Chapter 16 #2
Lucy set down her phone and tried to sleep. Tomorrow would be another long day—interviews in the morning, classes in the afternoon, study session with Amelie and James in the evening.
Another day of avoiding the decision.
Another day of living in maybe.
But sooner or later, she'd have to choose.
She just hoped when the time came, she'd know which future was really hers.
May brought spring to Vermont and the Wolves' elimination from the playoffs.
They made it to the second round—farther than they'd ever gone—but ultimately lost to a better team. Jake was disappointed but also oddly relieved. The season was over. He could focus on preparing for his role as head coach next year.
Tommy officially retired the day after their final game. The whole team came to his send-off party at Mac's Tavern.
"Thirty years," Tommy said in his speech. "Thirty years coaching in this town. And you know what? I wouldn't change a thing. This community gave me everything. And now it's Jake's turn to build something great."
Everyone applauded. Jake felt the weight of expectation settle on his shoulders.
"Speech!" Marcus yelled.
Jake reluctantly stood. "I don't have a speech prepared. But I'll say this—Tommy taught me that coaching isn't about winning games. It's about helping people become the best versions of themselves. That's what I'm going to try to do. For this team. For this community."
More applause. Jake sat down quickly, his face hot.
Later, when most people had left, Tommy pulled Jake aside.
"You ready for this?"
"Honestly? I have no idea."
"Good. If you thought you were ready, I'd be worried." Tommy clapped him on the shoulder. "You're going to make mistakes. You're going to lose games you should have won. Parents are going to complain. Players are going to challenge you. But Jake—you're going to be great at this. I know it."
"How do you know?"
"Because you care. That's what makes a good coach—not tactics or strategy or even winning. It's caring about the people you're coaching. And you care more than anyone I've ever met."
After Tommy left, Jake sat at the bar with Marcus.
"Big summer ahead," Marcus observed. "Planning for next season. Recruiting. Building your coaching staff."
"Yeah."
"Have you heard from Lucy?"
"A little. We've talked twice since April. She has interviews with Michelin restaurants. Sounds like she's seriously considering staying."
"And if she does?"
"Then I'll be happy for her."
"Bullshit."
Jake smiled despite himself. "Okay, I'll be devastated. But I'll also be happy for her. Both things can be true."
"Are you going to visit again? Before her program ends?"
"I don't think so. I think—" Jake paused. "I think she needs to make this decision without me there. Without feeling like she has to choose me over Paris."
"That's very noble. Also very stupid."
"Why stupid?"
"Because she needs to see what she's choosing. If you're not there, if you're just this abstract concept in Vermont, of course Paris looks better. Paris is real. You're just a memory."
"So what should I do?"
"Go to Paris. Remind her why she fell in love with you. Let her see both options clearly. Then she can make an informed choice."
"What if she still chooses Paris?"
"Then at least you fought for her. At least you didn't just give up."
Jake thought about that. Had he given up? By telling Lucy to take space, by not visiting again, by letting her make this decision alone—was he giving up?
Or was he being respectful of her autonomy, her need to figure out what she wanted without pressure?
He didn't know anymore.
That night, alone in his apartment, Jake looked at flights to Paris. They weren't cheap—especially on short notice. But he had savings. He could afford it.
The question was: should he?
Would showing up in Paris be a grand gesture of love? Or would it be pressure, manipulation, making Lucy's decision harder?
Jake closed the flight search and opened his calendar instead. Marked the date: July 15. The day Lucy's program officially ended. The day she'd have to decide whether to stay in Paris or come home.
Two more months. He could wait two more months.
And then, one way or another, he'd know.
Whether Lucy was coming home.
Or whether she was building her life somewhere else.
June in Paris was sweltering.
The heat wave was unexpected—apparently June in Paris was usually mild. But this year, temperatures soared into the 90s and Lucy's apartment (with no air conditioning) became unbearable.
She spent most of her time at school, where at least the industrial kitchens had decent ventilation, or at cafés with working fans.
Finals were approaching. The end of the program. Decision time.
Lucy had interviews with all three restaurants Chef Laurent recommended. All three offered her positions.
Le Bernardin wanted her as a pastry assistant—starting immediately, with a clear path to sous chef within two years.
Pierre Gagnaire offered a six-month apprenticeship with potential for permanent placement.
Alain Ducasse wanted her for their new patisserie concept—a standalone shop focusing on modern French desserts.
Any of these would be incredible. Career-making. The kind of opportunities pastry chefs dreamed about.
Lucy said yes to all three, asking for time to decide.
"This is good problem to have," Amelie said when Lucy told her. "Three Michelin restaurants! Lucy, do you know how rare this is?"
"I know."
