Chapter 3 - THREE DAYS LATER
On the third morning, three black SUVs stopped outside Carter’s Bakery.
Emily nearly called the police.
Men and women in business coats stepped out.
One carried folders.
Another carried a laptop.
The last person was a nervous-looking young attorney.
William walked downstairs wearing his original wool coat.
Clean now.
Suddenly it looked very expensive.
Emily stared at him.
“What is happening?”
William looked almost embarrassed.
“My name really is William Harrison.”
“That isn’t reassuring anymore.”
The attorney approached.
“Mr. Harrison.”
Emily’s eyes narrowed.
William sighed.
“I founded Harrison Food Group.”
Emily knew the name.
Everyone did.
Thousands of grocery stores supplied.
Hundreds of restaurants.
Distribution centers across the country.
She stared.
“You’re William Harrison?”
“Yes.”
“The William Harrison?”
“I’ve never liked that phrase.”
“You slept on my couch.”
“It’s a good couch.”
“You said you had no money!”
“I said I didn’t have money with me.”
Emily slapped a dish towel onto the counter.
“You manipulative old—”
“I wasn’t testing you.”
That stopped her.
William stepped closer.
“I came here knowing exactly who you were.”
Emily felt betrayed.
“Why?”
“Because Rose saved my life.”
He opened a worn leather folder.
Inside was a letter.
Dated 1981.
Rose’s handwriting.
Emily recognized it immediately.
William had written offering her money after his first business became successful.
Rose refused.
Her response read:
If you ever truly want to repay me, help someone when helping them earns you nothing.
Emily read it twice.
“Then why me?”
William looked around.
“Because I learned this building was being sold.”
Her breath caught.
“I tried to purchase it anonymously before Whitmore.”
“You what?”
“They outbid us.”
Emily looked at the black SUVs.
“Then why show up in an alley?”
William’s expression tightened.
“That part wasn’t planned.”
He had come to Bellweather personally after learning the bakery faced eviction.
His driver lost control during the storm several blocks away.
William had insisted on walking the remaining distance.
He slipped.
Hit his head.
Lost consciousness.
“Why didn’t you tell me the next morning?”
“Because you had already helped me.”
“That makes no sense.”
“It made perfect sense to me.”
“You wanted to see whether I was like Rose.”
“No.”
His answer was immediate.
“I already knew you were.”
“How?”
William pulled out another document.
“Your grandmother and I exchanged letters for thirty-four years.”
Emily sat down.
Rose had written about everything.
Emily’s birth.
Her first day at school.
Her father’s death.
Emily taking over the bakery.
“She was proud of you,” William said.
Emily’s eyes filled.
“She said you had inherited the dangerous part of her heart.”
“What does that mean?”
“You help before asking whether you can afford to.”
Emily laughed through tears.
“That sounds like her.”
William nodded.
“It does.”
Then Daniel placed a folder on the table.
“Unfortunately, we have another problem.”
Whitmore was accelerating demolition approval.
They had discovered structural violations.
If the city condemned the property, Emily could be removed within days.
William looked at her.
“I can buy you another building.”
“No.”
“A better building.”
“No.”
“Emily—”
“This is Carter’s Bakery.”
She touched the counter.
“My grandmother kneaded bread here. My parents met here. My father taught me to make cinnamon rolls at that table.”
Her voice cracked.
“I don’t want another building.”
William studied her.
Then smiled.
“Good.”
“Good?”
“I was hoping you’d say that.”
He turned to Daniel.
May you like
“Let’s fight.”
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