Page 65 of Safe With You

I stepped inside. “I said I would.”

“I thought you were being polite.”

“I don’t make promises about food I don’t intend to keep.”

“That’s a very serious stance.”

“It should be.”

She laughed as she locked the door behind me again. “Good morning.”

“Morning.”

The bookstore felt different before opening. Quieter than it had been Saturday, without customers moving between the shelves or the espresso machine running in the background. Music played low enough that I couldn’t make out the song, and the smell of coffee lingered in the air even though the café lights were still off.

“Naomi isn’t here yet?”

“Not until nine forty-five.”

I looked down at the bakery box.

“So I have about forty minutes before she judges what I brought.”

“Less than that. She has a gift.”

“I’ll prepare myself.”

Luna motioned toward the café. “You can put everything over there. I’m almost finished with the opening stuff.”

I followed her toward one of the tables while she returned to the counter. A notebook lay open beside the register, along with a calculator, two pens, and what looked like a stack of invoices.

“You always get here this early?”

“Usually earlier.”

“What time?”

“Depends on the day.”

“That’s not an answer.”

She glanced at me. “Seven-thirty. Sometimes eight.”

“And you open at ten?”

“Mhm.”

I looked toward the sign on the door and then back at her.

“So you voluntarily come to work early?”

“It’s different when you own the place.”

“I own my studio.”

“And?”

“And I don’t voluntarily show up earlier than needed.”