"So why do you look so miserable?"
"Because if I take any of them, I'm choosing to stay in Paris. I'm choosing to not go home."
"And that is bad?"
"I don't know. Is it?"
James, Amelie, and Lucy were at their usual café, studying for finals. But Lucy couldn't focus. The decision deadline was approaching—she needed to tell the restaurants by July first if she was interested.
That gave her two weeks.
"What does Jake say?" James asked.
"I haven't told him about the offers."
"Lucy."
"I know. I need to tell him. I just—" Lucy set down her coffee. "If I tell him, it makes it real. It makes the choice real."
"The choice is already real," Amelie said gently. "You're just avoiding it."
Lucy knew she was right. For two months, she'd been avoiding the decision. Working instead of thinking. Studying instead of feeling. Pretending she had all the time in the world when really, time was running out.
That night, Lucy finally called Jake. It was afternoon in Vermont—a good time to catch him.
"Hey," Jake answered. He sounded surprised. "Everything okay?"
"Yeah. I just—I need to talk to you about something."
"Okay."
Lucy took a breath. "I got offers. From three different Michelin restaurants. All of them want me."
Silence.
"Jake?"
"That's incredible, Lucy. Congratulations."
"Thanks. But Jake—if I accept, I'm staying in Paris. Permanently. Or at least for the foreseeable future."
"I know."
"And I need to decide by July first."
"Okay."
"Okay? That's all you have to say?"
"What do you want me to say? That I'm devastated? I am. That I don't want you to stay? I don't. But Lucy—this is your choice. I can't make it for you."
"I'm not asking you to make it. I'm asking what you think."
"I think—" Jake paused. "I think you already know what you want. You're just scared to admit it."
"What does that mean?"
"It means if you were sure about coming home, you wouldn't have even interviewed with these restaurants. You wouldn't be considering staying. The fact that you are tells me something."
"What does it tell you?"
"That maybe Paris is where you're supposed to be. And maybe—maybe we're not meant to make it work."
Lucy felt tears start. "Is that what you think?"
"I think we've been trying to force something that the distance has made impossible. I think we love each other but we want different things. And I think—" Jake's voice cracked. "I think maybe it's time to acknowledge that."
"Are you breaking up with me?"
"I'm saying what I should have said in March. That I love you. That I want you to be happy. And that if being happy means staying in Paris, you should stay. Without guilt. Without feeling like you're abandoning me or Timber Falls or any commitment you made six months ago."
"But what about us?"
"There is no us if you're in Paris and I'm here. Not really. We've been pretending for three months. Maybe it's time to stop pretending."
Lucy was openly crying now. "I don't want to lose you."
"You're not losing me. You're choosing a different path. That's okay. That's allowed."
"It doesn't feel okay."
"I know. But Lucy—you can't keep putting off this decision because you're scared of hurting me. You need to choose what's right for you. And if that's Paris, then that's Paris."
They were both quiet for a long moment, the weight of what Jake was saying settling between them.
"I need to go," Lucy finally said. "I can't—I need to think."
"Okay. Lucy?"
"Yeah?"
"Whatever you decide, I'm proud of you. For being brave enough to go to Paris in the first place. For building something incredible there. For becoming who you were meant to be."
"Even if who I'm meant to be doesn't include you?"
"Even then."
Lucy hung up and sat in her apartment, staring at nothing.
Jake had just broken up with her. Sort of. He'd given her permission to choose Paris without guilt.
Which was generous and supportive and exactly what she'd needed to hear.
So why did it feel like her heart was being ripped out?
Lucy pulled out her journal and started writing.
Jake basically just ended things. He said I should choose Paris if that's what I want. That I shouldn't feel guilty about it. That we've been pretending there's still an "us" when really, the distance has made that impossible.
And he's right. We've been in limbo for three months. Not together, not broken up, just—waiting. Hoping the decision would somehow make itself.
But decisions don't make themselves. You have to make them.
So here it is: Stay in Paris, take one of these incredible job offers, build a career here. Or go home to Timber Falls, open my restaurant, try to rebuild what Jake and I had.
Two futures. Both possible. Both full of risk and reward.
I have two weeks to choose.
Lucy closed her journal and looked out at the Paris night. The Eiffel Tower sparkled in the distance, beautiful and indifferent to her crisis.
Two weeks. Then she'd have to choose.
Stay or go.
Paris or Timber Falls.
Career or love.
Except it wasn't that simple. Because choosing Paris didn't mean giving up on love—it just meant giving up on Jake. And choosing Timber Falls didn't mean giving up on her career—it just meant building it somewhere else.
There was no perfect choice. Just two different paths.
Lucy just had to be brave enough to pick one.
And live with the consequences.