“About two hours ago,” Shannon offered. “We knew Sunny was on her way home, and we didn’t want her upset.”
“When were they here?”
“Shannon said they were here yesterday,” Sunny said, her voice shaking. “You never know when they’re going to show up.”
“Did they say anything? Act strangely?”
Shannon shook her head. Mack spoke up. “I followed him around, and Abby was there. He was really thorough. But he didn’t say anything and only asked the basic questions about our routine.” He met Sunny’s eyes. “I was certain we’d pass with flying colors. We always do. So I didn’t even think to call you.”
“No, it’s fine,” Sunny murmured. She was shaking, and I knew she was feeling anything but fine. Gently, I pushed her down into a chair and read the list of violations.
“Mack, come with me.”
We went into the kitchen—I knew nothing about kitchen equipment, so I had him point out each infraction, my anger growing as the moments passed.
Frayed wires—fire hazard.
One plug had a piece of electrician’s tape on it. “I put that on the plug so I knew which one it was. There isn’t anything wrong with it,” Mack stated.
Inadequate hand-washing stations.
“We meet code,” Mack insisted. “In fact, we exceed it.”
Equipment, utensils, multi-service articles, and food contact surfaces are not properly constructed or sanitized.
The kitchen was spotless. I frowned and looked at Mack. He shook his head.
“We were baking when he showed up. Of course, it was messy—but not unclean. Never in this kitchen. Sunny is very particular. So am I.”
Maintain and arrange appliances to permit a clean and sanitary condition.
“Our arrangement has passed every other time. The interiors are impeccable,” Mack insisted.
The list went on in the kitchen and included the temperature of the display cases and the cleanliness of the washrooms.
All of it bogus.
I growled under my breath. I already knew who was responsible for this. I pissed off Martha, and this was retribution. She saw Sunny and me kissing. She knew how my father had felt about our relationship. She was doing this to get back at me. This was my fault.
I glanced at the list. Every “violation” was ridiculous.
I returned to the shop. Someone had given Sunny a cup of coffee. She was calm, almost removed, when she met my eyes.
“It’s bullshit,” I insisted.
“Michael had a visit from an inspector. They told him his shop and the chemicals he keeps on hand are dangerous, and they are going to recommend the closure of his shop and relocation,” Abby said. “He’s beside himself with worry.”
“Did Martha see you with him?” I asked, my voice icy.
She furrowed her brow in thought. “Yes, I think so. I was sitting with him and his kids when she came in.”
I wanted to storm up to the town hall and have it out with that bitch. Call her every name under the sun and tell her husband exactly the kind of woman he was married to. But the bottom line was the affair I thought she’d had with my father was a rumor. The mayor might have heard it already. Maybe he didn’t care. I had no idea.
Sunny stood. “Well, we need to regroup. Take pictures of the before and after. Fix one item on the list at a time. We have a week to clear the list, so the inspection certificate on the window goes back to a pass—” she swallowed heavily “—not a conditional pass.”
I glanced at the window, narrowing my eyes at the sign. I wanted to rip it down, but I knew that would cause Sunny more trouble. Shannon, Mack, and Abby stood. “We’ve been baking all day. We’ll finish it, and you can decide what to tackle first,” Mack stated. “We’ll get it done, Sunny.”
“Thanks, Mack.”
They filed into the kitchen, leaving Sunny and me alone.
“This is on me.”
Sunny shook her head. “Not even Martha would go this overboard for a bad cup of coffee, Linc.”
“No. She saw us. She knew the lengths my father went to in order to keep us separate. She’s carrying on his work. She’s furious with me over the house. Abby was sitting with Michael, so she’s put the two of them together and is making Michael suffer.”
Her eyes widened. “If that’s true, then nothing I do will work.”
“Unless she thought we broke up.” I threw out wildly, hating myself the instant the words were out of my mouth.
“No!” Sunny gasped. “I will shut this bakery before I even allow you to say another word, Lincoln Webber. You take that back right now. I am not living in secrecy again. We did that, and it was awful.”
I pulled her into my embrace. “I couldn’t do that, Sunny. Not really. I’ll figure this out.”
She tilted back her head. “Leave it, Linc. Leave it alone.”
“I can’t.”
“I’m asking you to. This is my business. I will handle it.”
“Stop being stubborn.”
She pushed away. “Being stubborn is how I made it this far. This is my problem, and I’ll handle it.”
“A problem you have because of me,” I seethed. “I’ll handle it.”
“No, you will not. I’m telling you right now—leave it alone.” She crossed her arms. “If she is doing this out of revenge, then you being involved will make it worse.”
Her words stung, even if they were true. She kept talking. “And don’t tell me what to do, Linc. You are not the boss. This is my business, and I’ll handle it the way I see fit.”
“I can solve it.”
“How exactly?”
“I’ll figure it out. I’ll find a way to take her down or—”
“No,” she snapped, interrupting me. “It’s a problem I need to solve legally. I don’t have time to stand here and argue with you. Go deal with what you came here for, Linc. Get the revenge you need on your father. Maybe then you can find some peace.” She sighed. “Maybe then the Linc I knew will be back.”
“I already told you, this is me. This is Linc now. I thought you accepted it.”
She ran a hand over her face, suddenly looking exhausted. She sat down, looking at me. Her expression frightened me. It was one of resignation.
“I thought I could. But I’m not so sure I was right.” She ran a hand up her neck, leaning on her palm. “Right now, I don’t know what to think. But I need to work. And I think you need to go.”
“What? No, Sunny—”
She spoke the words before I could stop her.
“Maybe this was a mistake, Linc. Visiting the past. Thinking we could outrun it.”
“Don’t say that.”
She stood, her shoulders slumped. “I can’t do this again, Linc. Our entire relationship when we were younger was shrouded in secrecy and anxiety. We had to sneak around, hide our feelings. I lived in constant fear that you’d walk away.”
She held up her hand before I could speak. “And when you disappeared, it took me years to find my life again. To stop looking for you. To be able to smile and get on with life.”