Page 19 of Pour Decisions
We introduce ourselves too.
“Do you want to try a sample?” Sarah Jane asks.
“Sure, what do you have?”
Sarah Jane pulls out a tray with a bunch of mini versions of the treats in the case. We both scan the selection. Perrie goes for the one I assumed she’d try (this funfetti looking cupcake) and I pick up a chunk of a loaf.
“That one’s called breakup bread,” Sarah Jane says, sheepish. “It’s dark chocolate banana bread with nuts and peanut butter.”
I try it and nod. There’s just enough of everything—the peanut butter, the chunks of caramelized bananas—and the swirls of dark chocolate are addictive. Not too sweet, though.
"This is so good. I would have slammed this if I’d discovered it a few months back,” I say.
“You had a breakup?” Sarah Jane asks.
“A divorce, yeah.” I hold in the sigh that inevitably sneaks out when my divorce is mentioned. It’s more out of fatigue than sadness. I just want it to be a distant memory already.
“That’s what inspired the recipe,” she says. “I wanted something that was decadent but didn’t obliterate my blood sugar when I was eating my post-breakup feelings.”
“I definitely needed this, then.” I’d had more than a few evenings where I had ice cream for dinner and woke up feelinglike someone had snuck into my room and whacked me with a rake. Turns out a child’s dream is an adult’s nightmare.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Sarah Jane says.
“It’s fine. Really. It’s a lot better now.” Well, mostly. Aside from living with my hot ex and technically not having a place of my own. But it’s better than being in a marriage where I was an afterthought to the person who vowed to be there for me forever. “I got a new job and everything.”
“I’m still trying to get there,” Sarah Jane admits.
“You’re making progress! You finally started this business and that…” Nana pauses, glancing at Edie, who’s still passed out in her baby carrier, “not so nice ex of yours is probably drowning in his laundry or getting behind on his bills because he can’t figure out how to do it without you.”
“Nana!” Sarah Jane’s cheeks flush even more.
“You know I would have said something worse if innocent ears weren’t around.” Nana glances at Edie, who’s still passed out.
“Yeah, that’s a lot nicer than anything I would have said about my ex,” I say with a snort. “But it’s great that you started a business. I’m trying to get out more and do something new. Not start a business, but anything outside of my comfort zone. I still haven’t figured out what, though.”
Anything to keep me from sitting around the house. Dance classes are my first choice, but they’re not going to challenge me that much. A book club? Fencing? I don’t even know.
“That’s the kind of attitude I like to see.” Nana smiles, snagging a sample. “You want something surprising. Daring.”
“Not, like, skydiving or anything.” I laugh. “But something I wouldn’t normally choose to do.”
Nana’s smile widens, a tinge of mischief that makes her look decades younger coming across her face.
“This is going to sound crazy, but do you want to be a part of a little experiment?” Nana asks, pulling her enormous phone from her cleavage. “A friend blind date. Not a date-date, but basically I’d set you up with someone to go do something a little fun and crazy. It’ll be easier to go if you aren’t alone."
I’ve known Nana all of four minutes, but I trust her.
“As long as it’s not a romantic date, why not?” I say.
“Nana…who are you setting her up with?” Sarah Jane asks, her eyes darting between us.
“It’s not ‘setting up’. It’s a blind friend date, Sarah Jane. Get with the program.” Nana puts her glasses on top of her head and squints at her phone screen. “And it’s one of your cousins.”
Sarah Jane sighs. “One of the good ones?”
“Of course! All of your cousins are good ones.” Nana puts her hand to her chest, looking up for a moment. “Well, mostly. There are a whole lot of y’all. What’s your number, hun?”
I tell Nana my number. Sarah Jane rolls her eyes, but there’s no malice in them. “Good luck, Kat.”
