What if he’d somehow pressured her mother into selling? Would he do that? He’d certainly held the unpaid dues over her head to get her to agree to his scheme.

Tessa hated herself for thinking those things. She ran through various other scenarios in which he would’ve known about the sale of the bakery and not said anything, and none of them were good, either.

Her elbow accidentally—okay, maybe not so accidentally—hit the little knob on the top right drawer: the secret drawer that Leo’s grandfather had added long ago.

It popped open just a hair. She went to close it—because she definitely shouldn’t snoop—but she saw a flash of something in there. A piece of paper. Cosette hopped up on the desk and sat right in front of her, staring at her with big green eyes.

“It’s private, Cosette. Not my business. I’ve never read anyone’s diary or scrolled through anyone’s phone. Nope. Not me.”

She got a big, warning meow for that.

Was that a mind-your-own-business meow? A turn-back-before-it’s-too-late meow?

If Leo had done this behind her back, she wanted to know. Her loyalty was to her family. She had to protect the bakery, first and foremost.

But the truth was, she was really aiming to protect something far more personal.

Her heart.

…

“Hey, Dad,” Leo said early that evening as he stood at the old printer in the back office, waiting for it to crank out a document. His dad, who’d been running around the kitchen with his apron on, had popped his head in. “Everything okay?” Leo asked.

Dinner hour had kicked in, and the dining room was already packed. The murmur of conversations, the sounds of clinking utensils, and occasional laughter spilled out pleasantly into the cramped little room.

His dad smiled. “The patio and dining room are both full. I never thought I’d see the day when this place was…happy again. Full of people talking and eating and having a good time. Young people, old people, kids… Maybe that fancy degree of yours did us all some good.”

“Well, Tessa and I might have brought in some business, but they keep coming for our family’s signature dishes.”

“People like the organic,” his dad said in a conciliatory tone. “They like that we’re buying local. They like the takeout. And they like trying some old things new ways.” He placed a hand on Leo’s shoulder. “And I like having you for a partner. I learn new things.” His dad embraced him and slapped him heartily on the back. “That wife of yours is good for you. And she can bake. Make sure you treat her nice.”