I pause and take a big gulp, pushing my emotions down. “Last year, I moved downtown, and then my dad passed away soon after. I broke my lease and moved back home to be with Mom. She needed me more than I needed my independence.”
“Oh, Jules, baby,” he whispers but doesn’t extend his apologies other than tugging me tighter into his body, which I appreciate. “Were you close?”
“He was my best friend,” I murmur, my voice catching. “Sorry. Normally, I love talking about him. Lately, it’s been harder than ever.”
He runs a soothing hand up and down my spine, lingering his lips against my temple. “Any particular reason why?” he mumbles, and when I don’t attempt to answer, he tells me. “We don’t have to talk about it. Death is never easy.”
He’s right, it’s not, but I tell him what’s wrong anyway. “I was at a place where talking about him brought me peace, and sharing our memories was therapeutic. I never want him to be forgotten.” I pause to get the right words. “I often think people are selfish after a loved one dies.”
“How do you mean?”
“Well…we sit depressed instead of celebrating their life. They died, not us, and we should honor them, so for the past year, I have tried my best to do that. Until recently…since we found out the rent for Le Petit Boulanger is being raised substantially by new owners.” A despondent sigh slips through my lips. “I know this normally wouldn’t seem like a huge deal for some people, especially for renters in the city. However, for Mom and me, it’s much more than that. My dad rented the space to start the bakery for my mom twenty years ago. He surprised her, paying the first few years upfront, and on top of buying her all brand-new, top-of-the-line appliances, he had it decorated to match her favorite patisserie from her hometown. She’s been baking there ever since, so being kicked out has drudged up a lot of old memories for us.”
His hand stills. “Twenty years. Jesus, I’m sorry, Jules.”
“Yeah, it’s a shit situation. Soon, I’ll meet with a realtor to look for a new storefront if that’s what Mom wants. Just another thing to add to my ever-growing list of things to do.” I complain, then remember something. “It’s why I went a little psycho the other day and barged into your office. I had just left a meetingwith my building management company, my emotions were high.” I cringe, thinking back on that day.
His eyes light up. “You’ll hear no complaints from me, that was fucking hot.”
“Of course, that’s your answer.”
“What about your apartment?” He asks.
“We’re rent-controlled.”
He’s quiet momentarily, and I wonder what he’s thinking about.
“Seemed like your dad truly loved your mom, surprising her with the bakery and all. Either way, it’s still a great memory.”
My lips pick up in a huge smile, while I lean back to look at him. “You have no idea. They were so in love. Until the day he died, everyone around them, even strangers, could feel it.”
He smiles tenderly. “How did they meet?”
“Ah, this is my favorite story to tell.” I lay my head back on the pillow and look up at the ceiling, imagining my dad telling me their story like he always did before bedtime. “My dad was on a European ski trip with his friends from New York. It was late at night, and they were detoured off the highway in France. Of course, they ended up getting lost since this was way before reliable GPS, so they drove until they hit the next town to find a small bed and breakfast.” I close my eyes and picture them together. “My dad walked in and looked across the room to find my mom checking in. She was there for her cousin’s wedding weekend…anyway, my dad said it was love at first sight. He knew the second his eyes landed on her.” Harrison’s thumb startles me when he wipes a few happy tears from my cheeks.
“And let me guess, the rest is history?”
“Not quite…they had a bumpy road ahead of themselves. They spent all night together that first day they met, drinking and laughing at the town bar. Two days later, my mom brought my dad to her cousin’s wedding, and he ditched all his friends,which they weren’t so happy about. Mom says this is when she fell in love, so not love at first sight for her, but almost. My mom’s family loved my dad and were supportive from the start, but not my dad’s side.”
Harrison frowns. “Why not?”
“Sooo,” I drag out. “You probably know my family.” His brows furrow. “Do you know the Archibald family?”
“As in the Archibald Oil Company?” His eyes widen. “Yes, Juliette, the whole world knows them.”
“Surprise.” I throw my hands up. “Technically, I’m an Archibald. Not that I’ve met any of them besides my one aunt and cousin.”
“I don’t understand.” He looks at me confused.
“After the wedding, my dad returned to New York with my mom and confessed his love for her to his parents. They were not happy, to say the least. You can imagine the rest, so my dad picked my mom over their billions and had his last name legally changed.”
“Holy shit, how did I not know this story?”
“Seriously? You know better than anyone that money can bury any story. Though if you do a deep dive on the internet, you can find it.”
He shakes his head like he can’t believe it. “So then what?”
“My dad was one of six children. Four of them picked the side of their parents, and one of them, my aunt, changed her name along with my dad. She was the outcast and saw it as a way to escape from her family but still be connected to my dad. She later got married and changed her surname again.”
