Chapter 21: Right On Time
The smell of cinnamon and fresh dough hit me the second I stepped into the bakery.
It was warm, familiar. Safe. The bell above the door jingled as I walked in, apron already tied around Pedro’s waist as he stood behind the counter, hands dusted with flour.
He looked up and smiled. "There she is. My star baker."
I smiled back, but it felt wobbly. "Hey, Pedro."
He cocked his head immediately. "Uh-oh. That doesn’t sound like ’Hey Pedro, ready to make twenty loaves of sourdough?’"
I stepped behind the counter, slipping off my coat slowly. "Can we talk?"
"Of course." He wiped his hands and motioned toward the little table in the corner, the one we always sat at during slow afternoons. "What’s up?"
I sat. Picked at a crumb on the table. "I got a job."
His eyes lit up. "That’s amazing, Izzy! Where?"
"Corporate assistant role. Full-time. Pays well, benefits, all of it."
Pedro nodded, proud. "You’ve been working so hard for this."