I lost. I really lost. After all that. I wasn’t going to get the prize money. I wasn’t saving my shop.
I was numb. People were talking to me, but I couldn’t concentrate on the words. Matt kept telling me it was going to be fine.
Olivia grabbed my arm, her face concerned.
“I guess we should go make some more cookies,” I said to Olivia, feeling faint.
My shop was cozy and warm when Olivia ushered me inside.
“I made some cookies last night,” she said in a rush.
“You didn’t have to.” I slumped on a stool. “I ran the numbers. Unless I do an insane amount of business between now and Christmas, I’m hosed.” I leaned forward, resting my head in my hands.
Olivia slid a mug with boozy eggnog in front of me. “Drink that. It will help your nerves.”
I took a sip of the eggnog, the creamy spiced drink burning slightly as I swallowed. I looked around my shop at all my Christmas dreams.
“Do you think,” I said, “Matt might give me an extension on paying back some of the rent I owe him? Or does that sound too gold diggery? I mean, he did take the blame for my cake screw-up. Maybe if I can pay off my business loan and at least some of the rent, he might let me pay back the rest over the next few months. Maybe I can get a receptionist job in town or,” I said, taking another swallow of my eggnog, “maybe I’ll have to move back to Manhattan. I suppose I could live at my mom’s and commute, but then I really wouldn’t see Matt all that much.”
“Merrie,” Olivia said, her face serious.
I wrinkled my nose. “Does that sound too much like I’m using him for money? Maybe I should just try to take out another loan to pay his rent back and then work to pay off that new loan. Gosh, I need to get it together. I just don’t want to do anything that would mess up our relationship.”
“Merrie,” Olivia repeated. She topped off my eggnog then rested a hand on mine.
“I don’t know whether you should make plans based on your relationship with Matt,” my friend said carefully.
“What do you mean?” I asked, adding another sprinkle of nutmeg to my drink. “I think I’m in love with him, and I know he cares about me.”
Olivia winced. “Matt called me a couple days ago,” she said in a rush. “He’s back together with his fiancée.”
“No,” I said, shocked. “No, no, that’s not right. He doesn’t want to be with her. I know it.”
“He told me he’s still going on his honeymoon and is not selling the Wynter estate after all.”
I felt like I was going to puke.
“And he wants it decorated for Christmas and furnished,” Olivia said quietly.
“He can’t,” I said, “There’s a mistake.”
“He already gave me additional funds to complete the project by the Christmas deadline,” Olivia said.
“But that means…that means,” I stammered.
“He lied to you, Merrie.”
74
Matt
“Idon’t understand why she won’t answer her phone or respond to my text messages,” I said, running my spoon through the bowl of French onion soup.
Owen sighed.
“She’s probably just upset about the bake-off,” my older brother assured me. “It hasn’t even been two days.”
“But she won’t even let me come cheer her up.”
