Page 37 of Something Borrowed

Vic pushed on. “And then there’s my stealing.”

This last line finally elicited a visible response from Madeline. Her eyes widened, possibly at Vic’s candor or maybe at her conversational tone.

“I know it may sound unbelievable, but it’s a relatively new thing for me. I didn’t really understand it myself, but . . .” Vic splayed her hands on the dining room table and stared at her fingers. “I’m doing my best to get to the bottom of it—and please don’t worry. I haven’t taken anything else from you. I was good to my word on that.”

Madeline’s head tilted and she leaned in slightly.

“So, well, that’s it. I’ve been trying to work through some stuff—and I’m clearly failing badly. I deeply appreciate you letting me work off the money I owed you, and I’m so, so sorry about my absolutely unacceptable outburst the other day. You have been nothing but incredibly generous and kind to me—but even if you hadn’t been—you didn’t deserve me to take out my garbage on you.”

Both Gwen and Madeline nodded.

“I know it’s a lot to ask, but please don’t ban me from the store. The Second Chance Shop is really special and I, well—”

To Vic’s horror, her eyes welled. She swallowed hard. “I’d really like to be able to stop by from time to time, but I totally get it if you don’t want me to.”

Gwen made a small sound of dismay. Madeline arched an eyebrow and looked more than quizzical. She seemed irritated. “What are you talking about?”

Sheesh, people asked her that a lot these days. Before Vic could grasp what part hadn’t been understood, Madeline continued, “Did you enjoy working here?”

“I loved working here.”

“Then why would you just give up and quit? Why wouldn’t you apologize, like you did, and then fight for yourself?”

Why, indeed? Answerless, Vic shook her head.

Madeline’s eyes glinted like flame-lit amber, and Vic shivered. So the woman could get angry, after all. Her voice was still calm, though. “I thought, hoped, that you’d stay on. The shop’s steady as it is and with Christmas coming, it will be busy. Gwen will be back to work next week, but she’ll be up to her eyeballs in Christmas arrangements and décor.”

Gwen had been biting the corner of her bottom lip. Now she spoke up. “We’ve—Madeline and I—handled it before and we will again if we have to.” She glanced at Madeline, directing the next comment to her. “Aisha might be able to pick up some hours.”

Madeline nodded, but didn’t look convinced. “The holidays are busy at River’s Sigh B&B too, but yeah, we’ll figure something out.”

Gwen directed her attention back to Vic. “But like Madeline said. We both really hoped you’d stay on.”

Vic had finally picked up her own cooled tea, but she merely held the delicate cup without sipping and stared at her . . . boss?

Come to think of it, during the initial humiliating confrontation, Madeline had mentioned something about her working part-time, if she liked the job, after she’d paid off what she owed. It just hadn’t occurred to her that Madeline was remotely serious. She thought she was merely trying to make it seem less like charity or whatever.

“I yelled and swore at you.”

Madeline smiled, but it wasn’t a happy look. “I’ve heard—and said—worse. But yeah, it wasn’t okay, and it can’t happen again.”

“But . . . you told me to take the day off. Or rather, to make it a couple.”

“Oh, now this conversation makes sense.” Madeline’s face softened. “You took that as me letting you go? I’m sorry. I should’ve been clearer, but my own temper was starting to spark. You seemed to be having a terrible day . . . I literally just meant I thought you needed a couple days to yourself.”

Say what now? Let me get this straight. She is apologizing to you? Angel asked.

Vic shared her inner voice’s disbelief. Totally.

Is she nuts or just crazy? Devil added, and Vic wondered the same thing. Yet, she wasn’t going to shoot down her opportunity. Not this time.

Vic laughed. She actually laughed! And a tiny flicker of what—happiness? Maybe even joy—flared within her. “So, what you’re saying is . . . I’m not fired?”

“Not fired, no.” Madeline scrutinized Vic for a moment. “But please don’t be one of those people who mistake kindness for weakness. It’s not, I’m not—and this was a one-time gaffe, right?”

“Got it. Crystal clear. And I won’t slip up again. I want the job. I’ll work any hours you want me to. I’ll do any grunge work, and—”

Madeline held up her hand. “We share the grunge work around here.”