"Fake it till you make it?"
"Something like that."
They walked to Giuseppe's together. Shayna Barrett was already there—mid-thirties, sharp suit, laptop open on the table. She stood when they approached.
"Lucy Chen. Thank you for meeting with me."
"Of course. This is Jake Morrison. I hope it's okay that he's here—"
"Absolutely. The more perspectives the better." Shayna shook both their hands and gestured to the chairs. "Shall we?"
They sat. Giuseppe appeared immediately with coffee and then—thankfully—left them alone.
Shayna pulled out a tablet and slid it toward Lucy. "I'll get straight to the point. My company, Barrett Development, specializes in preserving and expanding local businesses in small towns. We're not interested in coming in and gutting what makes a place special—we want to honor it while helping it grow."
"What does that mean specifically for The Bread Basket?" Lucy asked.
"We've been watching your business for about six months. Your grandmother built something remarkable—a true community institution. Your food is excellent, your customer base is loyal, and your reputation extends beyond Timber Falls. We think there's potential to expand."
"Expand how?"
Shayna pulled up images on her tablet. "We'd keep The Bread Basket as the flagship location, preserving the name, the core recipes, the atmosphere. But we'd also open two additional locations—one in Burlington, one in Stowe. Tourist areas where your brand would thrive."
Lucy was quiet, studying the images.
"We'd also modernize operations," Shayna continued. "Better equipment, professional staff, maybe a small wholesale operation for regional grocery stores. Your grandmother's recipes would remain at the heart of everything—we'd work with you to document them, preserve them, share them."
"Work with me?" Lucy looked up. "I thought you were buying the business."
"We are. But we'd want you involved in the expansion. As a consultant, or potentially as the director of recipe development. You'd have creative control over the products while we handle the business operations and scaling."
Jake watched Lucy's face. She was listening carefully, asking questions, but he could see the tension in her shoulders.
"What's the offer?" Lucy asked finally.
Shayna named a number. Jake felt his eyebrows rise—it was substantial. Enough to pay off any debts, fund culinary school, travel for years. Enough to give Lucy complete freedom.
"That includes the property, the business, your existing equipment, and your grandmother's documented recipes," Shayna said. "We'd also offer you a three-year consulting contract at a significant annual salary if you wanted to stay involved."
"And if I wanted to walk away completely? Just take the money and go?"
"That's also an option. We'd prefer your involvement, but we understand if you need a clean break."
Lucy was quiet for a long moment. Jake wanted to reach across and take her hand but didn't want to interrupt her process.
"Can I think about it?" Lucy asked.
"Absolutely. I'd need an answer within two weeks—we're looking at other properties as well. But take your time. This is a big decision." Shayna pulled out a business card. "Call me with any questions. And Lucy? Whatever you decide, I hope you know what an incredible legacy your grandmother left. What you've built over the past five years is remarkable."
After Shayna left, Lucy and Jake sat in silence. Giuseppe brought them more coffee without being asked, then discretely disappeared.
"That was a lot," Lucy said finally.
"Yeah."
"She wants to expand. Turn The Bread Basket into a regional brand."
"Is that what you want?"
