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She smiled and licked her lips as she watched Max reach in for the Greek desserts. Katerina looked up at me. Pointing to her, I motioned for her to meet me in the back.
“What are you doing?” Kilyn asked.
“I’m going to set her straight.”
Max, Charity, and Kilyn all gasped.
“It’s about time,” Liza said walking up tying on an apron.
I looked at her as she shrugged. “Sorry, but this has been going on for too long. This is your turf. She can’t mess with you on your turf.”
“Yeah!” Kilyn said as she lifted her fist into the air. Slowly pulling it back down, she turned to Max. “If you’ve got that ready, I’ll just be leaving before the shit hits the fan. Later, guys.”
“Chicken,” I called out. Lifting her hand, Kilyn gave it a quick wave and was out the door with her goodies.
And to think I’m planning her baby shower.
Spinning around, I made my way to my office where Katerina was already sitting behind my desk.
I shut the door and took a seat. Before I had a chance to even start talking, she went first.
“Don’t be upset, Gabriella. I only meant it with good intentions.”
Breathe. Stay calm. You’ve got this.
“Katerina, this is my bakery. My business, my livelihood. My dream. You cannot come in here and act like you are a part of it. You especially cannot come in and bring food. For one, it is a health violation. I could get in trouble.”
Her face dropped. “Oh, Gabriella, I wasn’t even thinking about that.”
“Well, honestly Katerina, you weren’t thinking at all. You’re walking around putting down my baking to my customers. How do you think that makes me feel?”
She only stared at me, but didn’t respond.
“You are to never bring food into this bakery again, and if for any reason you think there needs to be a dessert here, talk to me about it first. Maybe we can have a Greek day or something.”
I don’t think in the six months that I have known Katerina Drivas I have I ever seen her speechless. Standing, she smoothed out her hair and smiled.
“Well, it appears I’ve been put in my place.”
Sighing, I dropped my head. When I glanced back up at her, she was moving around the desk. “I’m not trying to put you in your place. I’m simply asking that you not interfere with my business. I’ve worked very hard to make this bakery what it is. I know you wish I was Greek, and I’m sorry I’m not.”
She smiled. “You’re three percent.”
Slowly shaking my head, I smiled softly. I could tell her the test was false, but what good what it do.
“I’m very proud of my Italian heritage, just as you’re proud of your Greek. I’m very passionate about my cooking, like you’re passionate about yours. It’s okay to be different. It’s okay if Nic loves an Italian dish. Because no matter what I cook or what I bake, you’ll always be his mother and he will always love you with every ounce of his heart and soul. I’m not competing with you on that, Katerina. We both love the same man, but in two totally different ways.”
Katerina glanced away for a few moments while she cleared her throat before focusing back on me.
“You are a strong woman, Gabriella, and I see why my Nicholaus loves you so.”
Smiling, I walked up to her and kissed her on the cheek. “You raised an amazing man, Katerina. I’d be lost without him.”
With a quick pat on my arm, she stood up straighter. “Now, if you’ll bring me back to my . . . er . . . Nicholaus’s house, I will get my car and head home. I have some planning to do for the shower.” Narrowing her eyes, she flashed me an evil smile. “Kilyn thinks she snuck in the bakery today without me seeing her, but I saw her. I also saw her taking all the desserts! I knew that girl loved my kariokes.”
I covered my mouth to hide my smile as Katerina marched out of my office.
With a deep exhale, I looked up and said a quick prayer. As I made my way out of my office, I couldn’t help but chuckle. Life with Katerina Drivas was going to be interesting.
Exhausting.
But very interesting.
“THIS WAS SUCH a bad idea,” I mumbled to myself while I climbed up one step at a time.
Swinging my leg over the ladder, I stepped up onto the roof. Smiling, I let out the breath I’d been holding.
“Oh, wow.”
The view was breathtaking. Charity was right. This would be the perfect place. Reaching for my phone in my back pocket, I pulled up her name.
Me: I can see the mountains perfectly.
Charity: Told you!
Me: This was a great idea!
Charity: LOL. I’m surprised you got up there.
I stared at her text like it was a snake about to bite me.
