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Honey grabs me and wraps me up in a tight hug. "I'm sorry, Dandelion. I was an idiot."
I hug her back, my eyes burning. "I missed you."
"I missed you, too." She pulls away and swipes at her eyes.
"I was so mad when I saw you kissing him." I shake my head. "I was such a stupid romantic back then. I should have been mad athim."
"Instead, you ditched the loser and stopped talking to your sister," Goldy says. "We've all grown up and changed. None of the stupid stuff we used to fight about matters now." She winces. "Fucking soy milk doesn't matter now."
Honey's eyes widen, and I slap a hand to my mouth and gasp.
"Oh, shut up," Goldy says, her lips twitching. "I say fuck sometimes now, get over it."
"Little miss good girl never let a dirty word cross her lips," Honey simpers in a saccharine sweet baby voice.
Goldy tosses a napkin at her, which Honey, who's never been sporty, does not catch. It bounces off her forehead and hits the counter.
"What I'm suggesting is that we spend time together and get to know each other as we are now, as adults."
"A great way to do that would be to have a family meeting and discuss how to make this place into a business that can benefit all of us," I say, giving them my best little sister puppy dog eyed smile.
Goldy crosses her arms over her chest and glances at Honey.
"I'm sick of waitressing," Honey says. "And my pottery doesn't make me enough to live on. I'd be open to making this place into a business." She taps her nails on the counter and bits of clay fall off onto the granite.
Goldy twists her lips to the side. "Fine. We can discuss the possibility of a business." She holds up a finger. "But only if we also discuss Mom's sixtieth birthday party first."
"Like you don't already have that planned," I say.
"Maybe so, but this is the first year I don't have to do it alone and I want help."
I've never heard Goldy ask anyone for help before. "Sounds good. I'm in."
"Me, too." Honey gets up from her seat and slings her bag over her shoulder. "I've got to get to work. Text me when you decide on a meeting time."
"Seven PM," Goldy says. "Right here."
I throw my yogurt container in the trash and start toward the back of the house.
"Hold up, Dani," Honey says. "The diner needs breakfast pastries and pies. Do you think you could do that?"
My heart pounds, and my chest tightens. The same feeling I've gotten every time I've baked since my partner betrayed me and took over my bakery. Before she took it from me, she'd done her best to convince me I was the problem, that my baking wasn't professional quality and she was having to throw out more than she sold.
I've never gone to school for my baking, but I know I'm a talented baker. I've gotten enough compliments on my baking and seen enough happy customers at our cafe to know Abby was trying to gaslight me because she wanted me out of the business. Unfortunately, I'd made the mistake of signing contracts without reading them because I'd trusted Abby. When she pushed me out of our partnership, I had no recourse.
"I can do it. But I need exact quantities before I can give you a price and twenty-five percent upfront so I can buy ingredients."
Honey waves and leaves. I get up and head for the shower. I've got a long day of job hunting ahead.
***
My feet hurt and my stomach growls with hunger as I stand outside an adorable bookstore right next to the river that runs through town.
The big plate glass storefront has blown glass balls hanging in a pretty arrangement and fairy lights line the ceiling, adding a pinkish glow to the brightly lit store.
The scent of coffee and new books hit me as soon as I step inside.
Coffee. My whole body strains toward the scent, my tired eyes widening at just the thought of the burst of energy it will give me.
