Page 86 of Emerald Moon
Later that day, just before the after dinner dessert rush, Jo took a step back from the cases and saw their creations in neat, little rows behind the glass, each with a gold-lined sign noting the flavor and the price.A few were already gone because customers had purchased them while they were stocking the case.
Wil popped up beside them, bumping against Jo’s shoulder.“They were always meant to be there.Look how good they look.”
“You think?”
“Without a doubt.”
Jo leaned to the side and rested their head on Wil’s arm.“I think I’m going to let myself be proud of this.”
She let out a soft laugh and wrapped an arm around their opposite shoulder.“That’s what I want to hear.”
“I saw your new piece for sale on the wall.”Jo motioned towards the painting — a stylized landscape of a forest view, familiar around Hickorywood.
“What do you think?”
“A little more abstract.I like it.”
“Tried something new.I like how it turned out.Don’t think I’ll do it again, though.”
Jo picked up their head and looked at her.“You won’t?But it looks so cool!”
Wil shrugged.“Time to try something else new, I guess.”
“Lots of new for us lately.”
“Think we need to celebrate?”
“I celebrated like whoa with those bottles of wine the other night.”
“I was thinking more like maybe we deserve a dinner outside of the pack house together.”
“Ooh yes, let’s!Where do you want to go?”
Back and forth, they named their favorite spots until picking one for the next evening.Wil ruffled Jo’s hair and excused herself so she could get ready for her shift at the bakery.
Jo snapped a photo and texted Cass, giving the quick version of everything that had happened that day.They also sent the picture to Krista and Wil, adding about a million exclamation points and pressing send.
They weren’t scheduled to work, but Jo couldn’t bring themselves to leave.From behind the counter, they watched as Violet Moon regulars commented on the new offerings before grabbing a couple and new customers picked out a few macarons to go with their other treats.
Krista popped into the bakery before her shift at the restaurant that evening.“Babe!I’m so proud of you!Look at you — doing the thing.”
“I did the thing!I worked up the nerve to ask Alpha Parisa, and I’m so glad I did.Worth it.Now I’ve got to figure out a macaron-baking schedule — if I want them to be a daily thing or a sometimes thing — but the first hurdle is cleared.”
“You can always start as a sometimes thing and build up to more, if you like.Plus, it might not be bad to have a bit of a buffer for those yucky brain days we get.”
“Good point.Maybe I’ll make my macarons like Alpha Parisa’s bread — a regular, but not daily thing.And I can keep the flavors fresh — maybe have a few I always offer and then some other flavors that I include because I felt compelled to create them.”
“What’s been selling so far today?And can I have some?I’ll totally pay for them.”
“A little of everything, but I’m nearly out of the chocolate and earl grey ones.I thought folks would avoid those.And, yeah, of course.”
“Just too bad I couldn’t be your first sale.”
“But you’re my most important sale of the day.”
Krista rushed forward to give them one of her usual too-tight hugs.“At least until Cass buys some, right?Ooh, I’m still so happy that my flakiness and my hectic work schedule made your love happen.”She took a step back and pointed at herself.“Me!I made this.”
“I may have had something to do with it, too.”
