“Joy, would you do me a favor?” Amanda calls from up front where she’s checking out a customer. “Would you get me a roll of register tape?”

“Sure.” I bound off the stool and hurry to the back. My old room. The space Michael offered me the day I arrived in town. Pretty sure he felt sorry for me. The rumor that chased around for a long time—well, it still does—is that I was homeless. As Anna said already, I did nothing to dismis...