Page 120 of Forbidden to Fall

“I’ll be taking over, and there are a lot of changes I plan to make, so I wanted to give you a heads up.”

My entire body clenched.

Morgan liked me, but liking someone and keeping them on as an employee were two different things—especially when my little side hustle had apparently turned into a slap in the face to Keller’s Bakehouse.

“I’ll be managing the business side of things,” she said. “That’s my wheelhouse. But I’d love for you to run the real show—and hopefully bring your products under the Keller umbrella.” She smiled. “I think there’d be a riot if we didn’t offer those s’more maple blondies.”

I stared at her. At some point, I realized my mouth had slipped open, and I shut it.

“Needless to say—but I’m going to say it anyway—I respect Mom so much and everything she’s done here. But I don’t have the same Keller baggage she does. Grandma Keller’s shadow is nothing compared to some of the shadows I’ve hung out in during my time in Boston.”

“I bet,” I said, still trying to grasp what was being offered to me.

“Anyway, you’d have a lot more freedom than you have now. I’ve watched you here, Sadie, and not only are you a hard worker, you have good taste. Moving forward, I’d love for Keller to strike a better balance between tradition and trying new things. I’m certainly not the person to lead that charge in the kitchen—you’ve seen my lack of talent—but I think you are right for it.”

I couldn’t quite fathom what she was saying.

She wanted me—someone with zero Keller blood—to run Keller’s Bakehouse. Not just to run it. To innovate.

She smiled at my flabbergasted silence. “You’d be salaried and have good, though not amazing, benefits. I can safely promise you double what you’re currently earning. Think about it, okay?”

Like I had a choice. Of course I’d be thinking about it. It might be all I thought about.

Morgan would’ve been forgiven for rescinding the offer when, in my distraction, I let the sticky buns bake four minutes past their time.

Mrs. Keller would’ve had a fit. Morgan took it in stride.

Double my current salary?! Benefits?

I’d dreamed of co-pays instead of self-pays, fantasized over a retirement plan. And now it was an actual possibility.

With all her quirks and oddities, I loved Mrs. Keller and was so grateful to her. But working for Morgan would be more pleasant in so many ways, not least of which was because she respected me.

I loved the sugar shack, but the thought of making blondies and cookies and cream puffs in this commercial kitchen that was so familiar to me was a brand new fantasy of its own.

I started cleaning up fifteen minutes before my shift was over, the thoughts of a future at the bakehouse giving way to nerves. It was time to pick up Mia for our weekly babysitting, and I hadn’t seen Ryan or Lily since the barn dance.

My phone vibrated, so I finished wiping down the stove, then set the rag aside and grabbed my phone.

Lily

Hey, Sadie! Sorry for the late notice, but Mia’s not feeling great today, so I’m going to keep her home with me and watch her temperature

My chest tightened, and I reread the message.

It was credible enough. So why did I have a sneaking suspicion it was an excuse?

Maybe I was wrong, but that was the problem. I didn’t know, and the uncertainty killed me.

Throat thick, I typed out a response.

Sadie

Poor Mimi! I hope she feels better. I can bring by something that might make her feel better!

It was minutes before I got a response.

Lily