Chapter 49
49
DORIE
A week later
I stood in the middle of my bakery, my eyes sweeping over the little details that had made this place my dream come to life. The used equipment that was toast. The chalkboard menu I’d painstakingly written out every morning for years. It was all so familiar, so mine . And yet, as I looked around, I couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of detachment. This place had been my everything for so long, but now it felt like a chapter I was ready to close.
It was funny how quickly things had changed. A little over a month ago, I’d been fighting tooth and nail to keep this bakery, to protect it from the brokerage firm that had been harassing me. And now? Now I was standing here, about to say goodbye for good. I was sad but happy. I was closing it not because I had to, but because I wanted to. Because I was in love. Because I had a man who loved me more than life itself. Because, for the first time in my life, I felt free to make decisions that benefited me, and me alone.
When I opened this bakery, it was always supposed to be a temporary layover. Then it was year one and year two and I felt like I didn’t have a way out. I didn’t hate the place, but it always felt like I was in a holding pattern. There was just so much more I wanted to do.
I knew the future wasn’t a guarantee, but it didn’t bother me. I was secure with my relationship with Kaisen. In the end, that was all that mattered. The rest was just icing on the cake.
The bell above the door jingled, pulling me out of my thoughts. I turned to see Toby walking in, his usual cheerful smile on his face. He looked around, his brow furrowing slightly when he saw the closed sign on the door.
“Hey, boss,” he said, his tone curious. “What’s going on? Why’d you call me in on a Monday? Big order?”
I smiled, gesturing for him to sit down at one of the tables. “No. I wanted to talk to you about something important.”
He sat down, his expression turning serious. “Is this about that place trying to buy the building?”
I smiled. “No.”
“Okay… what’s up?”
I took a deep breath. I couldn’t believe I was actually doing this. This was it. The moment I’d been both dreading and looking forward to. “Toby, do you see yourself staying here? In Cape May, I mean.”
He blinked, clearly caught off guard by the question. “Uh… yeah. I mean, Kelly’s here. My family is here. Kelly and I are getting pretty serious. I feel like I’m ready to put down some roots, you know? And honestly, I have you to thank for that. You’ve made this possible for me.”
I felt a lump form in my throat. I nodded, trying to keep my emotions in check. “I’m glad to hear that, Toby. Because I’m closing down the bakery. I’m moving to New York.”
His eyes widened, and for a moment, he looked like I’d just punched him in the gut. “What? Dorie, no. You can’t?—”
I held up a hand, cutting him off. “It’s already decided. But before you freak out, there’s something I need to give you.”
I reached into my pocket and pulled out the keys to the bakery, sliding them across the table to him. He stared at them, his expression a mix of confusion and disbelief.
“What… what’s this?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
“The bakery,” I said, my voice steady despite the emotions swirling inside me. “It’s yours. The building is already paid off. I’m not selling it to you—I’m giving it to you. There’s no one else who deserves it more.”
He stared at me, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. “Dorie… I… I don’t know what to say.”
I smiled, tears welling in my eyes. “You don’t have to say anything. Just promise me one thing.”
“Anything.”
“Turn it into the Parisian café of your dreams,” I said, my voice breaking. “You’ve always talked about it, and I know you can do it. This place… it’s yours now. The bakery was never your thing. You’re an amazing pastry chef and I know you’ll do great things. Bring some new flavor to Cape May.”
He looked down at the keys, his hands trembling as he picked them up. “Dorie… I don’t know how to thank you.”
“You don’t have to,” I said, standing up and pulling him into a tight hug. “Just take care of it, okay? And take care of yourself. Marry Kelly. Have babies. Grow the business together.”
He hugged me back, his grip tight. “I will. I promise.”
“Good. And kick the crap out of that oven.”
He laughed. “Is this really happening?”
“It is.”
Toby sat back down, still clutching the keys. “When are you leaving?”
“Soon,” I said, sitting across from him again. “It feels like the right time. I’m moving in with Kaisen.”
He nodded slowly. “Are you going to open another bakery there?”
“That’s the plan,” I said, smiling faintly. “I think I’ve got enough experience now to make it work. And honestly I’m excited. It’s a fresh start. A chance to build something new.”
“You’re not scared?”
“Of course I am,” I admitted with a laugh. “But Kaisen believes in me. And weirdly, that makes me believe in myself too. He’s not just my partner—he’s my biggest cheerleader.”
Toby smirked, leaning back in his chair. “Well, if anyone can make it in New York, it’s you. You’re a fighter, Dorie. Always have been.”
