Page 22 of Ashes of Us
"You've been talking about opening a bakery since you were in college. You've been putting it off because Liam said it was too risky, because teaching was stable, because there was always some reason to wait." She grabbed my hand. "Stop waitingand use that money. Take a class. Start selling from home. Do something."
"I have to go back to work in a couple of weeks,” I said. "School starts?—"
"So? Bake on weekends. See if it works. And if it does?" She squeezed my hand. "Then maybe you quit teaching and do the thing you've actually wanted to do your whole life."
I looked toward the kitchen. At the mountain of baked goods covering every surface. At the flour-dusted counters and the mixing bowls and the cooling racks lined up like soldiers.
Three weeks ago, my life had imploded. Liam had pulled the pin on a grenade and destroyed everything I'd been building toward—the wedding, the house we were going to buy, the future I'd spent six years planning.
But now, sitting here in Maya's apartment surrounded by the evidence of five weeks of manic baking, I realized something.
Maybe he hadn't just destroyed my future. Maybe he'd cleared the way for a different one.
For six years, I'd made myself smaller. Pushed my dreams aside because they weren't practical, weren't stable, weren't what we needed. I'd stayed in a job that was fine because Liam said the bakery was too risky. I'd planned a wedding instead of planning a business. I'd built a life around someone else's vision of what my life should be.
And now that was gone.
All of it, burned to ash.
But in the rubble, there was something else. Space and possibility. Nine thousand dollars and a kitchen full of proof that maybe—maybe—I was good enough to do this.
"I don't know if I can," I said quietly.
Maya smiled. "Yeah, you do. You're just scared."
I looked at the kitchen again. At all those pastries and cookies and cakes.
Maybe Liam had pulled the pin on a grenade. But I was the one who got to decide what to build in the aftermath.
CHAPTER 10: PIPER
Isat in my car in the Riverside Elementary parking lot for fifteen minutes before I could make myself go inside.
Mid august, teacher prep week. The first day back. Usually I loved this—the smell of fresh crayons and industrial cleaner, the blank slate of a new school year, the excitement of setting up my classroom exactly how I wanted it.
This year, I just felt tired.
My phone buzzed with a message from Maya.
You've got this. And if anyone's weird, throat punch them. HR be damned.
I smiled despite myself and texted back a thumbs up. Then I grabbed my bag, took a breath, and walked toward the building.
The main office was already buzzing with activity. Teachers clustered around the mailboxes, comparing summer stories and showing off new classroom supplies. I recognized them all—had worked with them for five years—but suddenly walking in felt like being the new kid.
Everyone knew. Of course everyone knew. Small town, big scandal.Piper Hayes canceled her wedding five weeks before the date. Caught her firefighter fiancé cheating. Can you imagine?
I could feel the shift in energy the moment I walked in. Conversations paused. Eyes darted toward me, then quickly away.
"Piper!" Janet from third grade materialized beside me, pulling me into a hug that smelled like lavender and desperation. "Oh honey, how ARE you? We've all been so worried. I wanted to call but I didn't want to intrude, but oh sweetie, I'm just so sorry?—"
"I'm okay," I said, extracting myself from her grip. "Really. I'm fine."
"Well, if you need anything, anything at all, you just let me know. I'm here for you." She squeezed my arm. "We all are."
I nodded and moved toward my mailbox, trying to look busy. Janet meant well, but I could feel her watching me like I might shatter at any moment.
"Hayes!" Principal Brennan appeared in his office doorway. "Got a minute?"
