I disagreed with my father and wanted to do things differently? I was just like my mother.
There was no winning. I didn’t want to be like them—and yet I’d gotten their worst qualities.
I also remembered when Iwantedto be like my father, before I knew who he truly was. At first, I saw him as a successful business man going from small town living to creating a booming development group. I wanted to follow in his footsteps, make him proud, and eventually run Nelson Group with him. I thought that’s what he wanted, too.
I realized now that he wanted a follower, not a son. But my father was the only family I saw regularly, which was another reason why I’d stuck around Nelson Group, why I kept holding out that maybe,someday, our relationship would be different.
A heavy feeling settled in my chest. Was I like him? I did the same type of work. Was my future, who I was going to become, already written?
I didn’t want pity—I knew I was a grown-ass man who needed to make his own choices—but if I walked away from my job, that would be it. I’d be alone. And that was terrifying in its own way.
“Thanks, Mom. That’s exactly what I needed to hear today.” For the second time today, I bit my tongue to keep from saying more. It wouldn’t do any good. “Was that all?”
I waited for a response, but all I got was the click on the other end of the line. She hung up on me.
“Great talk, Mom,” I muttered dryly. I tossed my phone on my couch and leaned back, setting my hands over my face. I rubbed the heels of my palms into my tired eyes and let out a groan.
This wasn’t how I imagined my life at twenty-eight. I’d taken a wrong turn, and Ineededto find a way to get back on track.
Golden Falls looked like my best option at the moment, and I wasn’t going to let anyone get in my way.
3
LILY
The frosty Decemberchill swept in every time someone opened the door to Purrfect Blend Cat Café. This time, when I looked up, I spotted Eliza and Jules entering. Instead of going for one of the round tables, they beelined toward the light oak counter where I had stools set up. If customers were feeling chatty, this was a nice spot for them to sit, since I was able to talk with them while preparing orders and making drinks.
“We came as soon as we could,” Jules said, untying her scarf from around her neck and slipping off her wool coat. She looked very fashionable in an olive-green sweater and jeans. Her long, brown hair was perfectly wavy, and she had a natural blush on her cheeks from the cold air.
Eliza took off her coat and gloves. Her dark hair was down today, hitting at her collarbone. Dainty tattoos and rings adorned her fingers. She nodded in agreement with Jules. “And we’re ready to help. What’s the first order of business?”
I’d sent out an SOS text earlier today in our group chat, because my meeting with Hal was quickly approaching.
I wasn’t surprised Hal was selling the building, because that was something we’d been talking about for months. He neversaid outright he would sell to me, but he had (in my opinion) hinted here and there. Hal and I were close. He was close with my entire family, actually.
I made it clear to Hal that I wasveryinterested in buying the building and had been saving up for when the moment came.
Well, the moment arrived, but it wasn’t what I expected.
I never expected that Gabriel Nelson would be included in the email or in Hal’s plans for the building’s future. I’d tried to get some extra information out of Hal, but he’d avoided answering my questions, first telling me he’d explain more once Gabriel is in town and then pretending to not hear me when I asked more questions. Yes, Hal was older, but I knew he could hear fine.
While the email Hal sent was all I’d been thinking about, I hadn’t had much time to properly prepare for the meeting, which was why I needed my best friends’ help.
“I thought you could help me do some research on Nelson Group?” I asked them. Everyone in town knew about Ron Nelson and his company, but I wanted more specifics beyond town gossip. “Maybe learn more about Gabriel, too? I haven’t had any time to do it myself. I feel like I just finished up Thanksgiving orders and now it’s time to start preparing for the holidays.”
“We can do that,” Eliza assured confidently. “We brought our laptops and are ready to do some sleuthing.”
My best friends got comfortable on the stools and pulled out their laptops.
I used a pair of tongs to grab the last two slices of spiced gingerbread loaf. The two of them typically let me decide their order for them, which I enjoyed. I loved giving people new drinks and treats to try or giving them a recommendation based on what I knew they liked.
When customers walked into my café, they were greeted by the welcoming aroma of coffee, cinnamon, and caramel. Three glass cases were filled with pastries—often a rotating selection of muffins, breads, coffee cake, cookies, and more. I typically set a menu for the week and offered two types of baked goods.
Hiring help was on my very,verylong to-do list, but I was slowly making progress. My next step was reviewing a handful of applications to figure out who I wanted to interview and eventually hire.
I enjoyed making drinks, baking, and tending to the cats, but I’d love to hire someone so I could devote more of my time to baking and trying new recipes. My mom stopped in every now and then to help take orders on particularly busy days—which seemed to be happening more often lately.
Opening Purrfect Blend was a leap of faith, but it had turned out better than I could’ve imagined. I got a lot of my business over the summer when tourists flocked to Golden Falls, but late fall and winter were also busy with orders for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Valentine’s Day. Winter was a popular time for people to visit town for sledding, tubing, and ice skating on Lake Golden.
