The ‘going out of business’ sign hung on the door of Brooks Books and Looks. One more week. There were plenty of signs inside too, offering discounts on this and that. Those discounts would deepen this coming week.

  And what would happen to what was left? Ronnie didn’t want to ask. She was curious, to be sure, but thought she might not like the answer. Be that as it might be. Next weekend, whatever was left would be inventoried and packed up and that would be an end of it. For her.

  A few browsers wandered about. Fewer bought anything before wandering out again. A going out of business sale would have been more successful in December, when there were tourists and winter residents. But if the store were more successful, it wouldn’t need to go out of business, would it?

  Suellen Brooks kept going back and forth, apparently unable to decide whether she needed to be up front or helping Stuart in the back. There wasn’t really much to do, not yet. It was the anticipation of what was to come, the final closing of their shop, that was keeping her on edge, Ronnie decided. Her nervousness was catching.

  “We’re going to take another ten per cent off everything on Monday,” said Missus Brooks. “Maybe we should have from the start.”

  “Umm-huh,” murmured Ronnie. She had no idea how to express her sympathy, other than to listen. Suellen was a stout woman, in her ter middle age. Not that far from retirement? “Are you and Mister Brooks going to retire now?”

  Surprisingly, a smile came to the older woman’s face. “We’re leaving Naples and setting up elsewhere. Our house is on the market.” She looked out the window toward Fifth Avenue, the slowly passing cars, a few pedestrians. “It was the cost of doing business here, you know. We sold enough to do okay, really, but the rent was high and now this old pce is going to be torn down. If we’re being forced to relocate anyway, we decided to do it in another town.”

  Ronnie might have asked more but someone came to the register at that moment with a stack of souvenir tee-shirts. As she rang up the sale she noticed a slight young man somewhat hesitantly come in and look around. He headed toward the books. She knew him from school didn’t she?

  Suellen Brooks had gone back to the store room again when she was finished. She gave the boy another look. Oh, of course. An Wesolowski. Was it just by coincidence he came in this morning?

  Ronnie walked on over. “Hi An. Come here often?” She knew it was a stupid thing to say well before it left her mouth but she let it out anyway.

  “Um, yeah. It’s, uh, kind of far from where I live.” He stood there, seemingly embarrassed, before blurting, “I did buy a music box here once for my mom.”

  His eyes went back to the books. An was probably just as aware as her that they were saying stupid things. They might as well keep on at it.

  “Books are all fifty per cent off,” she said. He had undoubtedly seen the rge sign. “Your mom’s a veterinarian, isn’t she?”

  He nodded. “Both my parents.” Nothing more was offered.

  “That must be interesting.” Ronnie tried to sound enthusiastic.

  An gave her a lopsided grin. “I suppose. I just get to clean out cages and mop poop and puke off the floor.”

  At st. Ronnie ughed, not very loudly. “Are you coming by the party tonight? Russ did let you know you were invited, didn’t he?” It was as good an opportunity as any to ask. She suspected that might have been why he came in. Scouting. Making sure of the invite. Maybe he even meant to come by the party. Or at least drive by and take a look.

  “Um, yeah. I don’t, uh—know the Summerlins.”

  “That doesn’t matter.” She considered that fact a moment. “You should officially be someone’s date, I suppose. Not that you’re likely to be quizzed about it!”

  “Oh? Umm.”

  “So you’re with me, okay?” She hurried on before he could say anything. “In fact, you can pick me up. Come by the house at like four or five.”

  He nodded. Ronnie wondered if he actually would. She’d find out! “Russ can’t come, right?”

  “Russ headed off early this morning for an extended surf trip up the east coast. All the way to Hatteras. He’ll be gone for weeks.”

  “Oh, so that’s why he got the van!”

  “It is.” An sort of grimaced. It might have been meant as a wry smile. “I wish I could have gone too.”

  And avoided going to the party with her tonight? An probably didn’t mean it to sound that way.

  He gathered up four books, science fiction novels. “I’ll be getting these.”