Page 9 of Hate It with You

“Okay, but first, give me the landlord's phone number. Let me call them and explain that a few things need to be fixed.” Ben holds out his hand to me, giving me a look that tells me I won’t be getting any food until I give in to his demands. Opening my phone, I pull up the contact labeled “landlord” and hand it over to him.

Ben enters the phone number into his phone and then takes my credit card from my hand. “I’ll call them on my way to pick up lunch,” he says over his shoulder as he’s walking out the front door. The bells I’ve hung around the handle jingle as he exits.

I’ve begun organizing the bookmarks at the front counter when I notice Ben staring up at the building from where he stands in the middle of the parking lot.

Heading outside, I push open the front door and make my way to Ben.

“You okay, Benny?” I ask, following his gaze to the sign that hangs above the front door of my bookshop.

Ben smiles. “You did it.” He looks at me, his smile growing. “Rosethorne Books, it’s real. You fucking did it, Beth.” He pulls me into a hug, only pulling away when I don’t immediately hug him back.

“Yeah, I thought that was why you were here.” I chuckle at him, his arms still on my shoulders.

“I don’t think it hit me before.” He drops his hands and stares up at the sign again. “I remember you drawing in your notebooks, different names and ideas, different logos… Rosethorne Books.” He motions his hands out, bringing them close and then wide, as though he’s framing the sign. “I never doubted you for a second.”

My eyes fog with the threat of tears at his words, but I hold it together long enough to look back up at the sign. “Rosethorne Books” is scrawled in cursive, with a delicate rose design seamlessly flowing into the “R” of the logo. Something is so satisfying about seeing part of your name on the front of a building.

Elizabeth Rose, owner of Rosethorne Books.

Sighing, I nudge his shoulder with my own. “Thanks for believing in me.”

“It’s easy to do given how we grew up.” His smile softens. The mention of our past hangs in the air between us, and I’m reminded of the note sitting in my bedside drawer. A pit forms in my stomach at the thought of him finding me here. That’s quickly brushed aside when my stomach growls.

“Okay, sandwiches, go.” I shoo Ben toward my car as I head back inside.

“I’m proud of you,” he says one last time before getting in the car.

His unyielding support makes the fact that I’m lying to him that much worse. Although I don’t think there’s much reason to lie in the first place. It’s been a month since I got the note, and I haven’t received anything since. It probably wasn’t even meant for me to begin with.

What I’m focused on at the moment is the fear of disappointing my openly proud brother if no one shows up to my grand opening today. With only an hour left until opening, I head back inside to put the finishing touches on my childhood dream.

4

ALEX

An ache is sent through my jaw as Leo’s glove collides with my headgear. Staggering back a few steps in the ring, I shake the sweat from my eyes as I reposition my arms. Leo waves his glove at me, coercing me to advance on him. I grunt out a laugh through my mouthguard in response.

My feet are light, my weight staying on my toes as I move swiftly toward my brother. My final step is accompanied by my right glove colliding with his right shoulder. Leo’s always been fast, so I’m not surprised when he blocks my second hit to his chest. The motion takes me off balance and leaves an opening for him to get me in the side. A gurgled grunt leaves my lips when his glove collides with my ribs.

Leo’s always been one of my stronger opponents, but even he doesn’t typically land this many punches on me. We usually pull our punches, never leaving more than a faint bruise where a boxing glove collides with flesh, but the number of hits I’ve taken today is starting to add up, creating a full-body ache.

I’m off my game. I have been for weeks. I blame my new neighbor for that one. She’s the only reason Leo has been able to land so many of his punches. I know this is a situation of my own creation, but I still haven’t found a way to approach her.

To tell her that I’m her landlord.

Another blow lands on my headgear and knocks me sideways, sending me against the ropes in the ring, as our timer goes off. Leo works at a downtown restaurant, and he likes to get in a workout before he has to head out for prep. We don’t always spar, but today is a big day, and I needed to work out some of my jitters.

As Leo begins to take his gloves and gear off, I follow his lead, working to catch my breath. It isn’t until my headgear is off that I hear Leo’s fit of laughter ring throughout the gym.

“Where is your head today? You’re usually a better fighter than this.” He points at me with a cocky grin spread wide across his face.

Sighing, I lean down to grab my water bottle from one of the corners of the ring, handing Leo his at the same time. After taking a swig, I respond, “Just have a lot on my mind lately, but this helped, so thanks.”

Leo analyzes me as he takes a sip of his water. “Does it have anything to do with the bookstore I saw next door?”

I never told Leo who was moving in next door, and have kept things vague since he’s been visiting. Beth finally got her sign put up yesterday, so this is the first time Leo is seeing it. There’s no use in lying. My younger brother Theo tried that with our oldest brother Roman last summer, and that didn’t turn out too well for him. I’d rather not repeat his mistakes.

“Maybe.” I shrug before turning my back on Leo. I hop down from the ring and move over to the front desk. Leo’s footsteps are light and quick with excitement as he trails me.