“Yes, but others have been told that they could have their business inside the resort. Some others haven’t been told that at all. What’s the truth, Ben?”
“Wewillbe leasing space. It’s a process, but-“
“Percy says that it might be an offer, but unless there’s a signed contract, the offer means crap.”
I shuddered at the mention of his name. A cold chill crept up my spine. “Well, he’s… Percy? Uh… Percy Armstrong? Is that who you are…” She nodded happily, and I felt my stomach instantly tie itself up into a knot. “He’s back.” I sounded terrified, and I was – not because I was scared of him, but I was scared of ever having to face him again. I hadn’t been very nice to him ever since we… I got really freaked out, and I took out my fears on him. Even after all these years just the mere thought of him had a power over me.
“It sure is. And he now owns one of the businesses that you are trying to buy. He moved all the way back here to keep his family’s bakery open from Paris, where he was a… Well, he worked in one of those restaurants with stars, if you know what I mean.”
“Michelin?” Well, that was impressive.
“I don’t think it has anything to do with the tires.”
“Percy owns the bakery?” I was still in shock, and now he was someone that I would have to… There was no way this would work. I was destined to fail, especially if Percy had anything to say about it.
“He sure does, and he is smart as shit. Like I said, I am reconsidering the offer.”
I nodded and turned around. I walked outside, and the door shut behind me. I stood in the street and looked across the road at the bakery from which all of my birthday cakes had come. I still remember going in there and helping the nice lady design it with a huge Superman symbol on top. I had been obsessed. She had been kind, and her son and I became fast friends. He even came to my birthday party. All of the time we spent together – the conversations that grew as we grew. The electricity of touching him.
We were friends. Then, I became obsessed over something else but could never show it. Percy and I had… What we did had changed something deep within or broken the seal of knowledge that I had never known existed inside me. I lived in fear of someone discovering what we had done – what I was – and that fear had turned me into a very different person than I had been. I had come a long way, and Percy had haunted my dreams ever since.
How was I supposed to walk in there and face him?
I was going to fail, and that was something I had never done before. But to succeed – what would the cost of that be?
“Shit.”
5
Percy
“Why is this fucking oven trying to kill me with grief?” I was at my wit's end with this shit. I wanted to just throw in the towel and walk away from the whole damn thing. Maybe I should sell and get the fuck out of here – go back to Paris and take Tammy Sue with me.
Bennie took his cap off and held it over his heart. “I’m afraid she’s dead, Percy. There’s not enough duct tape and prayer to keep her running.”
My heart leaped. “So, I get a new one?”
“Well… You need to call the insurance company and let them know that the oven is officially dead, and I will upload the details to the claim. They either approve or not—most of the time, they do try to get out of it, but I’ll do my best to help you.”
“Bennie, you are a lifesaver. But I have no idea what the fuck I’m gonna do in the meantime. How can I function with one oven? I’ll have to start baking as soon as I close the store to be able to be fully stocked the next day.” My reality crashed into my happiness at the oven’s demise.
“We can alter the offerings, Perce,” Tammy Sue slid off the counter and put her hand on my shoulder. “I mean, we still have to keep our cake orders going, but maybe we kill some cupcake and cookie flavors and try out a few of your fancier desserts?”
I rolled my eyes. “I still need an oven for most of them, hon. I can’t lay them out on hot coals.”
“It’s a chance to pivot and maybe make this place your own.” She said in sing-song. She had been eating cookies and was riding a sugar rush. It happened at this time almost every day.
“First things first, I need to call the insurance company and see what they’ll cover. Maybe therearesome desserts I could make with less bake time. I’ll go over everything tonight and have a game plan in place for tomorrow. Possibly another kind of tart?”
“I love it when you get all bossy. It’s so hot.”
“Will you go and give me a count of everything that’s still in the display? I’ll count the cooler.”
“Sooo hot. Yes, sir – Sir.”
“Alright, hot stuff,” Bennie laughed. “I’ll upload the information and some photos to the claim when I get back to the office. If I were you, I’d call them in an hour and get this rolling. Sometimes, they accept the info and cut you a check in a few days; other times… Well, it just depends.” He frowned and closed his notebook.
“So come up with a plan B – got it. Thanks, Bennie, I don’t know what I’d do without you. But most love affairs have to come to an end, and I’m afraid my oven has finally called it quits. You’ll have to find some other broken-down floozy. How long will it take to order and install a new one.” I picked up my tablet and swiped up to open my excel doc.
