Chapter 7Lily’s Oasis Independent Bookstore was located in the heart of downtown LA. A constant haranguing of car horns and pedestrian chatter was all that Violet could hear as her own personal soundtrack from her Uber before she stepped inside. Then, everything was soft and light. Then, everything felt instantly better.
“Hello,” a woman at the counter said. She wore a long sweater and skirt. Her hair was brown, plain, and so was her face framed by glasses. Yet her smile lit up the room. “I’m Valerie. Can I help you?”
“Yes,” Violet said. “I hope you can.”
After an hour of small talk and comparing notes on their favourite authors, Violet finally got around to asking for what she needed, not what she wanted. “I’m going to be starting a workshop with a few men who have recently been affect
