Page 103 of Frosted Fakes

"I'm very flattered," he said carefully. "Truly. But I need to be honest with you. I'm not interested in pursuing anything romantic. I should have said so clearly from the start, and I apologize for not being direct."

Another pause. Longer this time. Julia held her breath.

"I understand you're disappointed," Jamie continued, his voice growing steadier. "And I hope we can still have a professional relationship. But I won't be available for dinner. Or drinks. Or any of the other suggestions." He winced slightly. "Yes, including that one. I'm sorry, Gabby. I wish you all the best."

He hung up and stood there for a moment, phone clutched in his hand, breathing like he'd just run a marathon.

Then he looked at Julia, and his face broke into an enormous grin.

"I did it," he said, half-laughing. "I actually did it. I said no to Gabby Richardson."

Julia grinned at him. "And how do you feel?"

"Terrified." He set the phone down on the counter. "And also… amazing? Like I've been holding my breath for months and I've finally exhaled."

Julia nodded slowly, something clicking into place.

Jamie must have seen it on her face because he pointed at her. "Don't think I don't see the irony here. You just made me do exactly what you've been refusing to do."

"That's different." She shifted uncomfortably on the countertop.

"Is it?" Jamie crossed his arms. "Julia, I just watched you coach me through being honest with someone I was afraid of. What else can I do but tell you to take your own advice? You can't keep living your life for other people. You can't keep twisting yourself into knots trying to make everyone else comfortable."

"I know." She looked down at her hands. She did know. She knew that it was getting harder and harder to live her life when really, she should be happy at almost thirty, she should be building a life she wanted to live.

"Do you know? Because from where I'm standing, you're still waiting for permission to go after what you actually want."

Julia opened her mouth to argue, then closed it again. He wasn't wrong.

"What is it you want?" Jamie asked softly, taking a step toward her. "Forget your mum. Forget the bakery. Forget what anyone else thinks. What do you actually want?"

The answer came so quickly it surprised her. "Elliott." That was it. Nothing else. Not nursing, not selling the bakery, not never dealing with her mother again. Just Elliott. She’d known from the second Elliott had walked back into the bakery that her life could never be complete without her in it.

Jamie raised an eyebrow. "And?"

She swallowed. "And what?"

"Why her? What is it about Elliott specifically that makes her worth all this? A few months ago, she was just a random stranger."

Julia took a breath and thought about it. Really thought about it. "Because she makes me want to be better," she said slowly. "Stronger. More… real. When I'm with her, I don't want to be the version of myself that just agrees with everyone and smiles and pretends everything's fine. I want to be the version that actually says what she thinks. That fights for things. That matters. She makes me… more than myself. In a good way."

Jamie was quiet for a moment. Then he smiled, softer this time. "Then that's what you need to show her," he said. "Not tell her. Show her. Grand gestures, public declarations. Traditionally, you're supposed to chase people through airports and make speeches in the rain. The whole ridiculous romance novel thing."

"I'm not sure Elliott would appreciate being chased through an airport. Also, I don’t think she’s going anywhere, which would probably make that harder."

"Probably. But the principle stands." Jamie shrugged. "You need to prove you've changed. Words are easy. Actions are harder."

Julia nodded, her mind already spinning. She didn't have a plan yet. Didn't know what the right gesture would be. But for the first time in days, she felt something other than hopeless.

"Yeah. Yeah, maybe you’re right. Thank you," she said. "For everything."

"Thank me by actually doing something about it." Jamie started pulling ingredients from the fridge. "Now go away. I have a restaurant to run, and you've got a woman to woo."

"God, I hate that word," Julia said. But she jumped down from the counter. She had plans to make. Serious ones.

WHEN JULIA GOT back to the bakery, Tom was reorganizing the display case with the focus of a surgeon.

"Good visit?" he asked without looking up.