Page 51 of Defensive Indifference

“Ender is Layne’s husband, Sarah Beth’s brother. And Spencer is the one trying to grill while Andrew and Ender tell him how he’s doing it wrong.”

I can’t help but chuckle at the friends bickering.

“Hi, Evalina. It’s nice to finally meet you.” Who I assume is Katie offers her hand for a gentle handshake. “Koa has told us so much about you.”

I raise my eyebrow.

“All good things,” she laughs.

“Good to know.” I work to swallow the stone in my throat and force a weak smile.

“Why don’t we get out of this heat and get the specifics out of the way so we can enjoy this day?” Layne stands and brushes off her shorts. I’m glad to get this part done first, so I’m not sitting around all day worrying about what they think of me, how many ways I can screw this up, or what an insane idea it is.

Koa escorts us through his house to what seems to be an office, only it’s bigger than any home office I’ve ever seen and fits more in line with home conference room, complete with a fireplace.

“If you ladies need anything, you know where to find me.” Koa shuts the door behind us, leaving three women staring at each other.

Glances are shared. Nervous throat clearing commences. Sarah Beth shuffles her weight until Layne finally says, “We act like this is an interrogation.” Her laughter relaxes everyone.

“I’ve never done an official partnership meeting before,” Sarah Beth admits.

“I mean, neither have I, really.” Layne shrugs. “Why don’t we sit and discuss what we have in mind, throw some ideas around, and see if we can land on something?”

“I can do that.” I swallow the lump in my throat and sit at the long table in the middle of the room. The ladies follow, sitting across from me. “I brought the records from Sparkly’s so you can see that I do know how to run a profitable business.” I slide the portfolio across to Layne, who scans the documents for the bottom line. It’s a slim margin, really, but most restaurants don’t become sensational money-makers.

“This all looks pretty standard for your type of business. How do you feel about doing it from a food truck?” She raises her eyes to meet mine, still holding open my folder.

“I haven’t done one, but I would be open to the idea. The only thing I worry about is learning to cook. I’m a baker through and through.” I hold my breath, pretty convinced this is the deal breaker.

Layne chews her lower lip while staring at the table, thinking. It’s clear she’s the leader of the operation. I tell myself I have a backup plan. I’ll go find a basic job, who cares where if it feeds Dustin, and not getting this deal with them would not be the end of the world. Only, it would sure feel that way. I can’t imagine not running a bakery and getting stuck in the boring grind of working for someone else.

“Would you be willing to try a few more bakery items besides only donuts?” Layne asks.

“I’d be willing to try an expanded menu if you think it’s marketable from a food truck. I think I could learn the basics, from what Koa mentioned.”

“What about travel? We like to attend festivals and local events from Virgina down the coast to Florida.”

Immediately, I think of Dustin. How could I leave him? There are very few sitters I would trust to watch him overnight, and most of them couldn’t do it. I couldn’t bring him along with school, and even if I did, how bored would he get?

“I’m not sure. I have a son. I don’t know how I could travel that much and make arrangements for him.” The nail in my coffin, I’m sure. The ladies glance at one another and Sarah Beth chuckles.

“We employ a sitter that travels with us. I have a daughter myself, and I can’t imagine traveling without her. We can arrange the same for you.” Sarah Beth opens a packet and hands me a sheet of paper with several photos. “We have pull-behind campers we use if we need to do overnight trips. It’s actually really fun, like camping. Now, I do homeschool, so it does make that aspect easier.”

“Still, I’m sure we could work something out if you aren’t able to homeschool. I hear Dustin is in a very good private school,” Layne adds.

I stare at the pictures, noting that Sarah Beth’s daughter seems extraordinarily happy in every one. There’s a picture of them making s’mores around a campfire with Layne’s husband, them with groups of other kids whose parents work the fairs, and so many more. This is more than a food truck business they’re offering me. It’s friendship. It’s family.

“I…I have to…” I swipe my eyes so tears don’t fall. “I have to be honest. I’m not sure why you’re offering this to me.”

Sarah Beth and Layne share a glance. Their expressions soften and Sarah Beth offers a warm smile. “We’ve both had our fair share of knock downs. My husband passed away, and when Layne came into our lives, it brought new meaning to family. We always said if we could help another woman who needed a boost, we would.”

“And it isn’t like your business is shabby. We’ve been looking to expand, and honestly, if all you do is create a profitable bakery on wheels, we’ll be satisfied.”

“But I…I’m afraid I don’t…”

Sarah Beth reaches across the table and grasps my hand. “I understand. It’s hard to be a single parent even with an amazing family behind you. Koa is a family friend through Andrew, and if there is one thing the Ender family does, it’s take care of family.”

I shake my head, hardly able to wrap my mind around such kindness. It’s not been offered to me in a long time, if ever, truly, but since Koa burst into my life, it seems to pop up daily. Fear that it can be yanked away makes me hesitate more and more.