Page 62 of Savage in the Sweets
Wilson’s Grove is so small that finding a job here is impossible, so I’m looking to make a move into the city.
A place I never wanted to return to.
Rent has skyrocketed in the urban areas, which means I’ll have to find a roommate.
So far, the only lead I have for work is as a barista at ImPressed, a trendy coffee shop that millennials flock to. Going from owning a successful small-town business to working for a franchise making just a little above minimum wage is disheartening, but eventually, I’ll work myself up and out of there, I tell myself. I just need to give it time.
“Why don’t you have a cupcake for me?” April whines.
My heart weighs heavily in my chest. The last thing I want to do is let April down, especially when I won’t be seeing her as often, but ever since I decided to close Savage Sweets, I can’t bring myself to bake.
“I’ve just been…busy,” I finally say.
“You’re always on the couch. That’s not busy. That’s lazy.”
Gee…thanks…
A knock sounds on the door, then it opens as Stephanie lets herself in.
“Sorry, I’m late.” She comes over and plants one kiss on my forehead and a second on April’s. “We have stuff to do. Come on, let’s go.”
“Where are we going?”
“To settle a few last-minute things that popped up at the shop.”
My eyes grow round in surprise, then narrow in anger.
“I asked you to handle everything! You know how hard this is on me!”
“Yeah, but it’s both of our names on it.”
“I gave you a power of attorney!”
Steph sinks into the couch next to me, exhaling morosely. “Our parents would want us to say goodbye together.”
Bile fills my throat. I can’t believe she would involve our dead parents in this.
“Is that what this is about? You want me to stand there and think about how I’ve failed the family?”
“No! Jesus, lord knows I would have never been able to keep it going as long as you had.”
“Then don’t make me go back there.”
She turns to me, pleading with her eyes. “Lace, I know this is hard, but you really need to. I found some things, things that I think you’ll be interested in.”
My brow furrows. “Like what?”
“It’s not something I can bring here. You have to come with me.”
“You have no idea what you’re asking of me.”
“I think I do.” Stephanie slings an arm around me. “And I think you’re going to thank me later.”
“Come on, Aunt Lacy!” April pulls my hand, trying to force me up off of the couch. “You can make me cupcakes there.”
You can’t let April down more than you already have…
But Stephanie sure as hell is going to pay for this.
