Page 66 of Click of Fate

I sip the milk again and watch her open the oven light.

“Burned the bread, didn’t I?” I ask.

She presses the button that turns off the oven. "Oh, yeah. That thing’s toast.”

We laugh, quiet and easy. The kind that sneaks up on you and reminds you’re not alone.

After Harper goes back to bed, I wash the bowls. I sweep the flour. I wipe the counter until it shines.

Maybe she was right. Stress cleaning may be the better option.

Then I open my laptop and look up a mortgage calculator.

It’s not the numbers make my throat tighten…it’s the finality of it all, being rooted in one place, but I don’t close the tab.

Not yet.

I’m not ready to commit.

But for the first time, I’m not running from the idea either.

Maybe scary doesn’t always mean wrong.

Maybe scary just means worth it.

Chapter 16

CUPCAKE RAINBOW GLITTERSHINE

LUKE

The thing about Claire is,she never just shows up. She arrives—like a storm in heels, plan already locked and loaded. And since she rolled into town, she’s shown up at least twice a week. Each time pretending like we’re still co-founders, still…something. Like she didn’t walk out of my life with barely a backward glance.

Maddie has suggested stalking—like maybe Claire’s watching me. She even showed up at The Trading Post one night. But she hasn’t knocked on my front door, so it seems like she’s following some kind of unspoken boundaries.

But the worst part about seeing her? Her words haven’t left my head.

Corporate expansion. Investors. Franchises. Hell, she even mentioned rebranding. Like I haven’t poured everything I’ve got into this place.

And the worst part is, she isn’t entirely wrong.

I’ve been dragging through staff meetings, short with Maddie, and way too distracted to be a good instructor in the past few classes. I find myself zoning out at night, wondering ifmaybe my version of Squeaky Bum is too small. Too focused. Too… personal.

So this morning, I call Ray.

He answers on the second ring with his usual, “You better not need bail money.”

“Not this time.”

Ray hears the edge in my voice. “Talk to me.”

I pace the back hallway while staff reset holds on the south wall. “Claire’s been hovering. And pitching big ideas.”

A pause. “Let me guess. National expansion. Team of consultants. A new logo that looks like it was ripped from an energy drink.”

“Basically.”

Ray sighs. “You already know what I’m going to say.”

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