“Whatever this is, I got your back. We’re the Bitch Brigade,” she reminds me.
Before I can answer, Chris’s voice booms, startling us. “Congratulations!” He comes out of the bakehouse in his stiff chef’s apron and crosses his arms on his chest, seizing me with his gaze.
I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “Thanks,” I say and clear my throat. “Would you like some coffee? It looks like it’s going to be a quiet morning.” I pour him a mug before he can answer.
“What are you doing?” Chris asks with barely a glance at the coffee.
“What do you mean? Are-are we closed because of the storm?” Stupid question. In addition to the fully stocked shelves, the heavenly smell of freshly baked bread is making my stomach rumble.
He shrugs. “Course not. Isn’t the store open?”
“The store?” Where’s he going with that?
“Your husband’s store.Yourstore now.”
It’s definitelynotmy store. Before getting married, in addition to the contract drawn by Noah to look after my interests (he gave me no other choice), we signed an airtight prenup drawn up by his lawyer. But I can’t tell them that. “What about it?”
“Aren’t you open today?” Kiara asks.Why does she need to repeat Chris’s question?
“You should start learning the ropes. There’s more to that business than meets the eye,” Chris adds, then takes a sip of coffee.
I breathe easier. “Oh no! I’m not going to work there. No way.” It hasn’t even crossed my mind. “I love it too much here,” I say. Which isn’t exactly a lie but isn’t the honest truth either. It’s a job, in a place I like, with people I like. I enjoy it. Saying that I love it is a bit of a stretch. But at any rate, I need to make it up to Chris and Kiara—on account of getting married without telling them—so the least I can say is that I love working here.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Chris says.
“What do you mean?” I glance at Kiara, but she only has a small smile for Chris.There’s something she knows that I don’t.
“I can’t keep you away from Noah.”
What?Even if we were in love, we wouldn’t be pawing at each other at the store. It makes no sense. I smile and blow on my coffee. “I appreciate the thought, but we’ll be fine.” I even manage to giggle despite my growing feeling of unease.
Chris shakes his head. “Can’t do it, Willow. You marry into the Callaway family, you have to go all in.”
Oh… no-no-no. “Wh-what if I don’t want to?”
“What do you mean? You’re married, right?”
Kiara looks at me. “Right?” she echoes.
I nod. “And?”
“And Mrs. Callaway does not work at the bakery,” Chris answers. “She works on any one or all of the Callaway businesses. There’s enough to keep you busy your whole life. Take your pick: the store, the land management foundation, the orchards, the real estate business, the plumbing business. I’m probably forgetting one or ten.” His gaze drops to my left hand. “This was Noah’s mom’s wedding band. You need to honor that.”
My heart skips a beat as I fidget with the ring. The emerald gleams subtly, the smaller stones shining around the band just like the river hugging our town.
This ring? It means something to the Callaways. It means something to the town.
I blink emotion away, refusing to hope that it might have meant something for Noah to slip it on my finger. “I didn’t see it that way, I suppose.”
They glance at each other, then look back at me, both with their arms crossed. “Well I’m glad we got that squared away. Would have hated for Noah to resent me,” Chris drops. “I’ll advertise the opening on ECHoes, and meantime maybe Alex will have fun helping out here.”
I clutch my coffee mug with sweaty palms. “Oh don’t be silly! Alex is way too pregnant for this, and Noah hasn’t mentioned anything. I’m sure it’s fine that I stay here.” I really can’t work there. It’ll be tough enough playing the role of loving couple at Lilyvale; it’d be way too awkward if I worked with Noah.
Chris sets his empty cup in the sink. “You’re a great salesperson, Willow. You have a sense for business. I always knew you could do better than the bakery. I’m not really giving you a choice here.”
Tears prickle my eyes and my hands start shaking. “You’refiringme?” I croak. When I signed up for the fake marriage, I didn’t agree to ditch the rest of my life.
He gives me a friendly pat on the shoulder. “I’ll see you around, Mrs. Callaway.”
