Page 135 of Almost Love

They squeezed her on either side and then Ginny whispered, “We’rethebest thing, right?”

Always trust Ginny to lighten the mood.

“You two are the most surprising thing to happen to me.”

“We’ll take it. Surprising is another way to say best,” Daisy added and then bumped fists with Ginny. “Are you glad you finally agreed to be a part of this?”

Grateful for the continued change in subject, she shrugged. “Yes to the food festival, still on the fence in regards to this friendship.”

“Whoa.” Ginny said, pulling her to a stop. Her friends wore matching scowls, hands on their hips as they stared her down. “Most people would walk away after a comment like that. But we’re not most people.”

Daisy nodded. “We know you, Clementine. And we don’t accept your shrugging us off.”

“Exactly. We’ll accept not being the best thing to ever happen to you, but don’t you even try to weasel your way out of this hoemance.” Ginny narrowed her eyes.

Clementine snorted. “There has to be a better term thanhoemance.”

“I’ll work on it.” Ginny nodded and then both of them looped their arms through hers again. She smiled, glancing at her friends as they made a slow loop through the stalls.

After a cup of mediocre coffee and a pastry from another bakery—“We’re scoping out competition. This is important!”—Clementine returned to the Pretty Baked stall. The tip jar was overflowing again and she wasn’t surprised, because her staff were doing such a good job. They were a well-oiled machine and every time something looked like it was running low, they refilled it without breaking their stride. She’d see them do this in the shop, but it was different in this setting.

The stall was open on all sides, inviting customers to wander and interact with her staff since everyone had a hand in what was being sold, they could charm anybody into trying something in the display cases. She was constantly impressed with them, and realized that most of her staff were actually good at interacting with customers, a change she would implement once they opened the new space.

Despite her best efforts to slip into the back and out of sight, Luna pointed her out to a customer. That turned into Clementine talking to everyone else in the line, recommending items they should try depending on what they were in the mood for. Rhiannon liked to remind her that as someone who was in a business that catered to humans, she needed to be more people friendly. It wasn’t always easy. Faking her smile could only last so long and she was reaching the end of her rope when her phone started ringing.

“Excuse me a minute,” she told the customer when she saw Mack’s name. “Are you two on your way?”

“I was. James called. Apparently there’s something that needs your attention.”

“Did he say what it was?”

“No. I’m going to pick up Dig and then swing by the shop. Think you could get there before I do?”

“Yeah.”

She hurried behind the stall and gathered her things, slinging her bag over her shoulder. Letting Freya know she was heading out, Clementine walked towards her truck.

“How’s day two going?”

“Really good. I managed to walk around as well, check out the competition.”

Mack chuckled. “Ginny’s idea, I assume.”

She hopped into her truck and switched her phone to speaker as she started it up. “Confirmed that I’m a damn good baker and run a good spot.”

“You had to eat other pastries to know that? You’re ridiculous.”

For the millionth time in her life, she was glad that she had made such incredible friends. Mack was the best, though. To put up with her all these years, to love her through it all? He was a special kind of friend.

“How…uh…how are you holding up?”

She winced, glad he couldn’t see her face. He could probably tell that she was squirming. “You know, I’m surviving.”

“Need you to do more than survive, Tiny.”

“I’m trying,” she mumbled, turning down the street where the new shop was located. “I just keep running through everything from that day and hate myself for what I said.”

“No point in hating yourself, just take it one day at a time. Slow and steady.”

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