“I don’t know, Soph. I know something’s wrong, but she won’t talk to me. First, she wouldn’t organize that big wedding, and now, she’s barely talking to me. I have no idea what’s going on.”
Sophia paused. “Look, I know you don’t believe in stuff like this, but you should consider therapy. It’s not too late to save your marriage. Don’t wait too long like I did, okay?”
“I’ll think about it.”
For the rest of the ride, they talked about nothing in particular, with Ian’s voice comforting her as she drove through the empty streets. An hour and a half later, when Sophia pulled up outside of her father’s two-story Victorian-style house on the outskirts of Provincetown, Sophia felt a familiar twinge in the center of her chest.
The same twinge she’d been getting on and off for the past two years.
A part of her hated having to return home with her tail between her legs after her divorce, but the other part of her knew that moving into another rental wasn’t the smart choice. Having never invested in their own home, Darren and Sophia had lived in the same rental for most of their marriage, and Sophia had never seen the harm in it.
Until now.
She killed the engine, leaned forward in her seat, and thought about everything in her life that led to her moving back home into the apartment above her father’s garage. While she knew her father loved having her there, going out of his way to make her feel comfortable, moving back had still been difficult.
It was like trying to put on a pair of shoes that didn’t fit anymore.
Yet, Sophia took comfort in the fact that it was temporary, a reprieve until she got back on her feet and figured out what to do next.
Sighing, Sophia stepped out of the car and stretched her arms up over her head. Moments later, the front door opened, and her father stepped out in a pair of sweatpants and a hoodie.He covered the distance between them and pulled her in for a hug.
When they drew apart, she felt better than she had all day.
Chapter One
Bright sunlight danced behind her eyelids.
Sophia groaned and brought one hand up to her forehead. She flipped onto her side, pried one eye open, and waited for her vision to adjust. As soon as it did, her arm flailed at her side, stopping when her fingers curled around the cool metal of her phone. With a frown, she lifted the phone up to her eyes and made a low sound in the back of her throat.
As soon as her vision swam back into focus, she let out a low squeak and threw the covers off. Then she raced around her room, throwing the doors to the closet open. After pulling on a pair of jeans and a button-down shirt over her shoulders, she tossed her pajamas into the hamper. In the shower, she kept dropping the bar of soap and having to bend down to pick it up.
Already, her morning was off to a rough start.
And her boss was not going to be happy that Sophia was late.
When she came out of the shower, steam followed her into the room. Sophia’s fingers moved quickly and deftly till she was fully clothed again. Then she dragged a brush through her hair, sprayed herself with perfume, and snatched her purse off the floor. Sophia took the stairs two at a time, nearly losing her footing at the last step. On her way past, she waved at her father,who stood on the front lawn in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, the hose gripped and secured in both hands.
“Sorry, we can’t talk. I’m late,” Sophia called out as she stuffed herself into the car. She rolled down the window and blew her dad a kiss. “Call you during my break. Love you.”
“Love you, too,” Stu replied with another cheerful wave.
He returned to the task of watering the grass and bushes as Sophia backed out of the driveway. By the time she pulled up outside of work a few minutes later, sweat was glistening on her forehead and the back of her neck. She left her car in one of the few remaining parking spots in the back and staggered onto the sidewalk. When she pushed the back door open, the smell of cinnamon and ginger hit her first. Followed closely by the pungent smell of sickly-sweet perfume.
Sophia shoved her purse into her locker and slipped her phone into her pocket. Then she tied her apron around her waist and pushed through the double doors, finding the kitchen already at full capacity, with everyone talking to be heard over each other and plates of pastries already on display. She greeted the staff with a quick smile and slid into her place near the oven, her heart still racing unsteadily.
“You’re late,” Nora commented, materializing next to her out of thin air. Sophia twisted to face her boss, the older woman’s slightly weathered face creasing into a frown. “Have you come up with an alternative for the bride yet? I still have no idea what she means by ‘influencer worthy food.’”
Sophia cleared her throat. “I have no idea either. I’m sorry I’m late. My alarm didn’t go off.”
Nora patted her thinning hair and nodded. “Try not to make it a habit, okay?”
“Don’t worry, I won’t.”
Nora stepped out of the kitchen, and before she ducked into her office, Sophia took a moment to admire the older woman,looking immaculate and put together in her pressed skirt and button-down shirt. Her boss was effortlessly elegant in a way most people envied, and it was one of the many reasons Sophia liked working for her. That and the fact that Nora had built the business herself from the ground up as a single mom and a refugee, to boot.
There was nothing she didn’t admire about her boss.
With a slight shake of her head, Sophia rolled up her sleeves and dragged her attention back to the present. She was halfway through the cupcake tasting when her daughter came in, dressed in knee-length shorts and a flowery shirt. Zoe left her small backpack on the table in the corner of the room, covered in wrappers and half-abandoned mugs of coffee. Wordlessly, Zoe pulled on one of the aprons and tied it around her waist.
