Silent tears slid down Emily’s cheeks, and her face turned bright red. “It’s a really generous offer…”
Amy gave Emily’s hand another squeeze before withdrawing. “I can have my lawyer draft up a contract for you to look at, and you can review it for as long as you’d like. I’m not in any kind of hurry.”
Stumbling over her own two feet, Emily stood and launched herself at Amy.
A swell of happiness and pride grew in the center of Amy’s chest as she held on to her friend. Considering where they were when they stumbled upon a friendship a month ago, Amy couldn’t have been more pleased with Emily’s reaction.
It was exactly what she was hoping for, and it was the fresh start they both wanted and deserved.
What more could either of them ask for?
All too soon, the hug ended, and Emily had to reluctantly pull away.
For the rest of the afternoon, Amy felt Emily’s eyes on her, wide with disbelief and gratitude, but she didn’t say anything.
Emily could take all the time in the world because Amy wasn’t in a hurry.
On the contrary, she planned to savor and enjoy whatever came next with her friends and family by her side through it all.
Chapter Twenty-Four
“Ifeel like I’ve been called into the principal’s office,” Charlotte joked before sinking into the nearest chair and crossing one leg over the other. “Am I getting detention or something?”
Savannah shoved the book back into its spot on the bookshelf before she joined her sister. With a sigh, she sank into the armchair opposite Amy. “This isn’t how I pictured spending my day off.”
Emily sat down behind her desk and linked her fingers together to hide the tremor. “I know. This shouldn’t take too long. I just wanted us to have some privacy when I told you both.”
Charlotte and Savannah exchanged a quick look.
“It’s nothing bad,” Emily added hastily. “Well, not anymore, anyway. When your father died, I discovered that he had a lot of bad debt. As you both know, he used to invest in a lot of his friends’ businesses, and most of the time, that didn’t go well.”
Emily unlinked her fingers and exhaled. “When I found out, I had to take out a loan and put up the bakery as collateral, but with the economy and everything, I haven’t been able to pay the loan back.”
“Mom, why didn’t you tell us?” Charlotte stood and wrung her fingers together. “How can we help? What can we do?”
“We could talk to the rest of the family,” Savannah added with a frown. “See if they have any ideas.”
Emily glanced between the two of them, something low and warm unfurling in the center of her stomach. “There’s already a plan. Amy has offered to become my partner.”
“Amy, as in Aunt Lily’s stepmom?” Charlotte stopped wringing her fingers together and tilted her head to the side. “That’s very generous of her.”
“It is, and she has no intention of changing anything or intervening,” Emily added, the words pouring out of her in a rush. “I know it’s a big deal, and I should’ve told you both sooner, but I didn’t want to burden you with this.”
Savannah rose to her feet, and her smile was watery. “Mom, it’s not a burden. We love you, and, of course, we want to help you.”
Charlotte sniffed and cleared her throat. “I think it’s a great idea. I like Amy.”
Savannah nodded. “I think so too.”
Emily pushed herself up to her feet, and her pulse quickened as she drew both of her daughters in for a hug. While she had no idea what the future held for her or if going into business with Amy would jeopardize their friendship, she did know one thing.
She felt incredibly blessed to have the kind of life she did.
When the three of them drew back at the same time, they burst into laughter. Charlotte and Savannah each looped an arm through hers, and the three of them spilled out into the hallway amidst a smattering of giggles and snorts. Outside the kitchen, she left her daughters and pushed through the double doors leading into the bakery.
She scanned the restaurant for Amy and froze when the front door jingled, and Jack stepped in, wearing a pair of shorts anda T-shirt, his hair tousled to the side. Her heart skipped a beat when he glanced around expectantly, undoubtedly searching for her. Panicked, Emily crouched behind the counter and waited for her racing heart to calm down. Then, she glanced back up and came face-to-face with Amy, who was blocking the booth where Jack sat.
Amy raised an eyebrow. “Getting some exercise?”
