A bookstore wasn’t what Emmett had in mind when his father said he had a surprise for him. It wasn’t a trip to a bookstore, either. This was his tenth birthday present, and his father promised it would be big. Which made it all the more confusing when they pulled up to the store front covered in vacancy signs and going out of business sales.

“Books?” Emmett asked as his father brought the truck to a stop.

“Not quite…”

The two stepped out of the truck and Luca walked up to the front with keys in hand, ready to unlock as if he’d done it every day. There wasn’t any fumbling or remembering the key.

“Why are we here?” Emmett asked.

Luca opened the door to let his son inside, flipping the lights on behind him. He didn’t answer at first. Instead he let his son explore.

Emmett’s curiosity took over and within seconds he was walking around dusty display cases, running his finger along the shelves and leaving lines of interest in dust. He passed the half-empty shelves and flipped through the books that were still there. Most of them were new, he noticed, and he wondered why no one had claimed them. He went up and down a few aisles before coming back to his dad who was leaning casually against the checkout desk.

“What do you think?” Luca asked his son, glancing around at the space. It was smaller than Luca remembered, but it held just as many memories.

“It’s old, and it’s dirty,” Emmett commented, rubbing his fingers together and pilling the dust. “but I still don’t get it.”

Luca chuckled. “It’s ours. This – this -” he motioned around the quaint little store, “ - is ours now.”

“But what about the farm?”

“That’s still ours, too, but I’m working on that. This store used to belong to your grandfather, and he couldn’t keep up with anymore. I had the farm, so I couldn’t, and when he passed away, I told him I’d do what was best. So, now it’s ours. You and me.”

Luca tried to keep his words uplifting. He tried to keep them exciting and interesting. Emmett was ten and had no concept of running a business, but he was smart, and he’d proved himself time and time again in the fields. He knew this would be a learning curve for his son, but ultimately it would be their way out of the emotional hole they were in.

“Can we show mom?”

The phrase made his chest tighten. His eyes stung instantly and he wiped his face to hide his expression. “Um, yeah, maybe…Maybe when she comes back.”

He knew Emmett didn’t understand what happened, or what his mother was like. It was a concept Emmett wouldn’t fully grasp for a long time, probably longer than it would take to teach him to run a small bookstore. At the same time, Luca did know his mother, he did know what she was like, and he knew there was always a small chance she’d come back.

“What if she goes to the farm looking for us?” Emmett was making his way behind the counter, oblivious to his father’s reaction. He began pressing buttons on the register until he figured out how to open the cash drawer, only to be disappointed that it was empty.

“I’ll make sure she knows to find us here. I promise,” Luca replied. While it seemed like an empty promise, it wasn’t. He had his way of making sure to leave her a trail wherever they went. She was gone. They did everything they could, but she was gone. Despite how heavy his weary heart was, he still wrote her letters and left them everywhere. He could only hope she'd somehow find her way back.

The front door’s bell trilled and a woman walked in. She had curly red hair wrapped in a loose bun and her clothes were covered in dirt. Luca straightened up instantly. "Hi, I’m looking for Mr. Dane?”

“Luca,” he replied, extending his hand to shake hers firmly. He gave a half smile, “firm handshake,” he commented.

The woman giggled and tucked a wiry strand of hair behind her ear. “Perks of growing up a ranch hand,” she replied with a shrug.

“See, Emmett? Those muscles will come in handy one day,” Luca said over his shoulder.

“Hi Emmett!” The woman exclaimed, but Emmett stayed behind the counter without so much as a nod. He just watched closely, silently.

“Emmett, this is Miss Harding. Remember when I said I would make sure the farm was okay? She’s how we’ll do it. Now, say hi.”

“Hi,” Emmett squeaked out.

“Please, call me Ruby,” she insisted. “It’s nice to meet both of you, especially you Luca.” Ruby couldn’t help but blush seeing Luca. They’d spoken on the phone several times, and he always sounded firm with his husky voice, just like the other men she’d grown up around. However, seeing him in person changed a lot of what she pictured in her mind. He was tall and well built. He had a noticeably square jaw underneath a short, groomed beard, but what she noticed most of all was his calming green eyes.

Luca nodded his head, noting the rouge on her cheeks, but keeping his thoughts to himself. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Ruby.”

“And speaking of the farm, um…Can we talk in private, really quick?” She asked, glancing at Emmett and then back to Luca, flashing him a quick smile.

