Chapter 124

EMILIA

It’s kind of amazing, honestly—how every step hurts like I’m walking on nails. I can barely breathe by the time I flip the sign to CLOSED and collapse into the nearest chair. It’s not even noon.

“I think I need to hire help,” I mutter, tying my curls into a messy knot. It’s freezing outside—cold enough to make my toes ache—but I’m sweating like I just ran a marathon through hell.

Tessa slides in, clocking me from behind her phone. “Finally decided to stop being a cheapskate?” She snorts, but whatever she sees on my face makes her dial it back. She puts the phone down, opens the crumpled paper bag she brought for lunch. The smell alone is enough to make my stomach growl.

“Okay, okay,” Tessa says, throwing her hands up in mock surrender. “I’ll stop laughing. It’s just… shocking. I always figured you’d rather keel over on the bakery floor than hire help and part with money.”

I roll my eyes, but my attention shifts fast as she pulls out containers of