“But,” I add, pointing my sticky cinnamon roll at him, “I have one condition.”
“Anything,” he says instantly. “Name it. My other lawyer…”
“No,” I cut in. “No more lawyers. This is a bakery condition.”
He blinks. “Ok…”
“I’m still short-staffed.”
“You want me to help hire? I know a great firm…”
“Leo.” I sigh. “Shut up.”
He does.
“I’m hiring. Right now. I need a junior dough wrangler. Strong. Follows directions. Good with boxes. Pay sucks. No benefits.”
He stares at me like I’ve knocked the air out of him.
“Are you offering me a job?”
“Do you want to earn it?” I ask, smiling.
He drops his cinnamon roll and kisses me. Soft. Sweet. Careful.
“When do I start, boss?”
Epilogue
Tess
The smell is the same: yeast, butter, sugar. The sound is chaos.
“No! You’re breaking the butter! Gentle!”
The wall to the old insurance office is gone. It’s theSunrise & Salt Community Trust Training Kitchen now.
It’s full.
I’m at the whiteboard, marker in hand, explaining lamination to wide-eyed teenagers. I’m glowing. On the wall across the room, Meemaw’s picture is staring at me. I don’t look at her too long. I can’t have tears, not in teacher mode.
Our first apprentices are here. Four in total. Loud. Eager. Alive. And right in the middle of it is Leo.
He’s wearing a new apron. JUNIOR DOUGH WRANGLER embroidered across the front. He’s sweating.
“I am being gentle!”
“You’re not,” Maya snaps, thwacking her dough. “Firm but fair. Like this.”
Leo watches her with absolute focus. “Right. Firm but fair. Got it. Sorry, Maya.”
He tries again.
“Better,” she concedes.
He looks at me. Grins.
I’ve never seen him happier.
