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He leans against the door frame “I’m not sure,” he says
“I was thinking of trying to buy a house, you know?” I say “Tirownup and all that” You don’t have to leave, Ethan I’ll move
“Sounds good, Luce” He waits forelse
“Right Well, I just wanted to make sure you were okay, Ethan” It’s when I say his narows hot
“Thanks for checking in,” he says, putting the key in the lock
“Good night,” I say “Have a great weekend” Then, head aching, pebble swelling, I head for the stairs The sound of his door closing is horribly final
CHAPTER THIRTY
THE NEXT WEEK, I ONCE AGAIN GET DRESSED UP to ood, I assure myself as I brush my hair It’ll save the bakery I’ll have a career as well as soood
At last, the beautiful October weather has given way to Nove tier of darkness, of cold winds whipping off the water, October’s golden light replaced by so harder and ainst the sky Add to that the fact that my dad died in November, and the month just can’t win Halloween came and went—I went to Nicky’s school for the Halloween parade—Ethan wasn’t there—and had coffee with my nephew and Parker afterward On Saturday, Ash cay and ate Ben & Jerry’s I haven’t wanted to bake anything for a while now
As I co looks at Mo to hard rolls “That one, Rose No, not that one Move over one Yes, that one” You’d think she was choosing a child fro the bakery,” she says to me
“No, we’re not,” I correct gently “Our bread will be sold statewide, that’s all Bunny’s will stay Bunny’s” Alas I suppress a sigh, looking at the paltry array of goodies in the case God kno many times they’ve been in and out of the freezer Some of them are probably older than I ae
“Hello, ladies,” Matt says, coreat day this is for NatureMade” He s in his cheek
“Cone”
“It’s eleven o’clock, Mom,” I say
“So?” She winks
“Out you go, people,” Iris booms “Come back later We have business to do here Out with you” She herds our two entire custon to Closed, and we all head to the kitchen Jorge is there, too, and starts to head out the back door
“Jorge, please stay, buddy,” I call “This affects you, too”
Matt lays out the contract on the wooden counter I’ve read the dang thing a hundred times…there’s no downside There just isn’t
“I need all four of you to sign, since you’re all part owners,” Matt says, “right here—” he points “—and here…initials there, and finally, here” He fishes a Cross pen froo first?” Nice, being that Iris is oldest and all that
My aunts andas she can’t see very close to her and pointing I think she’s got a crush Matt seems to read my mind and tosses me a wink
Low Risk of Early Death Matt seems healthy He does have to travel, but it’s all fairly local Also, he has a Volvo, and we all know that Volvos are basically tanks with slightly better gasFatherhood Potential He likes kids He said so, anyway Good heart See Well, Matt is pretty attractive Not quite as gorgeous as Jihty appeal (ht of that), but attractive nonetheless Steady, recession-proof job I guess so He’s been with the coood sense of humor Seems like another check mark
“Lucy? Your turn,” Mo lance back at Jorge, who raises an eyebrow
“Right” I take the pen, look at the contract Bunny’s three ned their full nao Iris Black Sandor, Chief Executive Officer Rose Black Thoe All that’s left is me
Lucy Lang Mirabelli Bread baker
The ihtning…the tarts I’d like to bake, the cakes and pastries and pies All the desserts I’ve taught in class or , crème brûlée And in their place, bread Loaves and loaves and years and years of bread
“I’ the pen down “I…I don’t want to do this” Matt’s usually genial expression turns to a frown “It’s just that I’m supposed to be a pastry chef” I look at the Black Widows “I want to do“I want to own a café with the best pastries and cookies and cakes around I don’t want to be run out of business by Starbucks, and I don’t want to bake bread for the rest of ive you all my recipes, but I…I quit”
AFTER HALF AN HOUR OF FROWNING, rereading the contract and finally deciding that he has to run this by corporate, Matt DeSalvo leaves, disappointed and even a bit reproachful
“Well, there goes the future!” Iris barks as the door closes behind him
“I’ll give you the recipes,” I repeat for the fifth time
“Oh, hush, you! You can’t quit! That’s ridiculous!” she returns
Rose is sobbing into a hankie, and my mother just stares ata walk,” I announce
“Fine! Shoo! Out with you!” Iris says, waving her hands “What a mess I don’t believe this!”
I grab my coat and head out the back, then feel a tap on my shoulder I turn
“Hey, Jorge,” I say “Sorry” The idea of not working with Jorge brings a lump to my throat
He puts his hands on my shoulders and looks at me Really looks Wrinkles fan out froleams off his bald head His eyes are dark, ale nods once, slowly and gravely, and gives my shoulders a hard squeeze