replied, “Yeah, okay. Good call.”

“Lainey, if we don’t start getting more customers here, I’ll have to let Sarah go.”

“I know. The online business could be a big help, though. You’ve only had the site where they requested special orders, but now, you’re going to be processing everything online. It’s almost up and running, right?”

“It is, but I can’t compete with Amazon. Even being a sellertheredoesn’t net me much.”

“It’s going to be okay. You’ve got ideas, and this placeishistoric.”

“Not if the city council doesn’t give it that designation.”

“That doesn’t change what this place means to this city,” Lainey argued.

“The meaning alone won’t keep us open forever. Yes, technically, I own everything here, but I can’t afford to work here and keep it up indefinitely if people don’t buy things. I’d have to get another job just to pay property taxes, and I don’t want another job, Lainey. I love this place. I love running it and helping people find their new favorite book. I love tellingthem the story of the shop and my family.”

“I know, sweetie,” Lainey replied softly. “I know.”

“Lainey?”

“Oh, that’s Dana,” Lainey said. “I told her to stop by so that we could have a sister lunch. She’s got a new catering gig, so sheborrowedus some food.”

“Borrowed?” Maisie asked with a lifted eyebrow.

“She’s working on some new movie that’s shooting in the city, so it’ll probably be good.” Lainey stood. “In the back, Dana. Did you bring it?”

“Yes. I got a little of everything,” Dana replied as she walked down the center aisle. “Oh. Hey, Maisie.”

“Hi, Dana. How have you been?”

“Just wasting my life away as a film set caterer and not even owning my own company.”

“Do youwantto own your own company?” Maisie asked her.

“No, I don’t want to cater at all,” Dana replied. “But it’s a paycheck, and it keeps me movie adjacent, at least.” She set a giant brown bag on the table and asked, “Are you joining us for lunch? There’s plenty.”

Dana was Lainey’s younger sister by two years. Maisie had first met her when she and Lainey had gotten together, and she would have had no idea they were sisters had Lainey not introduced Dana as such. Where Lainey was blonde and blue-eyed, like Dana and Lainey’s mother, Dana had brown, curly hair and green eyes, like their father. Even their facial features were different. Dana had her father’s nose. Lainey had her mother’s. The three of them had spent a lot of time together when Lainey and Maisie had dated, but she hadn’t seen Dana much since then. Dana worked for a local catering company that serviced various productions in and around New Orleans, as well as in other cities in the South sometimes. Her schedule varied a lot, so it wasn’t always easy for her and Lainey to get time together, let alone all three of them.

“I’m okay, but thank you,” Maisie said, wanting to give the sisters time to hang out.