“So he’s an entrepreneur.”
“Apparently a very successful one. He sold most of the businesses he owned and moved here to give Emmy a more family-oriented life. He wanted to have more time for her.”
“Okay. So if that is the case, why does he want to buy Almost Homemade, which would surely take up an exorbitant amount of his time if he plans to expand it the way we do?”
“Exactly. It makes no sense. Plus he knows we aren’t looking to sell. Why would I sell him the business so he could make all the money off it and still date him?”
“Did you ask him?”
She sighed. “I didn’t have time to ask him anything because of what happened with Emmy. The school called right as we were about to discuss his proposal.”
“Did he say he wanted to buy us out?”
“No. Not exactly.” She brushed her long hair behind her ears. “He said it wasn’t what I thought, and we’d talk about it later.” And it weighed on her mind.
“Okay. So if he doesn’t want to buy the business, maybe he has some ideas for us, or he wants to invest.”
“Maybe.” That sounded more promising.
Adria touched her arm. “If he makes us an offer, we can simply say no and that’s the end of it.”
“I guess.”
“What is really bothering you?”
“Is this why he started seeing me? So he could get the inside scoop on the business and gather information to make us the offer and I’d push it with you to make him happy?”
Adria shook her head all through that. “No. I don’t believe that. I don’t think you do either. You’ve been so happy together.”
“I thought so, but then he does this out of nowhere. We talk about Almost Homemade, but it’s more about how my day went. I suppose I’ve given him some idea of our financial status. I’ve definitely spoken about how we want to expand and what that would look like. If he wanted to know all that stuff, I guess I made it easy for him.”
“You’re making assumptions and creating a story that may not be true at all. The best thing to do is talk to him. See what he has to say. Call him now, get to the bottom of it so you’ll have your peace of mind back.”
“I wish I could, but we have a cashier out today and Sunrise Farms is due any second with our delivery.”
“I can cover while you make the call.”
“You’re not even supposed to be here. The doctor wants you home and resting for the rest of your pregnancy.”
Adria sighed and rubbed her hand over her big round belly. “I know. I promised Drake I’d pick up the paperwork and my laptop and go straight home.”
“You need to take care of yourself and those babies. I can handle the stores.”
“I know you can. I’m just not very good at doing nothing. If I can get the paperwork, payroll, and inventory done, then it’s less for you to worry about, and you’ll have more time with Jon and Emmy.”
“I appreciate that. I do, but I don’t want you overdoing it.”
“Believe me, Drake won’t let me.” Adria glanced around the kitchen. “Did the hydroponic greens come in for the salad kits?”
“They’ll deliver to all the stores early tomorrow morning. We’ll switch over to exclusively using the organic greens in everything we prepare, including the spinach in our cooked dishes.”
“I’m so glad we partnered with the new company. Not only will the greens be locally grown, but because they’re grown indoors, we’ll have fresh organic lettuce all year round for less than shipping them here.”
Trinity had made the connection with the hydroponic growers. “That’s what we’re about, working with and sourcing quality ingredients locally. The hydroponics company can set up new locations as we do to supply us. It’s a win-win for both businesses.”
The back door opened and the rep from Sunrise Farms walked in with his tablet in hand, ready to make delivery of their other fruits and vegetables.
Adria touched her arm. “I’ll get what I need and head home. Don’t let Nathan get to you. And call Jon. Let him explain what it is he wants with Almost Homemade and you. I’ve never seen you as happy as you have been since you started seeing him. I know things have been . . . complicated with his ex, but you two seem made for each other.”
“That’s exactly how I’ve felt, and I love Emmy.”
“Do you love him?”
“I think I do.” She loved spending time with him. When they were apart, she thought about him all the time and couldn’t wait to see him again. The time they spent together at his place with Emmy . . . It really felt like they were a family.
Marriage, expanding their family, that all just seemed inevitable to her.
Steph would never be easy to deal with, but they’d make it work somehow. She and Jon would give Emmy the stability and love and home she deserved.
She didn’t want to take Steph’s place, but Trinity could be to Emmy everything Steph couldn’t be. Maybe with her influence, Steph would step up and try harder to be the mom Emmy needed.
“I think Jon loves you, too, Trinity, for what it’s worth coming from me. I see it in the way he looks at you and how he wants you with him all the time.”
She regretted leaving things hanging between them and not letting him explain yesterday before he left. The panic attack had simply made it impossible for her to think reasonably.
“Would you mind telling the Sunrise delivery guy to go ahead and start loading everything they brought into the refrigerators? I’m just going to give Jon a quick call and touch base before I verify the order.” She really wanted to know how the interview went with DPHHS, too. She hoped Emmy wasn’t further traumatized by having a stranger question her about what happened.
“Great. No problem.” Adria went to speak to the Sunrise guy.
Trinity pulled out her cell and hit the speed dial for Jon. It rang. And rang. And rang, until his voicemail picked up. She listened to his deep, rich voice tell her to leave a message, then didn’t know what to say. “Hey. It’s me. Um. I just wanted to talk.” She really wanted to hear his voice and some reassurance that everything between them was okay.
She hung up, disappointed their talk would have to wait and wondering why, when he always answered her call, he didn’t this time.
Chapter Twenty
Jon loved his new office with the cool silver color on the walls he used throughout the house. He bought new bright white bookcases, a light-colored wood desk, black leather chairs, and a small sofa to fill out the space. To remind him of California, he’d found three large paintings of the ocean with beach dunes and seagrass.
Every time he came in, he felt calm and ready to work.
Except today.
He sat in front of his laptop and stared at his lawyer, Elijah, on the video call.
“Beth from DPHHS took Steph’s statement yesterday at the grocery store,” his lawyer told him. “By the time Beth met her at the apartment, Steph must have been advised by her lawyer. The place was clean. The fridge stocked with food. Beth had no choice but to deem the place acceptable for Emmy to return to.”
“What about the marks on Emmy? The butchered haircut?”