Page 68 of Break Me Like a Promise (Oak Valley)

She took so long to respond, he almost repeated himself. But making the admission once was hard enough, so he bit his tongue right as her sigh came through.

“But you haven’t, Colton. Just because a job is beating you to death doesn’t mean you failed — don’t argue, I can hear it in your voice, you’re miserable and you’ve been gone a week. It’s okay to set the boundary that it’s not working for you. You have other options.”

“Is that what you did?” The words slipped out before he could stop them, immediately wishing he could take them back. His goddamn mouth.

“Actually, yeah. I gave Dad my two weeks yesterday. I’m not sure when or how I’ll start what’s next, but I have money saved. And money buys freedom, and I could use some of that right now.”

Colton sat up, groaning as his back throbbed. “Wow, Katie-Cat. You did it. I—I know I don’t say this often enough, but I’m proud of you. How’d the old man take it?”

Katie snorted. “He just about shit a brick. But I don’t care, man. You and I both know I was going nowhere staying there. And — thanks to you — I can do what I want. So I’m looking for a cheap apartment and will figure out what’s next. And Colt?

“Yeah?”

“Thanks. That means a lot.”

“Of course.”

“Hey, Colt?”

He chuckled. “Yeah?”

“You know you have more than enough money to just… sit pretty for a bit right? You have plenty of money to buy your own shop and be your own boss, right? You have plenty of money — and support — to change your mind and fail and pick yourself back up and fail some more. And keep picking yourself up.”

Colton sighed, his brain on overload.

“Okay, big broski. I know you’re tired, I just needed to give my two-cents. Have sweet dreams, I love you. And I’m proud of you, too.”

She hung up before Colton could respond, but her words rang in his ears.

She wasn’t wrong. He knew he had plenty of money. He just also knew plenty of professional athletes — let alone ex-professional athletes — who had special talents for losing all their money very quickly. Colton had vowed he’d never be that guy, and he’d gone to great lengths to keep a steady income so he wouldn’t have to touch his millions.

Until he spent some on Katie, and that had felt really fucking good. Especially knowing she took it and got herself out.

His phone buzzed with a text.

A link from Katie with flights from San Francisco to New York.

He might as well humor her.

Scrolling through, he could leave tomorrow morning. Hell, in a few hours.

Colton set the phone down. He’d been at his dream job for a week and felt like his body was going to disintegrate. He’d lost his love of baking. He had no friends — and it was clear Adam hadn’t known who Colton was before the kitchen test but had found out, and that fucking hipster said things that alluded to athletes being useless in the kitchen constantly — and was far from his family. As painful as it was, Colton missed Oak Valley.

And he hated himself for it, but knew he’d hate himself more for not going back.

57

Macy finished checking her itemized list for the Valentine’s Day Festival, passing it off to Ruby. Some of the local businesses were making their own floats, so Macy and Ruby asked the police department to up their street presence and provide metal barriers so the crowd could watch safely. At the end of the route, they’d set up a stage for local bands and local businesses and artisans could rent tables for their wares. In the lot were the four Country Kissing Booths. Each booth represented a Valentine’s Day tradition, with a man and woman in each who asked trivia on the subject. If the guesser guessed the right card, they could choose a chocolate candy or which person they wanted a kiss on the cheek from.

Macy had been right: this would be the biggest festival Oak Valley had ever seen. Ruby had managed to get several press releases published in larger newspapers, and Macy had been receiving emails all week from excited would-be patrons.

Ruby had also been receiving emails, from more businesses who wanted her services. She’d put some of them off until after the Festival but at the rate she was going, she’d have to decide if she wanted to continue her work at Maven Media. Even part-time, she was struggling to balance those clients with Macy, Olive, and June. While she’d lose out on that sweet paycheck, she also didn’t have as many living expenses, and they were far cheaper than what they’d been in New York City.

It was just her mom’s medical bills she was worried about.

“Okay, Ruby. I’ll catch you later. Thanks again for your help and let me know when you’ve got confirmation from the vendors.” Macy waved a gloved hand and left the old room in the Town Hall where they’d taken over and set up shop.

Ruby shuffled the papers and put them in her bag, pulling out her project list for Olive and her ideas list for June before heading out onto Center Street. The large tree to the left still had all the Christmas light on it, but Macy had gotten the crew to wrap red and gold tinsel around it as well. At night, the white lights illuminated bounced off the colors and cast everything within twenty feet in the most beautiful soft raspberry.

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