Luca was a bit taken back, but slowly nodded his head. “Yeah, sure. Emmett, will you be okay? We’ll be just a minute.”

Emmett nodded his head silently.

With Emmett’s permission, Luca gently guided Ruby to the back of the store. There was a door in the corner which opened to a staircase. She stepped inside and her face suddenly shifted from cheerful to almost fear. “I – I meant to tell you this on the phone,” Ruby spoke quietly, “but Mr. Dane, I’m afraid I can’t run the farm.”

Luca’s heart dropped. He looked to the ground, running his hand over his head. “Um..” He cleared his throat, thinking through his next few words. He was only able to come up with one, “Why?”

“I um…I don’t have the money to rent the property,” Ruby was suddenly looking down as well, as her quiet tone suddenly shifted to almost shame.

Luca nodded his head and leaned against the doorway, folding his arms over his chest. “That does pose a problem,” he admitted. His eyes glancing around at the stairs as if they would tell him some solution.

“But, I could, I could pay in, um, other ways…” Her voice trailed off and she looked up suggestively.

Luca looked up at her in shock. His head tilted curiously, but she was already reaching out and stroking his arm. He wanted to pull away, and he started to, but the warmth in her palm brought back a familiarity he’d long buried. “I – Ruby,” he was speechless, he truly was.

She ran her hand up his arm, gliding over his neck, and then pausing at his cheek. “We’re both lonely people, Mr. Dane.” She leaned in close to him, her lips close to his ear, “Luca…” She whispered, and a golden glow slipped from her mouth and followed the words into his ear.

Luca’s hesitation began to melt away. He closed his eyes as they glazed over and felt as if those were the sweetest words he’d ever heard. They felt like honey swirling around inside of him. “Yes, yes I think we can,” he mumbled. He didn’t even question his consent, only that he needed to hand it over.

Ruby pulled back and smiled sheepishly. “Thank you for being so understanding, Luca.”

Luca was looking at her again. The sudden awareness shot down his spine. The thought of Arden flashed in his mind, and the guilt twisted like a knot in his stomach. He wasn’t sure what he’d just agreed to, but he somehow knew he couldn’t back out of it.

Ruby leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “I appreciate you, Luca. I promise I won’t let you down.” She bit her lip as she pulled away.

“I’m sure. Let me get your key,” Luca cleared his throat again, doing his best to push the entire encounter from his mind. He lead her back to the front where he pulled the keys from his pocket and unhooked a brass key worn on the end. “Here you go,” he said, passing her the key.

She smiled, cupping the key in her hand and bringing it to her lips for a quick kiss. “Thank you again, Mr. Dane, for this opportunity. I really don’t know what I’d do without you. I won’t let you down.” She repeated. She waved by to the both of them and left the store.

Luca was doing his best to not hang his head in shame, though the weight was pulling him heavily.

“Why was she like that?” Emmett piped up from behind the counter. They both knew he could see right through what Luca was hiding. Emmett was perceptive, and his father's shameful face couldn't be fought.

“I don’t know.”

“I thought only mom could do that.”

Luca spun around quickly. “What are you talking about?”

Emmett’s eyes shifted nervously. He swallowed hard. His shoulders tightened up.

Luca sighed quietly, “Bud, I’m sorry. We don’t have to talk about it right now.”

Emmett watched him for a moment, taking in his reaction and waiting to make sure it was true. Then his shoulders slowly lowered and he gave a single nod. “I’m excited about the store,” he said shyly, changing the subject.

Luca slowly grinned. “Me too, Bud. Happy Birthday.”

The day his dad showed him the bookstore was a day that would stay with Emmett forever. He would think about that day over the years, remembering his dad’s excitement, then his nervousness. He would think about meeting Ruby for the first time, and how he’d see her in passing over the years. He’d even think about what it was like watching his dad slowly fall in love with someone other than his mom. What he didn’t think about, though, was why they bought the store in the first place. In the forty years that would follow, he wouldn’t be able to put his finger on its purpose. He’d memorize every book that came in and flew off the shelf. He’d remember the sounds of soft claps during open mic night for poetry readings. He’d even remember the moment he met the love of his life. Yet, the why was gone. Why did they leave the farm? Why did he never see it again?

Until one day, as he was wiping down the display case and reorganizing the small little trinkets and knickknacks, a woman walked in. He turned around, ready to tell the person they were about to close, only to freeze in his tracks as he looked at a woman like she was a ghost.

“Mom?”