“Ugh. I hate that.” Zoey frowned, her dark bangs nearly obscuring her sympathetic gaze. “Buying the Blossom would be so perfect for you.”
In theory, yes. In reality… “Even if I could, it wouldn’t be the same without Delia. She’s the talent.”
Zoey pursed her lips. “You went to culinary school. She’s not the only one with skills in the kitchen.”
Elisa rolled her eyes. “I haven’t cooked in years. I’m a manager now for good reason.” Reasons she wasn’t about to discuss tonight. The day had been emotional enough without fixating on her memories with her mom.
“I heard a few other interesting things today.” Zoey quirked an eyebrow. “Word got around that the Bergerons and the Heberts were mixing.”
Elisa tugged at the suddenly confining neck of her zip-up sweatshirt. “That’s the last thing I need right now.”
“You know small-town gossip chains—and you guys are two popular links right now.” Zoey smirked. “So what happened?”
Elisa filled her friend in on the moments after Delia’s collapse, where Noah had rushed to her aid like—well, like a friend.
“That’s good, right?” Zoey frowned. “Why are you telling me this like I should be upset?”
“Because Ihatethat I opened up to Noah.” Elisa pulled the hood of her sweatshirt over her head and sank into it. “I thought maybe something had shifted a little between us, into, I don’t know—mutual acceptance?” Heat flushed her throat. “But he was right back to being awful afterward. I’m a fool.”
“You’re hardly a fool.” Zoey shifted positions on the couch. “You were in a state of crisis.”
That was one way to put it. Fear struck hard when Delia hit the floor. “I froze. Watching the firemen, with their stabilizers and blood pressure cuffs and bandages…it all looked so official. So necessary.”
Zoey tilted her head. “Itwasnecessary. That’s their job.”
“I know. I meant…” Elisa fiddled with her hood string. Her throat tightened and she squeezed back the unwelcome emotions. She couldn’t—wouldn’t—break down. She’d stayed strong for Delia—once she was awake, at least, since she hadn’t managed to do so while she was unconscious—and hadn’t reacted poorly at the hospital. She’d even kept her cool with Noah, hadn’t let him see how much he fazed her.
She couldn’t fall apart now.
Despite Elisa’s silence, recognition lit Zoey’s eyes. “The incident today reminded you of your mom.” Her voice dipped in compassion.
Elisa burrowed further into her sweatshirt until the knot in her throat loosened. “I don’t know why.”
“It’s understandable.”
She squinted at her friend. “Fainting and hip pain aren’t the same as cancer.”
“Trauma is weird.” Zoey shrugged. “No one can hold you responsible for what you said in the middle of a trigger. Not even Noah Hebert.”
“I was so afraid I was going to lose Delia too.” Elisa edged the hood away from her face. “She’s going to be okay. But the café...”
“So you’re still potentially losing something you love.” Zoey sighed.
“My mom worked at that diner. How can I let it go without a fight?”
Zoey twisted her lips to the side. “There’s got to be something you can do.”
The rest of the afternoon blipped back on Elisa’s radar, shooting off welcome sparks of indignation. “Well, it wouldn’t have to be like that, if Noah would get his head out of his stubborn?—”
“Not feeling so vulnerable and crisis-y anymore, are we?” Zoey snorted.
“Noah has a way of making all good feelings vanish.” She updated Zoey on Gilbert including Elisa in his will and the treasure hunt stipulation. “In a way, I don’t blame Noah for being upset. Iama Bergeron.”
“Yeah—and Gilbert was a grown man who could do what he wanted.” Fire lit Zoey’s blue eyes. “I’d be happy to point that out to Noah. I can’t believe he’s refusing to do this hunt when you need the money for such a good cause.”
“To be fair, he doesn’t know I need the money to pay for Delia’s surgery. And it’s his grandfather. His decision to make.” Elisa bit down on her lower lip. “Unfortunately.”
“Do you know how much you stand to inherit?”
