“We can start with that. Since you’re just starting out we should keep prices on the low end, but I’ll make something on Canva tonight.”
I tap my foot, staring at the website again. “Am I really doing this?”
The women all look at me expectantly. “I can call Rayna about Mabel’s?” Babs offers.
I shimmy my shoulders in excitement and let out a nervous squeal. “Okay, but can we talk about something else right now? I’m kind of freaking out.”
Penny grins with pride, and I revel in the feeling for a moment. For so long I felt like I didn’t belong. Like my sister didn’t truly see me. Like none of my friends or family did. It’sclear, though, that those beliefs were grounded more in my insecurities than in reality, because she’s been fully supportive since the moment I showed a true interest in the bakery. Just like everyone else.
“Did you see that Jake Montgomery released a new book?” Babs muses, changing the subject. I imagine the only person she could be talking to is my sister, so I glance back at Penny to gauge her reaction. Sure enough, she’s sucking on her bottom lip, and though she nods at Babs in response, she doesn’t say anything else.
Mindy runs her fingers through Penny’s hair. “That boy ever get married?”
Penny’s shoulders lift. “No idea.”
“We should read it for book club this month, right?” Babs continues.
“It’s not a romance,” Penny grumbles.
“Oh, so youdoknow what it’s about,” Mindy teases.
“Leave her be,” Rosie growls. “You ladies are so nosy.”
I tune them all out while I pop the cork on the next bottle. They are nosy, but they’re also harmless and their interest comes from a good place. Besides, I’m celebrating.
“Have you given any more thought to my son?” Babs is saying to Penny when I deliver Rosie’s glass.
“Your married son,” I remind her.
She sighs. “You keep harping on that, but Penny’s already a woman of a certain age.”
“I’m not even thirty,” Penny grumbles. “Why do I come here again?”
“Because it’s what neighbors do,” Babs tells her. “Just like we all go to Rosie’s brewery even though not one of us likesbeer, and we’ll all read Jake Montgomery’s bad book because he used to be a Daffodilian—”
“That’s not a word,” I interrupt.
Babs shushes me. “And it’s why we all buy enough flowers from your farm to cover that loan your daddy never should have taken.”
I’m just about to toss back another snarky comment when her words register and my head whips back in her direction. “What did you say?”
With eyes the size of saucers, Babs snaps her lips shut. I look at Penny. “Did you know about this?”
Penny eyes are wide and she shakes her head. “No. Mom never said anything.”
It’s like a punch to the gut. Ever since being back on the farm, I’ve known something seemed off.
“I’m sure it’s not a lot of money,” Penny offers hopefully.
“Well, I wouldn’t really say a hundred thousand dollars isn’t a lot of money,” Babs mumbles. “But I guess that’s really Walker’s problem now since he owns it.”
“He what?” Rosie growls, jerking her head around and glaring at the woman.
“You’re going to have streaks,” Babs hisses as she holds a piece of foil in her hand that was just coated in hair dye and wrapped around Rosie’s hair.
“I can pull it off,” my best friend says before standing and turning to me. “What do you want me to do?”
Ignoring Rosie, I focus on Babs. “What do you mean, Walker owns it?”
