Page 88 of Why Not Both?

“Regardless, I would never do that.”

“Good.” Her look turns hard. “Because I would fire you for that.”

I lean forward. “I would want you to.” We lapse into silence for a moment. “Do you want me to stab her? I’m pretty good with knives.”

That startles a laugh from her and I smile.

“That seems a bit extreme, but I’ll keep it in mind.”

“I try to limit myself to assault. Don’t want any murder charges.”

“Of course. Very prudent. You make offers to stab people all the time?”

“My sister says you know I love someone if I do one of two things: bake for them or offer to stab someone.”

“You should probably stick to baking.”

“Probably less of a chance of me getting arrested. Though I suppose I could consider the idea of poison.”

She laughs again and I’m glad to hear it. She usually portrays an image of an unbreakable block of stone. Ready to do whatever it takes to ensure her business, and the people connected to it, succeed.

“I’ve noticed you’ve done some baking for Spencer in the last few days.”

I try to keep my cheeks from heating. I am not at all successful. “I guess I have. I actually wondered if you could tell me more about this week.”

She sighs and leans back in her seat. “He told you about his mom, right?”

I nod.

“The anniversary of her death is tomorrow. And every year, he goes to his dad’s house and spends the day with him.”

“I thought they didn’t speak anymore.”

“They don’t. Except for his dad’s birthday and this one day every year. The birthday isn’t as hard, but this one is. I go with him every year, but I’m only marginally helpful. I would do anything I could to help him feel better.”

We share a look. I understand why Emily might have been jealous of Vic and Spencer’s relationship. I could see how Emily might have felt threatened by the love and protectiveness they feel for each other. But from where I’m sitting, all I can feel is glad he has someone in his corner, someone who would be willing to go to bat for him, stand beside him in good times and bad. It makes me feel more like I’m part of something than excluded from it.

“You guys,” I hesitate, unsure exactly what I’m trying to say. “You’re more than just co-workers and friends, aren’t you? You’re like a family.”

“I got your back, no matter what,” Vic says under her breath. “That’s all Spencer’s doing, too. Right after we started university, Spencer cut pretty much all ties with his father. I guess he’d been kind of looking for a new family and when we met Derek and Adalie, we all just sort of clicked. He decided we were it.”

“I noticed.”

“Actually.” She stares at me for a long moment, contemplating. Then she nods. “I wondered if you would be able to do something for me?”

“What is it?”

“There’s this photographer. I’ve been trying to get her to meet with me to have a sort of first dibs contract with her for next summer. I have a similar contract with our florist and the baker who does the cakes. Anyway. She said she was free to meet tomorrow, but then not again until later in September. I told her I couldn’t, obviously.”

“Okay. What does this have to do with me?”

“What if, instead of me going with Spencer tomorrow, you go with him?”

“Oh. I don’t know, Vic. We haven’t really been…” I trail off.

“I know. And that’s all on you. I’m not saying you have to get over it. As a woman in the business world, I get it. Sleeping with the boss, even if you’re madly in love with them,” she shrugs. “It looks bad from the outside. Though he’s not really your boss, I don’t blame you for being cautious. But what I am going to say is, if you decide it’s not worth keeping you two apart, it’s up to you to make the first move.”

She’s right. It’s exactly the same thing Daze has been saying to me pretty much every day for the past two weeks. I pull the container of cookies I’d made that morning out of my backpack and set them on her desk.

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