Page 69 of Will Bark for Pizza (Bluebell Springs #1)

FIFTY-EIGHT

KIRA

I don’t know what I was expecting when we turned onto the main strip downtown, but a packed line three blocks long for Brenda’s Book Nook was not it. The string of people stretched clear past Gift Shop Alley, all the way back to Bert’s Shirts.

“Are they?—”

“All here for you, babe.”

I covered my agape mouth with both hands, stunned at the sight. Certain I was dreaming. Maybe I overslept but no one had bothered to wake me because not a single fan showed up.

“There’s a reason Carlos gave the town council a heads-up about the event so everyone could prepare for this influx of people. You’re not just saving the bookstore today. You’re helping all the local businesses, too.”

“Me?”

“Yes you. You don’t hit the top ten in the entire store and not draw a crowd,” Lila pointed out .

My pulse doubled, then tripled. Panic threatened to undo me before Lila even turned into the alley. I closed my eyes and focused on my breathing. Even if I was terrified to face them, I had to do this.

For Mom.

For my hometown.

“You’re one hundred and ten percent certain on the release date for Mateo’s book?” Lila asked as she put my Jeep in park.

“Yes.” I didn’t have to think about that one.

I wasn’t finished with the first draft yet—those two main characters were really damn horny for one another, but my readers loved the sex so I didn’t pull it back—but I was confident enough in the story to stick to the date I chose.

The words were flowing easily. My editor was booked.

My cover was already designed. Everything was falling into place for an early fall release.

I hoped it helped the bookstore stay in the black during the quieter winter months.

“Let’s do this.”

We slipped inside the back door, and I made my way for the designated author signing area. One we planned to keep set up all year round. Lila already had a schedule booked out three months in advance for guest author signings. But today, it was all mine.

A banner taller than Luke advertised Diana Davenport as the vampire romance queen. There were purple balloons, a table filled with stock, and more swag than I thought possible for the readers to take home with them—bookmarks, stickers, magnets. Lila had truly thought of everything .

My eyes landed on the cookie cake in the center of my signing table. One outlined in dark purple frosting that read: ‘HAPPY COMING OUT DAY DIANA DAVENPORT!’

“It’s funny, right?” Thelma asked, sidling up to me and dropping a hand to my shoulder.

“Yes,” I said, laughing. Tears sprang to the corners of my eyes.

“Hey, it’s just a cookie cake,” Lila said in warning. “Don’t mess up your eye makeup already.”

“We’re so proud of you,” Dylann said, giving me a hug.

“You look hot !” Lotti cooed.

“Yeah, you do,” Carlos agreed.

“I’m so impressed, honey,” Dad said, giving me a rare hug. “Mom would have loved this.”

“You think so?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“You clean up decent,” Luke said, dressed in uniform. He agreed to do security. I didn’t think it was necessary, but I was outvoted. Either way, I was happy to have him here.

“Gee, thanks.”

“Aunt Kira, you’re so pretty!” Opal rushed me in a hug, and I had to steady a hand on the bookshelf behind me. Luckily, every bookshelf in the store was nice and sturdy, thanks to Beckett and my brothers.

“Thank you, sweetie.”

“You remind me a lot of Mom,” Connor said.

“I do?”

“She would’ve done everything it took, too.” He patted me on the arm before following Opal to the front of the store, where we’d relocated the children’s section. My niece gushed at the new setup and immediately dropped into one of the new beanbag chairs.

“You’re going to rock this,” Alyssa said, surprising me.

“You came?”

“Don’t act like it’s such a shock. Of course, I came.” She grabbed me in a hug. “This is your big day. I wouldn’t miss it.”

“Thank you,” I said to her.

“I hope I made enough cupcakes,” Aspen said, joining the hug.

“You two are the best.”

“Don’t cry, or we’ll all cry, and Lila will get mad at us for ruining your makeup,” Alyssa said, all of us laughing.

“C’mon,” Aspen said to Alyssa. “I need help with the cupcakes.”

“I thought we already— Oh. ”

“You look beautiful.” I heard Beckett’s voice before I saw him. Caught sight of Husker’s tail before I felt the warmth of Beckett’s breath on my neck. “You’re going to do amazing today.”

I turned to meet his gaze, and the room went fuzzy around us.

“Thanks. Thank you for every?—”

“Husker, no!” Lila moved the cookie cake before Husker could take a bite out of it, but his nose was covered in purple frosting.

“I better take him,” Beckett said, reaching for my hand and squeezing it. “Good luck today.”

I watched him slip out the back, and nearly forgot what today was all about. Until Grandma Connie asked, “You ready to do this, sweetie?”

I scanned the bookstore slowly, as though taking in all the recent changes for the first time.

The new bookshelves filled to the brim with colorful books, the dog beds and comfy chairs scattered throughout, the reading nook restored, the twinkle lights overhead all in working condition.

It was a dream come true. Mom’s bookstore brought back to life with my own flair added to it.

“I’m ready.”

“Okay, I’m letting them in!” Thelma announced.

The click of the deadbolt releasing echoed in the large space.

That was the last moment of quiet I had for hours.

Fans poured in one after another, all smiling, all excited. I signed hundreds of books, took dozens of photos, and answered countless questions about the Veltori world and my upcoming plans.

It lit up my soul in ways I never expected.

I lost track of time. Had it been minutes, hours, days?

My cheeks ached from smiling, and my hand was cramping. But the atmosphere inside the store was warm, inviting, exhilarating. Just the way Mom would have wanted it to be.