I sprinkle the cinnamon on her drink before sliding it over. “I don’t know. I’ve been swamped with orders.”
“Oh, come on. You need a break,” she says, taking a sip of her drink.
“You sound like Emmy now. Besides, it’s not like I have time for socializing when I’m baking until two a.m. most nights.”
Mabel’s eyes light up. “Speaking of money, I thought of you this morning when I saw this on the bulletin board at the townhall.” She slides an official-looking paper across the counter toward me.
I pick up the paper and readMaple Falls Emerging Entrepreneur Award—supporting homegrown talent and preserving the heart of Maple Falls for the next generation.
“It’s anew, small-business-grant competition,” she says as I skim through the grant’s requirements. “They’re giving a twenty-thousand-dollar allotment to a start-up business.”
“Twenty thousand?” I choke out. That’s a life-changing amount for someone like me, enough seed money to start my business and rent a space. “Sign me up. What do I have to do?”
Mabel taps the paper with her finger. “Just write a business proposal, fill out a form, and prove you’re involved in the community by going to Maple Fest.”
“I can do that,” I say, feeling a tiny twinge of hope that this could be the break I need.
“Oh, and one more thing,” Mabel says. “You’ll agree to stay in the area for the next two years.”
“Oh.” My voice falls flat.
She frowns. “What?”
“I don’t want to open my business in Maple Falls. Seattle is where the money is.”
Fiona and Mabel give each other a look. “Believe me, the city isn’t all it’s cracked up to be,” Fiona says. “There’s way more competition and everything is outrageously expensive.” She glances around the shop with a wistful smile. “Besides, I think Maple Falls is adorable.”
I hold up the grant application. “Even if I were planning on staying in Maple Falls, I probably wouldn’t win this. People don’t take cupcakes seriously.”
“What?” Mabel cries. “How can anyone hate a sugary treat decorated in unicorn colors? I can’t think of anyone who deserves it more.”
I stare at the paper. “Two years, though?”I shake my head. “It’s too much of a commitment. What if years from now I’m stillstruggling to make rent, just like now? At least in Seattle, if things don’t work out, I can get a job at an established bakery. Here, if my business fails, everyone will know. Mrs. Nelson, Mary-Ellen, everyone at book club—they’ll all see me as the girl who couldn’t make it work in her own hometown.”
I take in a quick breath. “Plus, this town holds too many memories of Mom.” Every corner reminds me of something we did together, somewhere we went. In Seattle, I could start fresh, build something new without constantly feeling her absence.
I push the application further away. “Thanks anyway, but staying here would just keep me stuck in the past.”
Mabel lifts an eyebrow and it reminds me exactly where she gets her stubbornness—Mary-Ellen didn’t raise a quitter. “Well, this conversation isn’t over. I’m leaving this on the bulletin board where you’ll see it every single day.” She waves the paper. “And I’m going to keep bringing it up until you consider it.”
“I won’t,” I answer flatly.
“You’re still coming to girls’ night on Thursday, right? Or will I have to kidnap you from your apartment?” Mabel asks over her shoulder as she pins the grant form on the community bulletin board.
“I’ll be there,” I groan.
“Good,” Fiona says. “A girls’ night is exactly what we all need. Well, that and a date too…”
“I don’t need a date,” I say. “I’m perfectly happy in my relationship with Netflix and my puppy. For the record, no one cuddles like Henry.”
Mabel tilts her head to the side like she’s about to launch into a lecture. “Neesha, Henry is adorable, but he can’t take you to dinner or tell you you’re beautiful. Well, he could try, but it would just be barking. You deserve to have some fun with a man who has opposable thumbs and can actually respond when you talk to him.”
I roll my eyes and lean against the counter. “Well, speaking of ridiculous dating advice, Emmy just suggested I try a practicedate first. Isn’t that absurd? Like I’m out of practice, or something.” I dismiss it with a wave of my hand.
Fiona and Mabel give me a look that suggests I might actually be out of practice.
Mabel winces a little, her expression caught between sympathy and honesty. “I mean, six months is kind of a long time,” she says, trying to soften the blow.
I scoff. “It’s not like I’ve forgotten how to talk to the male species. I talk to men at the cafe every day.”
