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Now it’s my turn to waveheroff. “Oh, stop that. You know I’ll help you. It’s nothing but a few extra numbers when you get into the swing of things. You already have all the contacts, and we talked about hiring a few more part-timers to cover weekends and early mornings with Alison in the kitchen.” I flip open the folder, scanning what appears to be multiple contracts on the location, pricing approvals, schematics, and lease agreements. “If you’re worried about all these fancy words and numbers, I’ll look it over for you no problem. You know I wouldn’t let you take a deal like this if it wasn’t good.”
Peggy sighs. “I just… I don’t know. I’m having a hard time with the idea someone else would be running a store under our name. And so close by? What if it hurt business here? We’ve been doing so well the last five years; it’s truly been a blessing.”
I can tell this has been weighing heavy on her mind. She throws her worries and fears out in the open, and I nod, listening as I skim some of the fine print on the contracts.
“They seem very adamant about it being Cup O’ Joe. Not one of those fancy, nationwide chain coffee houses,” she tells me. “They wantus. It’s quite flattering, now that I think about it.”
“It is.” I smile, setting the folder on the desk. “But you don’t have to franchise to get a location at the resort.”
Peggy blinks at me, confused. “They said—”
“There’s paperwork and contracts in there not only for a possible franchise partnership but foryoutoleasethe space, Peggy. You could just open another location. It would be yours. You wouldn’t have to deal with some stranger trying to change things or make decisions without your approval.”
“Hmm,” she hums to herself, thinking. I give her a moment to process like I usually do when we’ve discussed changing vendors or ordering new appliances rather than opting for continuous repairs.
She sits up, leveling me with a serious expression. “I’ve had close to three weeks to think about what I wanted for the future of Cup O’ Joe, and every time, I come back to the same conclusion.”
“And what’s that?”
“I need a partner.”
I have to agree with her. “That would make your life a lot easier. Especially if you plan on moving forward with opening another location. Have you talked to Lindsey?” Lindsey is Peggy’s daughter and only child. She’s married with three babies of her own, but she’s never shown much interest in the coffee shop.
“I have.” Peggy shakes her head. “She already owns ten percent of the business. A silent partner, I believe they call it. I only did it because if anything were to happen to me—”
“Don’t even talk like that,” I say, cutting her off. “You’ve got decades left ahead of you.”
She chuckles. “I sure hope so, but still. It was a good backup plan, or so I thought. I spoke to her about this a few days ago. And unfortunately, she wants nothing to do with it. She simply said I have her full support on whatever I decide to do.”
“Oh.” I guess that’s fair, given she and her husband are trying for another baby. She wants to focus on her family, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
“Wade thinks I should sell and buy a vacation house in the Keys,” she adds, laughing. “I’m sure he was just joking, but I wouldn’t doubt he’d like to go out of state fishing for those tropical bass he reads about.”
I giggle. “I bet.”
“What do you think I should do?”
I shrug. “I think getting a partner is a great idea. And probably the only option if you still want to take this deal without franchising out. Or, you could tell them no and keep going how you have been.”
“Well, I don’t think saying no is a good idea. They’ll put one of those overpriced, bland-tasting chains in there and then we’ll really be in for it,” she says. “No, I think the best option is to have you become my partner and we open the second location of Cup O’ Joe together.”
I don’t know when I started nodding along with her—likely when she mentioned the bland-tasting coffee chains—but I freeze. My mind racing to catch up. I stare at her for so long, tears form in my eyes. “Peggy…you can’t be—”
“Oh, I’m very serious, dear.” She leans forward, taking my hands in hers. “I have known you your entire life, Cassidy. I have watched you struggle and fight and sacrifice so much for the good of everyone around you.” Tears begin to well in her eyes. “You have been nothing short of a daughter to me these last three years, and I can think of no one better for the job.”
A small sob escapes me as I lunge forward, engulfing her in a tight squeeze. She hugs me back, her words settling over me.
I’ve always been grateful for the relationship I’ve grown into with Peggy. When I came back from college all those years ago to care for my father, I was stressed and heartbroken and dealing with more family issues than any one person should be allowed to take on. Peggy was there for me. And when my mother up and left without so much as a goodbye, she taught me it was okay to let her go.
It was okay to be mad and upset and to grieve her absence.
And I grew to learn on my own it was okay to open her place in my heart for someone who wasn’t her. To someone who truly cares and wishes nothing but success and happiness for me.
The thought chokes another sob out of me. I wish my brother could let everything go the same way I have.
We hug for another long moment before we finally part. “All right,” Peggy sniffles, grabbing the box of tissues off her desk and handing them to me. “Enough of that. We’ve got lots to do…partner.”
I snort, half sobbing in time with my laughter. “You don’t have to make me partner, Peg. You know I’ll help you do everything without it,” I admit, realizing something else, “I…can’t afford to compensate you my share to become a partner.”
