“You’re furious.”
“I’mfocused.There’sa difference.”
He stepped inside, sat on a stool at the counter.“Focusedon what?”
“Keeping my business from collapsing.”
He didn’t reply right away.Justwatched her as she paced her brow furrowed in frustration.
She slammed her hand on the wooden counter.“Ithought people knew me better than this.”
“Theydo.Butgossip doesn’t care about truth, andBriana’sa master manipulator.Ifshe can’t destroy you head-on, she’ll try to make peoplequestionyou.”
“Well, it’s working.”
He stepped closer.“Solet’s fight back.”
Her arms crossed.“Withwhat?Flyers?Apress release?I’mnot a politician.”
“No,” he said.“You’rea business owner.Acommunity staple.Andyou’ve got more support than you think.”
Rose raised an eyebrow.“Fromwho?”
He pulled a folded paper from his jacket and handed it to her.
She opened it to find a flyer mock-up:CommunityAppreciationNight—free samples, softball scrimmage, and a chance to support the coffee shop.
“You made this?”
“Cindy andTashahelped,” he said.“Riley’son board, and all of your rec league girls said they’d organize the game.You’rethe heart of this town,Rose.Briana’sjust noise.”
Her throat tightened.
“Did someone tell the whole team my secret?”Sheasked, angry.
“Of course not.”Acenbrushed her hair back from her face.“Butthey aren’t stupid,Rose.Theyknow something’s up.They’vebeen your friends and on your team for years.They’dunderstand if you told them.”
“You mean like the rest of the people in the town whereI’vespent my whole life are understanding?”Shechallenged.
Acen pulled her into his arms.“Rose.Noteveryone is whispering about you.Iknow that’s hard to believe right now.Butthere are just as many people who don’t listen to those rumors as there are talking about them.”
He handed her the mock flyer.“Let'sdo this.Itwill help.Ipromise.”
“This is… a lot,” she whispered.
“It’s exactly what you deserve,”Acensaid.“Tobe lifted up.Notjust defended, butcelebrated.”
She stared at the flyer, the knot in her chest loosening for the first time all day.
“What if it backfires?”she asked.“Whatif people don’t show up?”
“Then we eat the cupcakes ourselves,” he said with a grin.“Buttheywillshow up.Becauseyou’ve fed them, coached them, donated to their fundraisers, and remembered their birthdays with extra muffins.”
She looked up at him.
“I don’t want to do this alone,” she said.
“You’re not,” he replied.“Notanymore.”
