Page 27 of Falling for You Again

“Meli ...” Dad stalls, pursing his lips. His gaze slings to me only to dart away like a mouse scurrying across the floor.

“I can tell you don’t want him to sell. Help me talk him—”

“I’m right here, Meli,” Uncle Bear says above me. He looks down at us from the truck bed.

“I want to talk with you about selling.”

“Not a good time. We have to get to the Cape and back before tonight’s tournament.” He and Dad compete on the same bowling team, the Woodchucks.

Uncle Bear grunts under the weight of the coffee table as he tries to move it farther into the truck. Dad pulls himself up and helps. They cover both tables with shipping blankets and strap them in so they don’t shift during transport.

“I went to Savant’s gala last night,” I announce.

Dad’s eyes widen before briefly meeting Uncle Bear’s gaze. Uncle Bear covers his shock by staring at his gloved hands. He tears off the gloves. “Glad you did. They’re nice people.”

“I told them I wasn’t going to work for them.”

Unease crinkles the skin between my uncle’s brows. “Now why would you do that?”

I just revealed my hand. I’m intentionally undermining his negotiations. But isn’t he doing the same, undermining my plans to inherit the shop he promised me? Neither of us are playing fair.

“I never wanted to go work for a large corporation. I want Artisant. We’ve talked about this for years. You promised me the shop.”

Dad jumps off the back of the truck. Uncle Bear follows him down. “You’re passing up a good opportunity, Meli,” my uncle says. “I’d hate to see that for you.”

“Then give me the chance to make an offer. I probably can’t match Savant, but we’d be able to keep the shop in the family. Grandpa Walt would have wanted it that way.”

Dad’s face tightens and he quickly looks away.

“Give me a few weeks to put some numbers together and get approved for a loan.”

“I’m not considering other offers,” Uncle Bear says.

“Artisant isn’t just a shop to me,” I push on. “It’s our family’s legacy. My legacy. Everything you, Dad, and Grandpa Walt built, everything we poured into this shop ... You aren’t just giving it away; you’re taking it from me. For what? So you guys can leave me again?” I glare accusingly at Dad. “I honestly don’t understand why you’re selling, and why you’re only considering selling to the Savant House. Are they holding something over you? Are they blackmailing you?” I couldn’t see how or why, but it’s worth asking.

Uncle Bear’s face is a mask. “You don’t want this life, Meli. Operating a shop like this is hard, unforgiving work.” He talks to his hands, picking at his calluses. “Look at your dad and me. My back is messed up. Your dad needs another knee replacement. We’re lucky we made it this far with all our fingers. You deserve better.”

“Shouldn’t that be for me to decide?” I’m twenty-nine. They’re treating me like I’m twelve.

Dad turns around and walks to the front of the truck.

“What I deserve are answers,” I argue. Ones that make sense.

We watch Dad step up into the cab. I wish more than I ever have before that he’d back me up. He shuts the door, his arm falling out the window. His fingers impatiently tap the metal.

Uncle Bear smacks his gloves against his thigh. “Don’t you see I’m trying to protect you, Meli? Give you a fresh start? Artisant is a sunk ship. There’s no salvaging her.”

I lurch back. “How’s that possible?” We’re selling more product than ever. We can barely keep up with orders, even with the price increases I finally convinced Uncle Bear to implement. He always undervalued our work.

“Doesn’t matter. I’m done discussing this.” Uncle Bear pulls down the truck’s roll door and slides the lock into place. “We’ll be back after hours. Lock up when you leave.” He climbs into the driver’s seat with a grim expression. The engine coughs, chokes, and then revs. With a shudder like a bear shaking off dust, the truck drives away, the rear tire crushing an empty soda can, like my dreams.

Chapter 12

A Win-Win Situation

Less than an hour later I’m at Aaron’s door. He answers after a few short knocks, his face splitting into a grin after his initial shock of finding me on his porch.

“Hi, Meli.” He glances behind him into the town house. “Did you forget something? We were just heading out to the game.” Theweis a man and woman seated in the living room, dressed similarly to Aaron. He wears jeans, a navy tee, and a well-worn Red Sox baseball cap.

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