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He watched her understand what she had done.

Her mouth opened. Closed. Her chin trembled. She pressed her fingers to her lips and her eyes filled, and she looked at him—just for a moment, one unguarded second—and what was on her face was not the certainty that had been there before. It was shame. Raw, undisguised, devastating shame, and it was so naked that he almost looked away.

“Cole,” she said. Her voice was barely there. “I am so sorry. I—that was—” She couldn’t finish. Her hand came up and covered her eyes, and when it dropped, her lashes were wet. “That was unforgivable. I know that.”

She looked at the mess on the floor. At the broken bowl. At the room full of people looking at her.

And then she turned and walked out the door, one hand pressed over her mouth, shoulders shaking, without looking back.

Cole stood at his station for three seconds. Then he handed Captain to Cassidy, grabbed his coat, and headed out after her.

She hadn’t made it very far, just a few shops down on Oak Way.

She didn’t look like she was walking anywhere in particular. Her arms were wrapped around herself against the cold, her apron still on, her breath fogging in front of her. She looked small in a way that Emily never looked small.

“Emily.”

She didn’t stop. “I know I owe you an apology, but I just need a minute.”

He caught up to her in a few strides. He shrugged off his coat and put it around her shoulders without asking. She didn’t fight it. That alone told him how undone she was.

They walked for a few paces in silence. The Christmas lights were on along Oak Way, amber and gold against the cold blue of the afternoon. The town was quiet around them.

She turned to face him. Her eyes were red, her voice rough, but she looked right at him. “I’m so sorry, Cole.”

She took a breath.

“I accused you of sabotaging me. In front of the entire town. On camera.” She shook her head. “And the worst part is, I didn’t even hesitate. I just—I saw things going wrong, and I needed someone to blame, and you were right there, and I went straight to the story I’ve been telling myself since I was ten years old. That an Alders did it. That you couldn’t be trusted.” Her voice cracked. “That’s not who I want to be, Cole.

“You’ve been nothing but decent to this town since you came back, and I repaid that by humiliating you in public. I’m sorry. I am so sorry.”

The words sat between them in the cold air.

“I wanted to win for her,” Emily said, quieter now. “For my nana. She never got to defend her title. I wanted to bring it back and do it right and raise money for the City Rescue Mission and restore something she loved.” She stared at the pavement. “And I’ve done exactly what she hated. I’ve turned it into a fight. In front of the whole town. On a livestream.” She pressed her fingers to her mouth. “I’ve ruined it.”

“You haven’t ruined it,” he said.

“Cole—”

“I mean it.” He waited until she looked at him. “Your nana hid that recipe because she wanted Christmas to be about joy, not fighting. You know what it looks like when this town shows up for something? People bringing soup on snowmobiles. Cassidy with her elf hats. Friends staying up all night with you to get the recipe right.” He paused. “That’s what your nana wanted. That’s exactly what she wanted. And that didn’t go away because you had a hard morning.”

“I know, but still, that doesn’t change what I’ve done, what I’ve said. I’m sorry, Cole.”

Cole took her cold, shaking hands in his. They were standing face to face. “I forgive you. We’ve both accused each other of a lot over the years. Let’s put this behind us, okay?”

Emily managed to nod and sniff at the same time.

Cole squeezed her hands before letting go and taking a step back.

Emily looked at him. “How did Captain get in?”

Cole took a deep breath. “Emma and Tyler were walking him for me. It sounds like he saw Nutmeg and got away from them.”

“Oh…” Emily looked down.

“You still have time.” Cole looked at his watch. “Forty minutes if we go back in now.”

She looked at the bakery door down the street. Then back at him.