Page 1 of Hold Me Tight

1

Callie

It might have taken a few hours, but the bakery is finally quiet. The morning rush has come and gone, leaving behind a trail of empty coffee cups, a smear of frosting on the glass display case, and exhaustion after a sleepless night.

After wiping my hands on a towel, I lean against the counter.

Sloane exhales next to me, brushing away a streak of flour from her cheek. “I really thought that stroller mom was going to riot when we ran out of almond croissants,” she says, grabbing her water bottle.

I manage a smile. “She’s probably already drafting a Yelp review as we speak. And it won’t be pretty.”

We both laugh, and I let myself enjoy the moment. Just one blissful second of quiet. Until I spot the stack of mail on the back prep table. That’s all it takes for my stomach to dip.

I gravitate toward the pile and then slowly flip through bills and junk mail. It’s mostly routine stuff I’ll dump in the trash, until a thin white envelope with an official logo from the bank catches my eye. My fingers tremble as I force myself to tear it open. Even before scanning the words, I already know what they’ll say.

My loan payment is overdue.

We’re now moving toward the sixty-day mark.

If I don’t make a payment soon, I’ll default. Which means I could lose the bakery.

My bakery.

The one I worked so damn hard for.

The room blurs slightly as I grip the edge of the table.

For the hundredth time, I rack my brain for a way out of this mess. I can’t go to my parents. They’d help if they could, but there’s nothing left for them to give.

And Zane, my ex?

The father of my daughter?

Ha!

He’s a professional hockey player and makes millions a year, and yet, his child support is always late. How he manages to burn through so much money each month is almost unfathomable.

What I’ve learned over the years is that he’s not someone who can be relied on.

Unfortunately, I was a little late to the realization.

From the time I was a kid, I’ve had to figure things out on my own, and this situation isn’t any different.

There’s no choice in the matter.

Failure isn’t an option.

Not when Nora is counting on me to provide a stable home for her.

“What’s that?” Sloane’s question cuts through my mental spiral. I blink out of those thoughts and find her watching me with a furrowed brow.

I force a smile that feels like it might crack my face in half before shaking my head and setting the letter on the counter near the register. “Nothing. Just more junk mail.”

Relief washes over me when the door opens. I don’t want Sloane asking more questions. Not only is she an employee, but she’s a good friend. The last thing I want to do is lie.

I glance up, already shifting into business mode, as River Thompson strolls in.

He’s tall, broad-shouldered, and far too good-looking for my peace of mind. It’s the tousled blond hair and piercing blue eyes that seem to slice right through me. He makes me feel seen in a way that’s not entirely comfortable. When he walks into a room, I feel it down to my bones. The man moves with the grace of an athlete. Of someone who’s at ease with their space in the world.