Page 124 of Forbidden to Fall

His response caught me off guard. The offer was objectively good.

Wasn’t it?

Was turning it down honestly an option? It seemed insane. This was everything I’d ever wanted.

No, it was better; it was something I hadn’t even thought possible.

The conversation moved on, but May’s words repeated in my head like an LED banner.

You could be successful all on your own. You’ve proven that.

An image fluttered next to the words, like a delicate, free-spirited butterfly with colorful, glittering wings: a box of s’more maple blondies with my name on it.

Not the Keller name. Not the Carver name.

My logo.

I shoved the image aside.

Why would I choose risk over the prestige and security of what Morgan was offering?

Butterflies were exquisite, but they were fragile. Even touching one’s wings could hurt it.

Keller’s Bakehouse was established. Known. Respected. It had proven its longevity.

In an ideal world of rainbows and unicorns, maybe I could be the butterfly, but I lived in a world of rent and insurance and car repairs. I needed to make the smart decision here—one that kept a roof over my head.

Maybe once I’d learned enough about running a business and had proven I could handle this opportunity, I’d have the money saved to go out on my own.

“You have a lot on your mind,” May said, cutting through my thoughts. “How are things with your brother?”

“Not great,” I said with an attempt at a smile.

James put a hand on my leg.

“I’m just not sure what to do, you know?” I said. “Give him space?”

May considered me for a moment. “I’ve been angry with your brother for a long time, Sadie. But seein’ you and James come together”—her eyes and smile grew soft—“has reminded me of somethin’ I’d let myself forget: love has a way of solvin’ things, of untanglin’ even the nastiest of knots. There’s nothin’ on earth it can’t solve if we give it the chance. Now, you can’t force Ryan to do anythin’—but you two can make sure he knows he’s got a soft spot to land when he’s good and ready. So I say, don’t give him space. Give him love.”

May was like a living Chicken Soup for the Soul—with a touch of spice to keep things interesting. She was so right, though.

I understood why Ryan was angry, even if that anger was built on a flawed foundation. I might not be able to force him to believe the truth, but by loving him even in his misdirected fury, maybe he’d decide he didn’t want to live his life on the unyielding ground of anger.

I could only hope.

With a thudding heart, I accepted Morgan’s offer on Tuesday.

She was thrilled—enough to give me a hug and launch into some of the ideas she’d already had. My brain was buzzing all shift long about the future. I had to think who I wanted to hire to take the assistant position and whether I wanted to move out of the apartment upstairs.

Of course I did. I’d be able to afford more now.

But where would I live? And who would I feel content to have working under me? Maybe Zoey from the mayor’s party would want a job.

I’d hoped moving forward would settle the nerves in my stomach, but they lingered, making it hard to sit still. I couldn’t even pinpoint what exactly I was nervous about. I’d just solved one of the biggest problems in my life.

Tuesday evening, I went to book club at the library. I hadn’t even read the book—And Then There Were None—but Emma insisted I come anyway and bring s’more maple blondies with me as penance for slacking.

I couldn’t participate in the discussion, but watching people gobble up my gooey blondies while they discussed multiple murders and the mayor’s love life, wearing pink I Voted stickers, wasn’t a bad way to spend my night. I got gently bullied into voting and selected Genevieve Hazelton, owner of the candle shop, as the most likely recipient of the mayor’s affections.