Oh, no. “It’s too soon. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have—”
“Breathe, Taryn.”
She did. That helped her regain control.
“Better?” he asked.
“Yes, thanks.” Except she didn’t know what to say next. “I miss you, and if I take over the bakery fully…”
“You’re considering that?” He sounded shocked.
She was, too. “I-I don’t know what to do. I feel as if I say yes to one then I’m saying no to another. I wish there were a way to say yes to both. What would you do?”
“Other than tell you to pack a suitcase and catch the next flight to LAX?”
The humor in his voice suggested he was joking. “Yes, other than that.”
“Owning Lawson’s Bakery is your dream. Say yes to that.”
Her heart sank. “Is that what you want?”
“It’s what you need. That’s the most important thing.”
Her heart roared in her ears. “What about us? Will there still be an us?”
The silence made her tremble. “I want there to be.”
“Me, too. So nothing has changed.”
Other than her sayingI love youand not getting any response, positive or negative. “I’d like to visit. If you text me some dates that are good for you, I’ll book a flight.”
“You want to make this work.”
She couldn’t tell if he was happy or shocked. “I really want this to work, which is why I wanted to talk to you before giving my parents an answer about the bakery.”
A beat passed. And another.
“Say yes. I appreciate you telling me. But promise me, you’ll tell your parents yes.”
That was what Taryn hoped he would say. Except now, she didn’t know how to feel about it. “O-kay.”
She didn’t trust herself to say more.
“I’m still at work,” he said. “It’s going to be a late night. But we’ll talk more this weekend.”
“Good night.” Taryn had to force the word from her tight throat. She disconnected from the call.
I love you.
She prayed that wasn’t the first and last time she said those words.
But she couldn’t stay out here all night. Her parents were waiting for her, and she needed to tell them yes.
Yes.
She blew out a breath.
Yes to her dream of owning the bakery.
