Page 48
Story: Something to Talk About
“Okay?” she said. “So you’re, like... friends?”
“No,” Avery said, immediately amending, “well, maybe. Sort of. She also—you know how Molly called in sick Monday and it was a bit of a disaster?” She went on without waiting for Emma to respond. “I was late to the game, and I guess Jo asked Dylan why and he said bakery emergency and—I don’t know. I’m sure she heard us bickering about it all game. So she came to Floured Up in the morning and made me an offer.”
Jo came in late Tuesday. She hadn’t explained why.
“An offer?” Emma asked.
“She wanted to cover the salary of a worker or two,” Avery said. “To help. We worked it out so she’s just covering the difference between what Icanpay a new pastry chef and what Ishouldbe paying them.”
Avery was watching Emma, like maybe she thought Emma was going to bolt. Emma pointed her toes again, shrugged at her sister.
“Okay.”
Avery furrowed her eyebrows. “Okay?”
“Yeah.”
“Just okay?”
“I don’t know, Avery, what else do you want me to say?”
“I don’t know. How you feel about it? Is it okay? Do you forgive me for not telling you?”
“I mean, of course it’s fine you’re friends with Jo,” Emma said. “Or business partners or whatever. I don’t know why that wouldn’t be fine. It’s none of my business.”
“Emma.”
Emma didn’t say anything.
“Of course it’s your business,” Avery said. “I’m your sister and you’re her—she’s your—” Emma didn’t like the way Avery paused. “She’s your boss. It’s weird. I mean I feel weird about it.”
“About which part? The being friends with her without ever telling me, or her supporting your business?” It came out snappier than Emma intended.
“All of it,” Avery said. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”
“It’s fine,” Emma said dismissively.
It was. Avery didn’t have to tell her everything. And if she had gone to a game, she would’ve found out. Maybe Avery was right and it would have been funny. It was good that Jo was helping with the bakery. Avery was successful enough to need to hire another person, and Jo’s help allowed that to happen. That was better than fine.
Except Emma also inexplicably felt like she was going to cry.
“Em.”
“Seriously, Avery.” Emma laughed. It came out fake. “I’m really excited you’re hiring a new person. I’m so glad the bakery is doing that well.”
Avery’s smile came slowly, but it was sincere. “Yeah. It’s kind of great.”
Emma hopped off her stool and went around the island to hug her sister from behind. Avery let her, for a moment, before turning around in Emma’s arms to squeeze her back. Emma sank into it.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner,” Avery murmured. “I thought I’d convince you to come to a game and it’d be a funny surprise, but it got out of hand. I didn’t mean to hurt you and I won’t do it again.”
Emma had never been good at holding grudges against her sister.
“Thank you,” she said.
“I’m sure it got out of hand for Jo, too,” Avery said. “She probably didn’t know how to tell you.”
That Emma didn’t believe as easily. She closed her eyes andpretended water wasn’t welling in them. A deep breath, then she pulled away from Avery’s embrace.
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48 (Reading here)
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 113
- Page 114
- Page 115
- Page 116
- Page 117
- Page 118