Chapter 24 Holly
TWENTY-FOUR
HOLLY
The numbers on the paper before me blur together, making no sense.
Ashley is trying to explain it to me, but I feel completely dense.
Seriously, is she even speaking in English?
Everything she’s saying sounds like Latin to me.
Groaning, I drop my head into my hands. Maybe if I stay like this long enough, she’ll leave me alone and I won’t have to deal with it on my own.
The documents on the table are from Ivy and the independent legal advisor about selling her half of the bakery.
If I can’t understand any of this, then what hope do I have of running this business by myself?
I know I need to get some legal advice, but seeing everything written out like this is making me realise what a huge undertaking all of this will be.
I deal with the general managing and running of the business, while Ivy looks after the finances, and honestly, I have no idea how to manage that side of things.
When I first tried to look through it, I became overwhelmed and called Ashley in a panic. Being the amazing friend that she is, she came over immediately and has been patiently attempting to help me through it.
“Hol, it’s not as bad as you think it is.”
Lifting my head, I pin her with a disbelieving look, despondency draining my energy. “I don’t have the money she’s asking for, Ash. How is that not a disaster?”
Clearly thinking that I’m being dramatic, she rolls her eyes and slides one of the sheets towards me. “First of all, this is just an assessment, a price that she’s being advised to sell at on the market. She’s your sister, I’m sure we can convince her to sell her side for less than that.”
I’m not so sure. Ivy has been difficult with my decision not to sell, her constant calls to convince me otherwise have been draining and a sticking point between us.
If she thought it would stop me from buying her share, she would out-price me.
However, she knows that I will do almost anything to keep this going.
I only wish I knew why she’s so against me keeping the business.
Fair enough if she wants nothing to do with it, but why is selling it to me so abhorrent to her? So much for sibling support.
Ashley doesn’t wait for me to protest, holding her hand up to stop the oncoming tirade, already knowing what I’m going to say.
“There are other options, Holly. You could get a loan. Do you think your sister would accept a payment plan? Worst-case scenario, she sells and you share the business with someone else.”
Between having to sell and sharing with a new partner, the latter is the lesser of two evils, yet it still makes me want to cry.
Whoever takes over will want to come in and make changes and nothing will be the same again.
No, this bakery has been in my family for generations.
I’m not going to let someone else try to take over.
I will honour my parents’ wishes, even if my sister won’t.
There is something magical about our bakery, and I honestly don’t know why Ivy has never been closely involved.
“Stop panicking. I can see it in your eyes.” Ashley reaches out and squeezes my shoulder, chiding me gently. “You know I’ll help you in any way I can.”
“I’m not taking money from you.” Crinkling my nose, I pull back and shake my head, the idea abhorrent. She’s my best friend – I could never ask her for money.
“That’s not what I was suggesting, but I would do that as well.”
Movement out the window catches my attention, and I barely hear what she’s saying, my eyes glued to the figure walking across the square.
Bear. My heart clenches in my chest and I rub at the spot absent-mindedly.
He looks good, even in an oversized hoodie and jeans.
He always looks good, but there’s something about him today that makes him seem extra handsome.
There is nothing I want more than to run out and speak to him.
I grit my teeth and grip onto the table tightly to stop myself.
“What happened there? You never did tell me.”
“What?” I snap back to reality, my cheeks red at being caught out. Attempting to look innocent, I turn to Ashley with a questioning expression. Of course, she doesn’t believe it for a second, raising her brow at my weak attempt to keep it hidden.
My last disastrous meeting with Clay and Bear was a week ago, and other than spying on them from the bakery window, I’ve not seen them.
Am I sad that they didn’t try a little harder to stop me walking away?
Yes, a small part of me hoped they wouldn’t let me leave until we had sorted something out.
However, I know that this is the best option for all of us.
I was pretty upset and ran straight to Ashley.
I didn’t know how to tell her what had happened, so I didn’t, and she didn’t push me for an answer.
Instead, she comforted me, not questioning why I was sobbing in her arms.
It seems that my grace period is now over.
“They were all over you, and now, nothing,” she continues, trying to prompt a response from me. “That and the fact I’ve caught you pining over them three times since I’ve been here.”
Sighing, I wince slightly at her comment. If she’s seen me watching the guys, then the others in the bakery are sure to have noticed. Thankfully no one has said anything to me about it. Groaning, I rub my temples, trying to ease the headache forming there as I try to put my issue into words.
“I couldn’t choose between them. So I decided it would be better not to see either of them.” Saying it aloud makes me feel awful and I realise how selfish that makes me sound – wanting two guys to the point they were fighting over me.
Ashley’s brow raises again and she tilts her head to one side. “Better for who? At the moment, it seems like all four of you are suffering. I’m not saying that it will stay that way forever. You might find you become closer with one, but why deny yourself this?”
She has a point. Are the guys struggling with this as much as I am?
Has my decision only made things worse? There is no way of knowing without talking to them, and that will only stir up those feeling of hurt, right?
