Elisse’s phrases from final week drift again to me: “You’re taking method an excessive amount of on your self with the restaurant.” Ever since she stated that, I’ve been processing why protecting the restaurant thriving has felt so necessary. Whether or not it’s extra about Winona…or me.

And once I determined to take away the burden of proving one thing to myself—and to the entire city—then I used to be in a position to do it from a purely selfless place. The stress went away. And now, I can do my finest for my good friend and know that it’s sufficient.

I smile, and my abdomen gurgles. Patting it, I shut the laptop computer lid and stand, stretching. “Time to have fun with some good meals,” I say aloud to myself. And who desires to have fun alone?

I do know simply the place to go.

Heading to The Inexperienced Robin’s kitchen, I discover Tiny cleansing up from a decently profitable evening. “You save me something good?” I peek over his huge shoulder to seek out him wrapping up a number of roast beef sandwiches.

Grunting, he turns and pushes them into my hand. “Knew you’d be hungry whenever you lastly emerged.”

I chuckle and press a kiss to his scruffy cheek. “Thanks, Tiny.”

He rubs the spot I kissed, and I swear the man truly blushes. Then he turns me by the shoulders and offers me a bit of push out the door. “Get outta right here.”

“Night time!” I yell as I scurry out of the kitchen towards the entrance.

Jenny and Jake are holding onto broom handles and flirting within the eating room. They straighten once they see me and wave. “Night time, Boss!”

For as soon as, I don’t bristle on the title. Possibly as a result of I do know I gained’t be the boss for for much longer—only a month till Winona and her daughter return. Or possibly I’ve simply realized that I’m not solely accountable for the rise or fall of this place. It’s a crew effort, and like my buddies stated, whether or not it succeeds or fails doesn’t have any bearing alone identification.

As I head out the door and down the entrance steps, I can’t assist however frown on the darkened meals truck sitting on the sting of the Robin’s property. Blake is again in L.A. for the evening—a single, measly evening—and I miss him already. When he was dropping me off at my bed room door final evening after our date, he advised me about this fast jaunt he has to take as much as L.A. for some conferences and restaurant enterprise.

I hated the reminder that there’s one other life ready for him. Away from me.

How am I ever going to outlive it when he leaves for good? I imply, not less than I nonetheless have a bit of over month earlier than that occurs. Possibly issues shall be completely different between us by then. Possibly we’ll by some means uncover the reply throughout that point. All I do know is that final evening’s date set a brand new tone to our relationship.

And sure, I’m calling it a relationship. I do know Blake hasn’t promised me something, however the look in his eyes when he stated “You’re the whole lot”?

I’m fairly certain that man is as gone for me as I’m for him.

Nonetheless don’t know the place that leaves us as soon as he has to maneuver again to Los Angeles, however we now have weeks to determine it out. Within the meantime, I’ve to inform his sister about us. I’m certain my finest good friend suspects one thing is up—what with our conduct on the seaside celebration three nights in the past—however I didn’t need to say something till after our date.

I cross Principal Road, however it’s principally abandoned at this hour. The one place nonetheless open is The Black Gap, the place the occasional hyped-up vacationer scurries inside for some dancing.

As for me, I head for The Blackberry Muffin simply south of the bar.

After I get there, I am going round to the again and knock on the door that leads into the kitchen. Marilee pops it open, and her eyes widen in shock. “Hey!” Not surprisingly, her purple apron is splattered with flour, and there’s frosting on the tip of her nostril. “What are you doing right here?”

“Simply got here to talk.” I maintain up the bag of sandwiches. “And I figured you hadn’t taken the time to eat.”

“I’ve been busy.” Despite the fact that her shoulders are drooping, there’s a brightness to her eyes, which may solely imply one factor—she’s adorning desserts. I already knew this, as a result of she advised me she’d be working late, and he or she doesn’t ever bake the traditional stuff at this hour. Marla Thompkins, the proprietor, doesn’t need the specialty orders to intervene with Marilee’s regular duties through the day, so she’s restricted the variety of orders Marilee can take.

Marilee’s turned away quite a lot of clients.

“Enterprise is sweet, huh?” I pop by way of the door and shut it with my foot, then deposit the meals in the one free house on the massive yellow island made from swirly slabs of granite. The remainder is taken up by Marilee’s instruments of the commerce: bowls, flour, sugar, meals coloring, spatulas, and a three-tiered cake that’s frosted white and half embellished with iced roses. A piping bag with a little bit of crimson icing is mendacity on its facet subsequent to the cake. “Wow, that’s wanting nice.” And as one who’s been the joyful recipient of Marilee’s baking earlier than, I’m certain it tastes even higher.

“You suppose?” She’s worrying her backside lip, and her hair begins to fall from the bun shoved on high of her head like an afterthought. “I’m undecided I like the way it’s turning out.”

“Right here, take a break and eat with me.” I slide onto one of many three black stools sitting below the island’s lip. “Then you possibly can let it percolate.”

“Okay.” She agrees so simply, and that’s once I discover the baggage below her eyes. The slowness of her smile.

The girl is working herself ragged.

“Mare, you appear like you’re about to go out. I’m undecided burning the candles at each ends is sweet for you.”

“Look who’s speaking, woman. You’ve been working simply as laborious.”

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