Page 15 of Holiday Reunion

Placing her head in her hands, she attempted to soothe the pounding that resounded inside her skull. Her heart seemed to beat right along with the aches. This wasn’t good. She had a feeling she knew exactly what was in that letter and it definitely wasn’t a Christmas card.

A groan slipped from her lips and she finally gave in. She reached for the letter and with a swipe from the letter opener, she tore it open.

Just as she’d expected, it was a letter regarding just how past due she was. The balance was larger than she remembered it being, and to no surprise, they were going to move forward with processing a foreclosure. Words like past due, short sale, and unfortunately seemed to pulsate from the page.

What was she going to do? Her savings account was all but empty. Her checking account the same. She was barely making enough to put food on the table after she paid her suppliers and Brie’s paycheck.

She tossed the letter on the desk and crumpled her body there as well, placing her head in her folded arms. Telling James was out of the question. He would just confirm that he knew this was coming. He’d warned her as much when he’d come out to talk to her about becoming a partner.

She’d been an idiot to fight him on it. Now she was going to lose the bakery. There was literally nothing she could do except let it happen. Sarah would have to tell Brie, then close down the shop. She’d have to find another job and maybe hide away from society for a few weeks until she was no longer embarrassed to be seen in public.

Sarah could already see it now. The second the short sale sign was placed in the window, she’d be the laughingstock of the town. If not the laughingstock, everyone would certainly pity her.

It wasn’t even the town that she was worried about at this point. She’d gotten so close to James that she didn’t want to feel his judgement. She didn’t want to prove him right. This whole time, she’d been playing off how serious it was around him so he wouldn’t feel the need to bring it up.

What was she going to do?

They were going ice skating this evening and there was no way she’d be able to hide just how upset she was. She should probably just call and cancel. If she could come up with an excuse, then maybe she could regroup and figure something out, so it looked like she had planned this whole thing.

Her stomach roiled. Who was she kidding? She couldn’t do any of that. She was stuck and she had no one to blame but herself.

Sarah heard the door open to the bakery. The only one expected to arrive at this time was Brie. There was no use in delaying the inevitable. She waited at her desk for several minutes and then Brie materialized in the doorway.

“There you are.”

Sarah didn’t look up right away. Her shoulders sagged now that her energy had been zapped from her body. When she did meet Brie’s eyes, she found worry etched there.

“What’s wrong?”

“I have something to tell you.”

“Okay…” She drawled. “This doesn’t sound good.”

“That’s because it isn’t.”

Brie moved forward. “It isn’t about James is it? He didn’t break up with you, did he? Because if he did?—”

“No,” Sarah said a little too quickly. “Things with James is actually pretty good right now. Really good.” That was why this conversation was going to be harder than Sarah thought it should be. Brie knew all about James’s offer. She pushed the letter across the desk to her friend. “I’m really, really sorry, Brie”

Her friend’s gaze flitted to the envelope and she reached for it slowly. “What is this?”

Sarah waited for her to pick up the letter, then watched with a broken heart as Brie read through the letter. Her eyes lifted to Sarah, but she didn’t say anything. Sarah sighed. “I really am truly sorry.”

“What do you have to be sorry about?” Brie tossed the letter on the desk. “You’ve had a rough year. Everything with your dad… No one blames you.”

It was more difficult that Sarah thought it would be to keep her tears locked away. She wanted to scream and throw something, but all she could do was sit frozen, the life drained out of her. “I’m sure a few people would.”

“Who? James? If he blames you for this, then he’s an idiot.”

“He gave me an out. You heard what he’d said. You know what he was offering. I could have fixed all of this weeks ago.”

Brie shook her head. “You weren’t ready to admit defeat. You didn’t want to sacrifice what you believed in. It’s okay.”

“It’snot.” She shut her eyes and calmed her heart enough to prevent herself from crying. “But it will be. I just have to find another job. That’s all.”

Her friend reached across the desk and took her hand. “You are the strongest, most resilient person I know. Everything is going to work out.”

Sarah forced a smile. “Thanks. I just don’t know how I’m going to tell James.”