The Bitter Truth by Shanora Williams

Author:Shanora Williams [Williams, Shanora]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-03-15T00:00:00+00:00

THIRTY-TWO

JOLENE

One thing I love about Wednesdays at Regal Tea Boutique is that business booms. This means all my employees are busy, and none of them see me as I enter through the back door of the building, climb the short flight of steps to the loft, and head straight to my office.

I drop my purse on the desktop and sit in the cushioned brown leather chair with an exaggerated sigh. Even a floor up, I smell the freshly baked scones, brewing variations of tea, and lovely petit desserts for our teatime sessions.

Right now, we’re hosting afternoon tea and it’s a full house. The parking lot was packed and I’m thankful that my business runs so smoothly, even on days when I’m not around. If only I could rejoice in the success, take pride in all that I’ve accomplished when many thought it wouldn’t take off. My mind is all over the place. About Dominic, of course. I don’t want to be anywhere near him, and my visit from Daphne and Ricardo last night caused me a lack of sleep as my decision weighed heavily on my mind. A cup of tea or two will do me good right now, so I send a text to Sally, the store manager, and request an order.

I log into my computer and check emails, as well as the schedule to make sure people have been clocking in on time. I check the books, and all seems to be smooth, so I make my way down to the kitchen to grab my tea.

“It’s nice to see you in, Mrs. Baker,” Sally says in front of a tray. The tray is topped with a matching porcelain tea set hand painted with Japanese cherry blossoms. Along with the set is a glass cup filled with honey, another filled with cubes of sugar, and a mini three-tier tray. I love the three-tier tray the most—gold plates with three levels of foods to choose from. The bottom consists of crustless sandwiches, the middle of scones with cream and raspberry jam, and the top hosts mini desserts like cakes, cheesecakes, and pies. We like to make the trays as regal as possible and stick to traditional English standards, hence the name of my shop.

“A little work will do me good. How is Veronica?” I ask, and Sally beams as she picks up the tray, heading for the swinging doors. Veronica is her three-month-old baby.

“Oh, she’s perfect, Jolene. I’ll show you pictures when it slows down!”

“Please do!”

Sally leaves the kitchen and another woman pops in. Her curly hair is pulled into a cute mop atop her head, her skin the color of coffee with too much cream. Sleeves of tattoos cover both her arms. She has small freckles on her nose. “Jessica, right?” I ask as she collects another tray set up with tea and food.

“That’s me.” She smiles, giving me a look. I’m not sure what that look means, but I disregard it when she says, “Busy today!”

“That’s a great thing! You’re doing an amazing job.

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