“Thanks, Toby,” I said, my chest warming at his words. “But honestly? It’s not just about the bakery anymore. It’s about building a life with someone who makes me feel like anything is possible. And for the first time, I’m not afraid to chase that. I think that’s what you have with Kelly, which is why I believe you’ll make the cafe a success.”
He nodded thoughtfully, twirling the keys between his fingers. “It’s funny how love changes everything, huh?”
“It really does,” I said softly.
“Thank you again,” he said. “I can’t wait to tell Kelly. She’s going to be over the moon. This is huge. I can’t even get my head around it. Thank you doesn’t feel like enough.”
“Success is enough,” I said. “Good luck. I’m going to come back and visit, and I expect to enjoy a croissant and some fancy espresso.”
“I’ll do my best,” he said.
I walked out of the bakery and took a minute to stare up at the building. It was a bittersweet goodbye. I let the breeze wash over me, blowing my hair. I let the weight of the moment settle over me. The bakery had been my sanctuary, my labor of love, for so long. It had given me sleepless nights, countless mistakes, and moments of quiet triumphs. And now, it was time to let it go.
I turned away, walking down the familiar street toward my car. When I got back to my condo, Kaisen was in the middle of packing up my old life. Boxes were scattered around the living room, their contents carefully labeled. Rick was perched on top of one, batting at a piece of masking tape that Kaisen had just laid down.
“Rick, I swear to God, if you mess with that tape one more time…” Kaisen muttered, his tone exasperated but fond.
I watched the two of them with a smile. For all his grumbling, Kaisen had a soft spot for Rick, even if he’d never admit it. And Rick seemed to enjoy tormenting Kaisen just as much as he enjoyed tormenting me.
Kaisen finally noticed me standing there and straightened up, brushing his hands off on his jeans. “Hey. How’d it go?”
I walked over to him, slipping my arms around his waist. “It went well. Toby’s taking over the bakery. I gave it to him.”
“And how are you feeling about it?”
“It feels right. Like I’m finally making decisions that are just for me, you know?”
He smiled, his hands resting on my hips. “I’m proud of you, Dorie. That’s a big step.”
I leaned into him, resting my head against his chest. “It is. But it’s the right one. I’m ready for this. Ready for us.”
He kissed the top of my head, his arms tightening around me. “Are you sure? I mean, this is a big change. I don’t want you to feel like you’re giving up something you love.”
I looked up at him, my eyes searching his. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life, Kaisen. This is what I want. You’re what I want.”
He smiled. “Good. Because you’re stuck with me now.”
I laughed, the sound bubbling up from deep inside me. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. How’s the packing going?”
“I really wish you’d let me hire someone. I’ve never done this.”
“I don’t want some stranger pawing through my panty drawer,” I joked.
“I can’t say that would make me very happy either,” he said. “But you could pack your panty drawer, and they could do all the other stuff.”
“And Rick?” I asked. “You think he’s going to be any nicer to them than he is to you?”
He turned to look at my cat who seemed to be contemplating world domination. “Good point. That’s a lawsuit waiting to happen.
I stood in the middle of my living room, staring at the chaos that was my life packed into boxes. I was mostly just throwing things into boxes and hoping for the best. Rick, naturally, had decided to “help” by sitting directly on the box I was trying to pack.
“Rick, come on,” I said, nudging him gently. “You’re not helping.”
He blinked at me slowly, letting me know he couldn’t give a shit what I thought. We spent the next couple of hours boxing up things that would be going to New York and things that would be donated. When it really came down to it, I didn’t have a lot of furniture. Most of the boxes were filled with clothes. It was strange to be changing so much so quickly, but in a good way.
Later that evening, we sat on the couch, surrounded by labeled boxes. Kaisen had poured us each a glass of wine. We sat there, just enjoying the quiet moment together.
“You’re good with this, right?” he asked.
I turned to him. “Good with this? Kaisen, I’m more than good with this. I’m excited. Nervous, sure, but mostly excited. This feels like the beginning of something real, something I’ve been waiting for. It’s us now. And that’s what I want.”
He studied my face for a moment, as if searching for any trace of doubt. Finding none, he smiled, his shoulders relaxing. “Good. You’re it for me, Dorie. If you didn’t want to move to New York, I would move here.”
“You’re it for me too.”
“Do you think we’re crazy?” I asked suddenly, breaking the silence. “I mean, this is all happening really, really fast.”
Kaisen laughed softly. “Maybe a little. But isn’t that what makes it fun? Leaping into the unknown together?”
“I guess so,” I said, leaning into him. “But it’s not really the unknown anymore, is it? We know what we want. We know where we’re going.”
“We start our life together,” he said.
“I like the sound of that.”
“Me too,” he murmured. “Me too.”