Because she would have moved heaven and earth to keep you from Bren.
Nora didn’t share this thought. Criticizing Connie wouldn’t ease Morris’s suffering, and Nora felt sorry for him. He was grieving too, though far less publicly than Nora and her friends.
“If I’d come clean to Connie, maybe my son wouldn’t have painted a devil on the gift shop sign or put that pumpkin on your steps. Maybe he wouldn’t have vandalized Cecily’s store. If there’s a bright side, this whole thing has made me see Vicky in a new light. She quietly stood up for what she believed in, and I’m very proud of her.”
Nora was glad to hear this. “She’s a great kid.”
Together, she and Morris started walking toward the exit.
“Another thing I realized was that I had no clue what a Young Adult Fantasy novel really was.” With a self-effacing smile, he added, “Vicky schooled me. After reading a bunch of quotes on the importance of imagination from Einstein, Nelson Mandela, and Walt Disney, she gave me a book called The Maze Runner and told me to read it.”
Several days ago, Nora had surprised Vicky, Sid, and Steph with a pizza and ice cream party. After the girls had eaten their fill, Nora had told them to choose any book from the shop. Whatever they chose was theirs, free of charge. Sid picked Tomi Adeyemi’s Awaken the Magic, Steph went for Adam Silvera’s Infinity Son, and after careful deliberation, Vicky selected The Maze Runner.
“Did you like it?” Nora asked Morris.
“I loved it,” he said. “When I gave Vicky money to buy me the next book in the series, she told me to get it myself.”
Nora laughed. “I’ll hold it at the register for you.”
“Thanks. I hope I’ll be in town long enough to get it. Pastor Yates spent the last month rebuilding homes destroyed by hurricanes, and he wasn’t too happy to come back and hear about Connie’s activities. He’s talking to her now, and all I can do is pray for a positive outcome.”
They’d reached the cemetery gates. Morris ran his fingertips over the surface of his gold wedding band as he looked at Nora. “Connie’s my wife, and I love her. Our family can grow closer—and we can learn from our mistakes—if we stick together. Ms. Pennington, I hope we get the chance to show you a better version of us.”
Nora responded by removing her glove and holding out her hand. Though Morris seemed momentarily surprised by the gesture, he quickly reached out and shook it.
“Your family will always be welcome in my shop,” Nora said. “Because I’m a firm believer in second chances.”
She turned away then, heading in the same direction the geese had flown. The birds had a single purpose—to reach a land lush with grass.
Nora didn’t have to travel that far to have her needs met. All she wanted was a cup of coffee and a piece of chocolate pecan pie. She wanted to sit in a diner booth and thaw out as she sipped coffee, ate pie, and listened to her friends talk. She wanted the syrup-scented kitchen air to restore feeling to her feet, and for the laughter bouncing off the napkin dispensers to chase the cold from her bones.
That was more than enough for Nora Pennington. An hour in a small-town diner with her friends, who were also her family.
After an hour, it would be time to go home. One of Nora’s favorite authors had released a new book, and it was on her coffee table, waiting to be read. Just thinking about that book gave her the most delicious feeling of anticipation. That gorgeous cover. Those crisp, white pages. All of those letters printed in bold, black ink. All of those words, breathing life into the story.
The time spent with that book would refuel the fire in Nora’s soul, and when she opened the shop on Monday, she’d use other books and other stories, both new and old, to ignite fires in her customers’ souls.
This is how Nora Pennington planned to make the world a better place.
Book by beautiful book.
Ink and Shadows: A Secret, Book, and Scone Society Mystery Reader’s Guide 1. When Nora Pennington first meets Celeste Leopold, she’s bending over a fallen statue. What is Nora’s first impression of this newcomer to Miracle Springs?
2. Celeste’s statue is mentioned many times in the novel. In what ways is it significant?
3. CBD products have become extremely popular. Have you ever used any? What are your thoughts on these products?
4. Nora recommends several books to a man whose wife is losing her sight. What book would you add to Nora’s list?
5. The Powerful Women window display creates conflict between Nora and the Women of Lasting Values Society members. Is there a reason Nora should have changed the display? Did she make the right call by leaving it in place?”