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ChapterThirteen
With only threeweeks left in Calamity, Grace was literally living every dream she’d ever kept stuffed deep down inside her.
She made luscious, gorgeous pastries for a living. She was in the most passionate relationship of her life, and she lived in this magical mountain town where the people were wild at heart.
And shemightget to stay. Jaime had reached out to Wild Wolff Village, but his friend was out on paternity leave. The assistant said she’d let him know Jaime called.
All of it was good. Better than good. Except one thing.
I don’t have the money to lease a space like that.
So, even if they offered it to her, she couldn’t afford it.
Damn you, Ian.That was the whole point of her savings.
She could try to get a loan. Because, if the opportunity came her way, she’d do everything in her power to make it happen.
But there was another thing, one that was harder to manage. Because this happiness came at a terrible cost. It was a betrayal to her family. In their eyes, they’d given her time off to recover from her failed wedding and fully expected her to come home.
She had no idea how to tell them she wanted to live here.
“Weren’t you going to take your dinner break?” Jeremy asked.
“Yep, I sure was.” Even though the boys were doing a great job, she still wasn’t used to having help. Fortunately, they’d both had experience working sales counters, so she didn’t have to worry about that. She reached for her insulated bag. “All right. I’ll be back soon.”
With two hours before the next band took the stage, all the vendors were crazy busy. She headed out into the cool evening air and sat on a picnic bench in the woods. As she unzipped her bag, she took in her pretty food truck. Every time she looked at it, she got a little skip in her heart. What Brodie had delivered was white, scuffed, and dented. With no time to wait for a vinyl wrap, she’d painted it magenta—a color that would catch anyone’s attention in the crowded meadow. Out front, she’d set up a big chalkboard so she could switch up her daily offerings. She’d draped fairy lights across the top and strung together a garland of big pink peonies that spilled down the sides and around the pass-through window.
As she bit into a chicken salad sandwich, she remembered her lemonade and made a quick dash back to the truck. She’d only cracked the door open when she heard the low voices of the boys.
“You dumped her,” Ben said. “You didn’t even like her.”
“It doesn’t matter.” Jeremy’s tone was flat. “You don’t touch your friend’s ex. How do you not know that?”
“Guys?” She stepped inside and pulled her bottle from the refrigerator. “I know this is hard for both of you, and it seems like you two really need to have it out, but not here, okay? Now is not the time.”
“Sorry.” Jeremy nodded curtly, as Ben exchanged a box of truffles for a twenty-dollar bill.
She really did feel bad for them. Relationships were a hard road to navigate—and it never got easier. “It’s all right. I get it.” She returned to her table. Awash in the sounds of the crowd as they waited for the next act and the chatter from the tour bus area behind her, she ate her sandwich, sipped her lemonade, and then she put everything away and pulled out her phone. Ian had been reaching out through direct messages, texts, calls, and email. He said he had something important to tell her, and he sounded excited. If he’d found a way to get her money back, she’d listen. Otherwise, forget it.
She hit Connect.
“Grace?” He answered on the second ring, sounding as friendly as always.
Which would be easy for him. What consequence had he suffered? He could live without her—he’d proven that countless times.
“Yep.” She’d keep it brief. “What’s up?”
He was quiet for a moment. “I hate to hear you sound like that.”
“Like what?”
“Cold. Like I’m a telemarketer.”
“And you can’t think of a single reason why? Not one? Look, unless you have a way to pay me back, I don’t want to talk to you. So, I’d really appreciate it if you’d respect that.” A woman took the stage, speaking to the crowd.
“I do.” He drew in a breath. “I’ve been trying to work this out all summer, and I think I’ve finally found a way.”
Easy applause rippled across the meadow. People shouted and whistled.
