She holds up a bag. “I brought doughnuts and everything.”

I wrap her in a tight hug, holding on for way longer than I know she wants. “You’re the best.”

She riffles around in the bag, handing me a maple bar and taking a sprinkled one for herself, before hopping up onto the end of the counter.

Handing Jack an old-fashioned, I lean my butt up against the counter where Gem sits. “I’m glad you got here early, actually, because I wanted to ask you something.”

“No, I will not participate in a threesome. At least not with you.” She gives me a wink and a grin.

“Good to know, but not what I was going to ask.” I lick a drop of frosting from my doughnut. “How would you feel about catering the launch party? Nothing big, just a couple of passed apps and maybe a charcuterie display?”

She picks a sprinkle off her doughnut but doesn’t say anything.

“I’d pay you, obviously, and I just thought it might be kind of a good test run, you know?” I was confident she’d jump at the chance, but she looks so miserable I can’t stop myself from throwing my arm around her shoulder. “Okay, no worries, I can totally find someone else. I’m sorry I asked, Gem. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

She gently removes herself from my embrace. “I’m not upset with you, Sade. I’m mad at myself.”

Jack gives me a worried look and slowly starts to move toward the office in the back, motioning in a very not-subtle way that he’ll give us some space.

Once he’s cleared the room, I move so I’m standing right in front of her. “Why are you mad at yourself?”

“How do I count the ways? I’m twenty-eight and in a job I despise and everyone in my life is happy and successful and I still can’t decide what the fuck I want to do.” She tosses her doughnut back in the bag, even though it’s half-eaten.

“Gemma, god, where do I start? One, you say ‘twenty-eight’ like it’s eighty, which I refuse to accept, as I’m two months older than you. Two, hello, I was literally you less than a year ago.” I throw my arms wide open. “And look where I’ve ended up after also hating my job and having no idea what I wanted to do.”

“You did know what you wanted to do, Sade, and you did it. That’s the difference.”