“I love you, Em,” I growled into her ear.
“I love you, Liam,” she cried out.
Hearing that was all I could I take.
I thrust one last time… and held there… our love and desire coming together as one.
Chapter Forty-Four
Emily
I read the sign twenty times as I walked it across the bakery.
I ignored the empty walls. The chairs on the tables in the middle of the day. A week ago, there would have been people at the tables. Sitting in the chairs. There would have been people in line. I would have been behind the register. Casually looking at the front of the bakery, wishing more than anything that Liam would walk in to come see me.
Now…
“It was fun,” I whispered.
I put the sign on the front door and swiped my thumb across the piece of tape at the top of the paper.
The note was written formally, but informally, the message was simple.
The bakery was closed.
Out of business.
Out of time.
Out of everything.
After the Jeff situation, I made it very clear to both Elise and Dan that if they ever did that to me again, I would never talk to them again. I would be in Henley’s life and nobody else’s. They were the last of the family I had, but I wasn’t going to be pushed around.
Elise cried. She apologized.
Dan got pissed.
A day later, Dan showed up to the bakery to tell me Jeff was moved to another office. Somewhere in Iowa. A take it or leave it kind of offer that Dan spoke about with a smile and a wink. He also had some interesting paperwork for me to look at in regards to the building and my business.
Actual advice that mattered, and all Dan wanted in return was a cupcake or two to take with him.
On paper, the decision was simple.
That’s how a lot of decisions in life were.
In reality, it was a whole different thing.
Again… just like life.
“Cheers,” I said as I lifted the big glass with a small amount of whiskey in it.
Lucy, Ember, and I each had a drink.
We left the glasses on the middle of the counter.
“I will miss it,” Ember said. “I mean, I’m looking forward to my new job, but I’m going to miss this place. You really opened doors for me, Emily.”
“Not here,” I said.
“Yes, here,” Ember said. “A lot of people get cocky out of culinary school. They think they know everything. Including me. But to get thrown into running this place, it taught me a lot. I struggled a lot more than I let on. But I wanted to learn. I wanted to struggle. I wanted to get better.”
“And you did,” Lucy said. “I’m going to miss you so much.”
“Come visit,” Ember said.
“At your new job?” Lucy asked. She laughed. “I couldn’t afford the baked potato there.”
“I’ll get you a discount,” Ember said.
She was fighting back smiling.
I walked to her and touched her shoulder. “Hey. Smile. Laugh. Scream with excitement.”
“Yeah?” Ember asked.
“Yeah.”
Ember took a deep breath and smiled ear to ear.
Liam helped me get her an interview at some really expensive restaurant in the heart of the city. This place was where a lot of lawyers, bankers, and investment people went for lunch and dinner. The kind of place where it was three figures a plate, easily, and Ember was working the kitchen. Her salary was more than I could ever offer her here, and so well deserved. So much so that it was like she was getting back pay for running the bakery.
It made me happy to see her happy.
As far as Lucy went, she officially just retired. She had no idea what that really looked like, but she was ready for it.
“So, Emily,” Lucy said with that tone telling me she was about to dig into my personal life. “What’s next for you?”
“A life of crime,” I said.
“And hot sex,” Ember said.
“Oh, of course,” I said.
“Hopefully with Liam,” Lucy said.
“I don’t kiss and tell.”
“You’re not just kissing him,” Lucy said.
“Or… where are you kissing him?” Ember asked.
They oohhhed and aahhhed at me.
I heard a knock behind Lucy and saw Henry standing near the back office.
“Henry,” I said.
“Forgive the intrusion here,” he said. “The front door was locked shut.”
“Yeah,” I said. “We’re officially shut down.”
“Damn shame,” he said.
“Not even close to being a damn shame,” I said. “It’s a good thing.”
“Well, I’m going to miss seeing you three. I’m pretty sure most of the work I did here you could have done yourselves.”
“But then we wouldn’t have seen your handsome face,” Lucy said. “Did you know sometimes I would unplug something or twist the bulbs out just to have an excuse to call you?”
“Are you serious?” I asked.
Lucy looked back at me and winked.
Henry laughed. “Funny you should say that, Lucy. I came here to say goodbye… to Emily and Ember. No way I’m saying goodbye to you.”
“Is that so?” Lucy asked.
“I’d like to take you to dinner,” Henry said.
“Come to my restaurant,” Ember said.
“Henry would have to sell a kidney to do that,” Lucy said.
“I’ll sell both to get a date with you, Lucy,” Henry said.
Lucy touched her cheeks. “Now, Henry, you’re going to make me blush.”
“And that’s before we even get to go out on a date,” he said.
“You know, it is early enough in the day,” I said. “A nice day date…”
“What do you say?” Henry asked.
“Looks like my retirement just got busy,” Lucy said.
It was cute to see those two flirting.
I looked at Ember and smiled.
I was going to miss them.
And this place.
There was no denying it.
With the mood so high and a sense of love in the air, I didn’t think anything could drag it down.
I was wrong.
A short while later, Miranda showed up.
Ember, Lucy, and Henry left.
I told them to leave.
They didn’t need to deal with Miranda today, or ever again.
I walked to the front of the bakery as she stood in the middle of the floor.
It was the first time seeing her since my apartment.
I didn’t exactly find out what Jeff told her about Liam and I. Most of me didn’t even care. I knew the truth. Liam knew the truth. And somewhere deep down inside of Miranda, she knew the truth too.
“Closed for the day?” Miranda asked.
“Read the sign on the door?” I asked.
“No.”
“Maybe you should start looking at what’s right in front of you.”
Miranda laughed. “You’re giving life advice now?”
“Just saying what’s on my mind.”
“A whole new side to you.”