The next morning, Tessa had just tossed her third oven full of baguettes into the trash. If this kept up, all the headway the bakery was making with new business leads was going to go straight to hell.

She checked her watch. Hopefully not many people would visit in the next two hours. Then her sisters were taking her somewhere. Out of this bakery, out of town. Away. She’d said fine. Anything was better than thinking about Leo every second of the day. And night.

She walked out into the shop and found Sam bending over, looking at the bakery case. Which wasn’t very nice-looking right now because she seemed to have forgotten how to use the oven. As she approached, he straightened out, smiling his same clueless smile as if they’d been friends every day of their lives. “Hey, Tessa,” he said. “How about a chocolate croissant and a coffee?”

“I’m sorry, Sam, all I’ve got are bread loaves and a few plain croissants. And I’m closing early today.”

“Oh. Well, I didn’t really come to eat, anyway.” He rummaged through his pockets. “Can I get your opinion on something?”

Her first impulse was to just answer his question and get him out of here as soon as possible, like she always did. He probably wanted advice about his tie or what to buy Marcy for her birthday. Or some other silly question she could answer in thirty seconds and send him on his way.

But then Tessa suddenly saw before her eyes a vision of her future, plain as day. A version without Leo. Where Sam still came in every single day asking for guidance about his wife, his kids, and his dog. Where she was still keeping her real thoughts and opinions to herself and pretending everything was just fine.

It was time to change that vision of herself.

She might be single, but she was not going to be a sad, lonely cat lady.

Well, she’d always have at least one cat. But the other stuff…no. She wasn’t going to be poor Tessa ever again.

And she should have spoken her mind to Sam a long time ago.

Suddenly she was aware that Sam was holding an open jewelry box in front of her. With a diamond ring inside. Sparkly and perfect.

At first glance, she thought it was the ring she’d given back to him. But she was relieved for Marcy’s sake that it was different. Oval, not round. Some pretty baguettes on the side. He’d done a decent job.

At one time, she’d wanted his ring more than anything.

Or at least she’d thought she did.

But now…her only thought was poor Marcy.

“Sam, I have to ask you a question,” she said carefully. Something she’d avoided for way too long.