Empty Net

“Great. Ryan is getting huge, acts more like Shea each day, and Amelia is perfect. Beautiful, just like her mother,” he said, opening the door for her.

“Aw, that’s great. How is Grace? I haven’t seen her since the Christmas thing at the arena. She was working then and I didn’t get to talk to her much.”

“She is good,” he informed her as he hit the lights. “She is busy, like always, but good.”

“Please tell her I said hi,” Audrey said.

“Will do. I have to say, Audrey, you are just glowing. Are you excited?”

She giggled. “I am!”

“Awesome, let’s check out this space. I really think it is what you need for Audrey Jane’s.”

And on he went, into his realtor spiel. The windows were wide, he pointed out, and would be great for displaying her cupcakes. The floor plan was spacious, so she could have a dine-in area, and also a play area for kids. The ceilings were high, with beautiful chandeliers hanging from them. Although they weren’t in the best of shape, they were unique and fixable. The lease, he went on to explain, would only be for six months, or a year if she wanted. it.

She could do this, Audrey thought. She’d paint everything pink and she’d be in love.

“I’m going to call my boyfriend,” she said as she stood in the middle of the room.

“Well, I need to run out to another appointment, so just lock up on the way out and I’ll come by and put the box back on when I pass by. Text me what you think, and if you decide something today, just call me and we’ll get started.”

“All right,” she said with a grin, hugging him. “Thanks so much, James.”

“No problem, talk to you soon.”

Audrey watched him leave, then dialed Tate’s number.

“Hey baby,” he answered.

“Hey.”

“How you feeling?”

“Like poo on a stick.”

He laughed. “That is intense.”

“Who you telling?” she said, and laughed along with him. “Anyway, I think I am standing in the middle of Audrey Jane’s.”

“Really? Are you at the place on West End?”

“I am, and I love it, Tate, a lot.”

“Well, get it, baby,” he said eagerly. “Don’t wait, someone could come in behind you and get it.”

Audrey paused, biting her lip. “I kinda wanted you to see it.”

“Can you put a hold on it until Saturday?”

“I don’t know,” she said. “I took a whole bunch of pictures. I’ll send them to you.”

“Sounds good, I’ll be waiting.”

Twenty minutes later Tate called her back and said, “Get it, it is beautiful.”

“I know. So you agree? I would call Fallon, but she is up there with y’all.”

“Yeah, I say do it. I will show her the pictures too. She will be back Wednesday, she can come see it then, but baby, it is what you want.”

“It is,” she agreed, nodding. “I’m gonna do it.”

“Awesome, I’m so proud of you,” he said as she grinned widely.

“Thanks,” she gushed, spinning around, but then stopped, realizing that was a horrible idea. “Ugh, Tate, I’ll call you back,” she groaned, before running back to the bathroom and promptly puking again. When she started to dry heave, she kind of wished she would have eaten something because it might have helped. Holding her stomach, she stood up, washing her mouth out before going back out into the space.

Her space.

Audrey Jane’s.

Even with her nausea, she did a little hop and there was pep in her step as she sashayed out of the building. After locking up, she turned and ran right into a familiar face.

“Audrey!” Elli gushed, hugging her.

Audrey smiled. Elli wore a thick black jacket, so she couldn’t see her baby belly. But it was easy to tell that Elli was pregnant. Her face was rounding out and she was glowing. “Hey! What are you doing here?”

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