Promise Me (Asher Family #1)

Chapter 27

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

SADIE

Today is a big day for me.

I’ve put together the proposal for Brooke, and I’m headed to the bakery to pitch her the idea after it closes in about twenty minutes.

My heart is hammering in my chest as I descend the stairs.

Selling the bakery is the first step to making Sips and Stories a reality. Turns out, I need the money from the sale to buy a place. I have a good chunk in savings, thanks to living with my dad, but not enough.

I’m pretty convinced that I couldn’t afford the space where the bar is, but I also wasn’t prepared to sell the bakery at that time, so I moved in with my dad to take care of him and save money while putting my dreams on the back burner.

It’s the only logical sequence.

But now, things have changed, and in a twisted way, hitting my head and forgetting the last three years might be the best thing that ever happened to me.

I make my way through the bakery’s kitchen and into the seating area quickly, finding Brooke laughing with a table of tourists.

She spots me right away and waves.

The women she’d been chatting with leave shortly after, and Brooke joins me at another table.

“It’s been so busy in here lately. I love it,” she beams. “How are you?”

“I’m great.”

“Oh no, you have a look. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” I give her my best smile. “I have something I want to talk to you about.”

“Okay,” she says slowly.

There isn’t really an easy way to say this, so I just blurt it out.

“I want you to buy the bakery from me.”

“What?” Her brows nearly hit her hairline. “No. This was your mom’s place, and she loved it. I’m not family. I would be?—”

“The person I know she would pick to take over.”

Brooke’s bottom lip wobbles as she studies me.

“But what about you? What will you do?”

I grin even bigger. She isn’t arguing to say no again.

“I’m going to open Sips and Stories.”

“Seriously! Finally.” She claps. “You’ve been talking about it for years, but I wasn’t sure how dedicated you were to the idea. You said it was a blip of an idea before your mom passed.”

“Well, it’s happening now. As soon as I sell you this place.”

She tries to hold back her smile.

“You really want me to buy it?”

“Do you want to buy it?”

She glances around slowly and then nods quickly. “I love it here.”

“Perfect. I have an offer here, but remember, this part is business, so if you don’t like it, you need to make me a counteroffer.”

“Oh, look at the little Realtor blood in you shining bright.”

She takes the folder from me and then gets up to lock the register.

“I already closed up the back, so you want to walk out with me?”

“I would love to.”

My voice is extra cheery, but how can it not be? Step one is complete. I can’t wait to tell Hudson. Brooke is locking the door just as Mrs. Whittaker appears.

“Hi, Mrs. Whittaker.” I wave as she steps out of the space she’s been trying to sell. After all these years of her saying she wouldn’t sell it, I would have assumed that someone would be eager to buy the space.

Perhaps everything has been happening for a reason. Maybe this new direction in life has brought me to this moment. It might not be the original space I planned for Sips and Stories, but I have this giddy feeling that it’s going to be better.

I should buy this space.

“Hi, Sadie, how are you doing today?”

“I’m well, thank you.”

I glance into the window and notice the for sale sign is down.

Oh no.

“Did someone buy this place?” I ask. I do my best to hide the disappointment in my tone. She wasn’t aware I wanted it. No one was since the thought just came to my mind. I can't fault her for anything.

She eyes me as if she’s thinking over her next words carefully.

“Yes. I sold the spot,” Mrs. Whittaker says. Her gaze shifts to Brooke and then back to me. “I thought you knew that.”

“How would I know that?” I ask .

“Because you and Hudson both came to me a little over a month ago to buy it. I told you two to become friends and pick which one of you gets it. He signed the paper this morning, and I’ll admit, I was shocked when he put?—”

“Hudson knew I wanted this place?” I interrupt her.

She nods. “Yes, but he also?—”

“He also—” I repeat, but out of nowhere, I feel like I’ve been hit in the gut.

I suck in a breath. I can see the two of us, me and Hudson, standing in the space fighting, of Mrs. Whittaker telling us her rules, of him telling me he hates my mom’s lemon bars. Me at the funeral. Me finding out he bought the bar and that he moved into the apartment above it. The way he’d look at me like it disgusted him to even be near me. Like he could never see me as anything other than the enemy. Like I was someone who did nothing but stand in the way of him getting what he wants.

I remember everything.