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“Nothing’s wrong.” She shifted. “I don’t know. It’s kind of felt… different ever since Ar and I came back to Bayview. Like Paisley’s not quite… a hundred percent herself. Or maybe just that our relationship isn’t a hundred percent right. I don’t know what it is, but it feels kind of like we’re both…” She shrugged, chewing her lip. “Putting on a performance with each other, maybe. I don’t know. I’m whining a lot.”

“I asked. You’re certainly allowed to share.” I finished my soup, setting the bowl down with a solidthump.“Have you talked to her about it?”

She sighed. “What would I say?”

“I mean, you could try everything you just told me, but maybe that’s a batshit idea.”

“It’d be awkward.” She knocked back the rest of her soup, too, setting it down gently before she pushed her chair back, signaling to Lance. He nodded, going back to the range—starting the takeout order for Aria. Emberlynn looked back at me, and she let out a sigh. “I guess that’s all there is to it, huh? Scared of making things awkward and weird.”

I turned to the window, watching the old birch tree planted in front of the shop bending in a heavy wind, a paper napkin whipping from a patio table and across the redbrick plaza. “I could talk to her about it instead, if you want,” I said airily. Emberlynn made a noise somewhere in her throat I don’t think she meant to make.

“Um—no thanks. I mean, I appreciate it, but I don’t want to look like that much of a loser, like I have to get someone else to talk to her for me about how I’m awkward.”

I put my hands up. “Hey, sometimes it’s just easier to have someone else step in and handle things. There’s no shame in it unless you want to make things harder for yourself on purpose.”

“Well, maybe I do.”

“You? Shocking.”

“I know. I know.” She stood up slowly, picking up her bag and pitching her phone and headphones back inside. She avoided my gaze as I spoke. “I just… I need to handle it myself. But it’s a good thing we had this conversation. Kicking my butt to make sure I actually do talk to her about it instead of putting it off.”

I stood up with her, my legs aching. I wasn’t sure why the bakery shift today had taken it out of me, when I’d done the same thing almost every day for years now. Maybe it was just my body breaking down a little knowing it finally had a rest day tomorrow.

I’d die before I admitted I was grateful for it, though.

“Heading out now?”

“Mm. I think I feel better about continuing the piece now. Thanks for, you know, hearing me out.”

“If you want to pay me back, you can buy a cake.”

“Yeah, trust me, I know,” she laughed, swatting lightly at my shoulder. “Thanks, Harps. Walking back with me?”

I looked out the window. “I’m gonna take the scenic way back. I could use a walk in nature right now.”

She raised her eyebrows at me. “Something on your mind?”

“Not even sure,” I lied. “Just feeling weird. Hoping maybe a walk in the park will help.”

“Is that why you’re closing tomorrow?”

Paisley had even gotten Emberlynn to believe it. Emberlynn should have known better than to believe anything Paisley was saying. I could have just told her myself—that it was all Paisley’s idea and that she was insisting I go do stuff with her tomorrow instead—but I wasn’t ready for the conversations that might have entailed. “Yeah, I guess,” I said. “Just feeling…contemplative. I’m sure I’ll be fine. Still just bouncing back from seasonal depression, I’m sure.”

“I know it’s tough. Let me know if there’s anything I can do, okay?”

It wouldn’t really be fair for someone like me to keep asking for things from other people, especially if I was going to abandon everyone before too long. But I wasn’t going to say that. It would probably cause a fuss—Emberlynn trying to tell me Ididdeserve nice things, or something like that. I smiled politely. “This was helpful. Thanks, Emby.”

She glowered. “If it was helpful, you could at least try saying my name right.”

“Thanks, Emberlynn Morgan Wood.”

“You’re impossible,” she laughed, taking a step back. “Well—catch you later?”

“Sounds good. Have fun with Paisley at dinner.”

“Will do. Thanks.”

I pulled my jacket back on as I pushed out through the old black wood door, coming into the blustery weather, wind throwing my hair around my head, and I let my feet carry me toward the park.