Page 41 of Charm

I don’t know if that’s an overt attempt to make me feel guilty, but that’s exactly what’s happening. Being responsible for Krista not chasing her dreams would leave me so guilt-ridden that I would come to resent the business.

I know that because I know myself.

I also know that I’m angry with her for not discussing a potential sale with me when she realized it was what she wanted and there was a possibility that it could happen.

“Did they approach you, or did you approach them?” I ask, ignoring her plea to talk about this later.

I can’t give her time right now because I sense Holden Sheppard is going to track me down before the end of the day.

She shakes her head in frustration. “Jameson came into the store one day. He introduced himself right away and asked about the business.”

“What did he ask?”

Krista half-shrugs. “He was interested in a few of our products. Apparently, he’d been in the week before that and had picked up some of the passion fruit gummies, and the cinnamon poppers we introduced last fall. He loved them both.”

Since I came up with those recipes, I should feel pride in knowing he liked them, but I don’t. For all I know, Jameson hated everything, but wanted to gain the upper hand by pretending to love our offerings.

“Did he ask you straight out if you wanted to sell, Krista?”

“Not right away,” she answers with her gaze locked on mine. “He said that he knew how hard of an industry we’re in, and that the competition is fierce.”

He’s right about that. I debated jumping into the candy space, but my need to fulfill Celia’s ambitions won out in the end. That’s changed since we launched, though. I love the business, and the prospect of passing the torch to my daughter eventually leaves me teary-eyed.

“When exactly did the subject of selling Sweet Indulgence to Carden come up?” I try to keep my tone even.

I know I should be transparent and tell her about what happened in East Hampton between Holden and me, but I’m still trying to wrap my mind around it.

Her gaze drops to the sidewalk, so mine follows.

I watch silently as she kicks a gum wrapper with the toe of her shoe before mumbling something about people who litter.

Just as I’m about to repeat my question, her hand dives into her purse. Her phone pops out. She taps the screen and exhales. “It was about two months ago. That’s when Jamesonfirst mentioned that Carden would be interested in buying the company.”

“You’re sure?” I ask because this is too important for her not to be certain.

She flips her phone around to show me something, but it’s back facing her before I have a chance to see anything.

“Jameson sent me a text message exactly two months ago today asking if I had ever considered selling.” She tilts her head slightly while looking at me. “I responded that I was.”

Without asking me.

I want to point that out, but this is not the time to remind her of that. She set out on a path to get everything in place to sell our business without considering what I wanted.

“Anyways.” She sighs heavily. “I’d like to go home, Greer. I have the worst headache. Can you handle the delivery this afternoon on your own?”

I tuck a strand of my hair behind my ear. “I can. I will.”

“Should I tell Howie that we’re not moving?”

The question stings because she’s putting a burden on me that isn’t only mine to shoulder. If she had given me more of a heads-up about everything going on in her life behind the scenes over the past few months, I would have been better prepared for today.

Although I can’t blame her for the shock I felt walking into that conference room to see Joe standing there.

Holden…his name is Holden.

“I’ve had a lot thrown at me the past couple of weeks, Krista.” I manage a small smile. “We need to discuss this more. Let’s sit on things for a day or two, and talk again, okay?”

A grin spreads over her lips, instantly changing her expression. “I can’t tell if that means there’s still hope for the sale to go through, but I’m going to believe there is until you tell me otherwise.”

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