Page 6 of The Oath Operation
Finally, Amari appeared, his white coat pristine and his expression one of mild annoyance. He kissed her on the cheek, a quick, impersonal gesture. "Hey, Jules," he said, his tone brisk. "I don't have a lot of time. Let's walk and talk."
The receptionist caught the brisk way he interacted with her. A cool smirk touched the corner of her painted lips. Jules wanted to slide her hand around Amari's waist to exude ownership, but she was a step behind his long strides.
They headed away from reception through the hospital corridors. Amari glanced at his clipboard as they moved. The scent of disinfectant was stronger here, mingling with the occasional whiff of cafeteria food. Jules tried to gather her thoughts, feeling the weight of her request pressing down on her.
"Amari, I wanted to talk to you about the bakery," she began. "The costs are so much higher than I expected. I don't know how I'm going to manage it. But?—"
Amari cut her off, barely glancing at her. "It's a shame about the bakery, Jules, but maybe it's time to move on. You could sell your recipes to major stores. I was talking to Mark Anderson at a fundraiser last month. You know he buys local recipes and sells them to grocery stores and restaurant chains. He's interested in your baked goods. Selling to him would be working smarter, not harder."
Jules knew Mark Anderson. He'd purchased Jed Winchester's barbecue sauce, and it was now in grocery stores. But the recipe was loaded with preservatives, and not nearly the same. Not that she would ever admit that the sauce was delicious. At least not when her sister Jamie was around.
"I'm not interested in selling my recipes. The bakery is my dream. It's how I've always envisioned I'd serve the community, to create a space where people can come together and indulge in healthy treats."
Amari finally lifted his gaze, looking at her. "I thought your dream was to marry me. To be my wife and make a home together."
This was it. This was her opening to tell him. Jules swallowed hard, her heart pounding in her chest. She had come here to ask him to marry her for her inheritance, but now she hesitated. The passion she felt for her bakery collided with the practicality of Amari's suggestion, leaving her torn.
Before she could respond, she saw Fish walk into the hospital, clutching his hand, blood seeping through a makeshift bandage. Her heart leapt into her throat, and she instinctively moved toward him.
"Fish?" she called out, rushing to his side. "What happened?"
Fish looked at her, his face pale but his eyes steady. "Just a little accident in the kitchen," he said, wincing as he tried to smile. "I’ll be fine."
"Looks like a careless mishap." Amari stepped forward, his professional demeanor taking over. "Let's get that looked at," he said, guiding Fish toward an examination room.
Fish snatched his hand back. "I'm sure this isn't something for a doctor of your caliber to deal with. I'll just wait."
"No, no. It's fine. It won't take much time at all. I'm sure you're used to a little super glue in your cuts."
Jules bristled. There were times like these that Amari acted a little too entitled. It often happened around Fish.
"Did you get that while working on repairs for the bakery?" Jules asked, her voice tinged with concern.
Fish shook his head. "No, but I'm still willing to help. I'll do whatever you need."
Amari glanced at Fish, his expression impassive. "He won't be able to do much for a few days while the hand heals. It's a deep cut and will need stitches."
Fish shrugged off the warning. "I don't need the anesthetic. Just do it."
Amari shrugged back and began stitching Fish up. Jules watched, biting her lip as the needle pierced Fish's skin. Fish barely winced, his stoic demeanor unwavering.
As Amari worked, he said, "It doesn't matter if you want to help with the bakery or not because Jules is giving it up."
Fish had remained impassive when Amari tugged the needle through his flesh a second time. With those words, Fish's eyes widened. He turned to Jules, clearly surprised. "You're giving up the bakery?"
Jules shook her head, her voice firm. "I'm not giving up the bakery."
Amari sighed, his fingers deftly moving with the needle. "If we're going to get married someday, you'll have to give it up then."
Fish's expression hardened. "If you get married now, you'll have the money from your inheritance."
Amari's fingers slipped on the stitches. Fish winced, his sharp intake of breath echoing in the small room. Jules felt her heart clench at the sight of her friend's pain. This was not how she wanted to propose to her boyfriend.
Amari looked up, his eyes narrowing. "What's he talking about?"
Jules swallowed hard, her mind racing. "Amari, I was going to talk to you about this later, but…" She took a deep breath and decided to forgo the romantic route and take a page out of her sister's cookbook. Jacqui had been practical when she'd proposed to Noah, and look how that turned out. Noah worshiped the ground Jacqui walked on. "I need the money from my inheritance to rebuild the bakery. The only way to get it is if we get married."
"Inheritance? How am I just hearing about this?"