Hang on, what did Ashley just say? That the four of us are suffering. Who else could she mean…
“Elliot?!” Leaping away from the table, I practically screech the name, nose wrinkling in disgust. “You think I like him?” Outrage pours through me. How could she ever think I would like someone like him?
Interest sparkles in her eyes, even though her expression is passive. “What, you don’t think he’s attractive?”
Oh, he’s attractive, with his rich dark skin and strong, masculine build…
It’s his attitude that I find appalling.
Thankfully I’ve not had much to do with him, but every time I have, I’ve come away from it frustrated and disgruntled.
There’s just something about him that winds me up, and he seems to take joy in that.
Sniffing and looking away, I make sure to keep my answer short and to the point so Ash can’t read into it. “He’s rude.”
“The fact you’re reacting so strongly tells me you do like him.”
I glare at her and find her crossing her arms and pinning me with a stern look.
She clearly hasn’t experienced him like I have, as she would never think this way if she had. “Well, you’re wrong, and he definitely doesn’t like me.”
“Hmm, if you say so.” She doesn’t believe me, that much is clear in the drawl of her voice.
Sighing quietly, she gestures for me to re-join her at the table.
In the bakery, we have a small space where two tables are set up for anyone who wants to eat their purchases in the shop.
We don’t have much room, so we don’t advertise as a café, but it’s a nice, quiet spot to sit and watch the world go by.
The bakery is quiet this morning, which is why Ashley and I decided to sit out the front rather than in the office.
None of the staff can overhear us talking over the noise of the machines and soft radio music.
“Why choose?” she begins again as I retake my space and sit beside her. “If you’re equally drawn to them, then date them both.”
Now that’s an intriguing idea. That’s all it could ever be, though. Clay was very clear that he doesn’t share, and what would everyone think if they heard I had two boyfriends? I wouldn’t be able to move around town for all the gossip.
“Oh, look who’s here.”
The note of caution and interest in her voice has me looking up, following her line of sight.
Elliot. Oh no, why is he coming in here?
More specifically, why is he walking towards us like a man on a mission, his eyes locked onto me?
The bell above the door rings cheerfully, announcing his arrival, and the atmosphere suddenly shifts like a cloud blocking out the sun.
“Elliot–” I begin, trying to catch him before he says something that neither of us want heard by everyone.
However, he cuts me off, striding right over to my table, muscles tight with tension. “You have royally fucked everything.”
Indignant anger courses through me. I will not let him speak to me like that in my shop and glare down at me like he’s superior.
Pushing up from the table, I return his glare and place my hands on my hips.
“You can’t come barging into my place of business and hurl accusations at me. What are you talking about?”
Forcing out a laugh, he narrows his eyes at me. “You know exactly what you’ve done. Your meddling has made things almost unbearable. You have torn my family apart.”
Now this hurts. Everything I have done was to try to avoid this, but it seems Ashley is right and I have only punished us all.
My eyes sting, however I won’t let myself cry, at least, not in front of him.
“I broke it off with them! Anything that’s happening now is nothing to do with me.
” I realise that I sound uncaring, as though I have wiped my hands of them, but any contact I might have with them will only make things harder for us all.
“They are adults and can deal with their own issues.”
Raising his hand, he points a finger at me. “You came in and played with their minds, and now left me with the mess to clean up.”
“Why, Elliot, you sound jealous.” Ashley chimes in, standing and resting her hip against the table. Her comment might sound casual, but with her arms crossed over her chest, you can see she won’t let him get away with insulting me anymore.
Laughing aloud, he looks at Ashley before turning a sneer in my direction. “I don’t think so. I prefer women who don’t use manipulation to get a relationship.”
Ouch, that strikes a nerve. Several, in fact. I try to hide my reaction, but my wince must show on my face as Ash’s whole demeanour suddenly changes.
“Okay, this was fun, but I won’t let you come in here and insult my friend. It’s up to your friends to be grown up and fight their own battles.” Standing tall, she steps towards him, blocking his direct view of me. Smiling sweetly, she raises her hand to wave. “Now kindly, fuck off.”
The entire bakery is watching us, and I’m surprised by the general atmosphere surrounding us. I thought my staff would all be nosey, listening in for gossip. However, I glance around and see that they look angry, almost as if they are protective of me.
Elliot seems to notice this at the same time, slowly looking around him. Huffing out a breath between clenched teeth, he glares at me once more and turns to leave. “Stay away from us,” he says as his final parting words, the bell jingling happily as the door swings shut behind him.
He’s gone. Thank god. The whole encounter has left me feeling shaky, but I try to play it off with a laugh. “What a dick. Can you see why I don’t like him?”
Ash laughs too, but it’s aimed at me rather than with me. “You really still think he doesn’t like you? That was classic jealousy.”
No. I don’t want to think that he has any feelings for me, let alone wanting to be in a relationship with me.
We would constantly argue, and it would be a disaster.
Slowly, I shake my head and give her a sympathetic look.
“I think your Spidey-senses are off this time, Ash. Thank you for sticking up for me though.”
Rolling her eyes, she smiles and opens her arms wide, pulling me against her for a hug. She always knows how to make me feel better. “Always. That’s what best friends are for.”