“That sounds amazing.”
Molly made French toast, as she’d done for family breakfasts countless times before. Judd texted the all clear to let them back in the pharmacy. While his mother manned the griddle, Liam made calls to organize a work force to deal with the cleaning and last of the renovations. And Riley sat at the table, drinking her coffee, feeling more positive than she had in months. She didn’t know how they were going to fix things, but she was so grateful not to be in it alone.
Molly heaped French toast onto Riley’s plate. “I have something I’ve been wanting to talk to you about for a while now that will, I think, alleviate a lot of the strain you’ve been under.”
Riley braced herself. If Molly was about to suggest buying the business entirely back, it wasn’t like she was in a position to argue. Clearly she hadn’t been ready for the full responsibility of owning the pharmacy.
“I want to buy back part of the business. Come back as a full partner.”
Partners? Not something she’d considered. But surely if Molly was interested in doing something like that, it would’ve come up before Riley bought her out last year.
“I hate for you to have to break your retirement because of me.”
“Don’t you dare look at this as some reflection of you or some sign of failure. The fact is, I didn’t really want to fully retire.”
That was news to Riley. “Why didn’t you say something?”
“Because you buying me out was what we’d agreed to when you came to work for me after college. You’d been working toward it for years, and when we came up with that plan, the idea was that I’d retire, and John and I would go take some of those trips we always talked about. When he died, you picked up all the slack, while I grieved. You’d made it yours, and you wanted so much to spread your wings, so it didn’t seem fair to go back on my word. And I thought I’d go ahead and make the most of it. To a certain extent I have. I’ve loved the work I’ve done with Norah and the coalition, helping breathe life back into this town. But truthfully, I am so bored with retirement, I can’t even tell you. You’d be doing me a favor for my sanity by letting me come back.”
“Letting you? Please, Molly, it’s still your business. And God, I would love to have you come back as a full partner. I’m beyond grateful that you’re willing.”
“Good. I’ll talk to Vivian, get the paperwork drawn up.”
“We should probably go over the books.” A necessary but painful evil.
“That can wait a bit. Insurance and distributors first.”
The sound of a car door slamming pulled their attention to the door.
“Looks like we’ve got more company.” Liam waved in Norah when she appeared at the kitchen door.
As Norah stepped inside, dressed with her usual big city flair, Riley looked down at the clothes she’d robbed from Liam’s closet. She hadn’t expected to be seeing anyone but family until she had a chance to go by her own place to change.
“Sorry it’s so early.” Norah held up a covered dish. “Spicy cheese grits. I’d hoped to get here in time for your breakfast. Consider me the first wave of food. The Casserole Patrol is already active and cooking. I saw Miss Maudie Bell at church early, so I expect you’ll have a flood after the late service.”
“Nobody died or had a baby. Why has the Casserole Patrol been activated?” Riley wanted to know.
Norah set the dish on the counter and came to squeeze Riley’s shoulder. “Because cooking is what we can do to show we care about you. You shouldn’t have to cook a thing for at least two weeks.”
Riley’s throat went tight. “Thanks.”
“Pour yourself a cup of coffee and join us,” Molly invited.
At home, Norah hit up the coffee pot. “I’m actually here for another reason. Y’all are going for exclusivity contracts for Peyton Consolidated. Gerald is going to be here at the end of the week to check the progress on his latest baby, so you’ve got the perfect shot to hit him up. I’ve already penciled you into the schedule for Friday.”
“Friday?” Riley’s heart bucked. “But with all the…I couldn’t possibly…I don’t—”
Molly laid a hand over hers, stemming the babble. “Together, remember.”
“You can and you will. Because you have me to help you tailor everything to hit all of Gerald’s soft spots. I landed contracts with Peyton Consolidated for the entire town. This will be cake.”
Together.
Riley took a breath. “Okay, when do we start?”
Chapter 19
Norah clapped her hands together. “What a fabulous idea!” She whipped out one of her ever-present notebooks and began scribbling things down, with a backdrop of hammering, the whine of saws, the thunk of nail guns. “I will make this happen. How quickly do you think the space will be ready?”