Heartbreak Cake (31 page)

“Of course I remember you, Eloise, no matter how big you get. And you have become such a pretty young lady!”

“Thank you. That’s what my grandma says.”

“Well, it’s true.”

“I read about your new shop in the paper. We have to read the paper for school. I’m in fifth grade now,” she tells me excitedly. “And my dad said it would be okay if I came by to say hi. I haven’t seen you in a long time, but I still think about you. Do you ever think about me and my dad?” So sweet and honest. When do we lose that ability to just say what we think?

“I do! I was just thinking about you today when I was making strawberry and cherry jam. I remember how you loved Strawberry Shortcake. Do you still like her?”

“She’s for babies, but I still like the doll and sometimes I sleep with her,” she says with a whisper.

“I’ll never tell.” I cross my heart with my index finger. “Is your dad here?” I finally ask.

“Yeah, he’s parking the car. I don’t think he wants to come in, though.” She looks up at me, confused. “He said he hurt your feelings a long time ago and that you two can’t really be friends. Is that true?”

“Grownups are silly sometimes. And we do things that occasionally make it hard to stay friends, just like you and your friends sometimes, right?”

I take Eloise’s hand and she tells me about her friend Lacey who stopped talking to her for a few days because they wore the same shirt to a birthday party. As she chats, I open the store door and peer outside searching for Josh’s car. I finally spot him leaning against his car, watching us from a safe distance.”

“Daddy, you can come over here. Indira isn’t mad!” Eloise screams and waves him over.

He smiles sheepishly and gestures at me, asking if it’s okay for him to come over. I give him a nod and he makes his way toward us.

For the last three years, I’ve thought of Josh. Wondered where he was and what he was doing, and if he had bounced back from everything. Although, I never had the urge to reach out. There was nothing more to say or do. Except to recover.

I knew that Valentina and Josh had separated, again. Not surprisingly, Valentina went back to Italy to be with Tomas, the father of her child. The two of them moved back to Los Angeles together so Valentina could have a relationship with Eloise, which I thought was smart parenting on her part. Tomas got a role on
Days of Our Lives
, and they live in West Hollywood with their new baby girl, Violet.

Through the years, I hadn’t heard anything about Josh, and I’m glad for that because as I stand facing him, I realize time has healed me. But he will probably always have an effect on me.

“Hello there.”

“I didn’t want to intrude, but we did know about your grand opening and wanted to come let you know that we are really happy for you. This is so exciting for you.”

There are a few more wrinkles around his big blue eyes and his hair is still a mass of waves that would make McDreamy envious. But his face looks relaxed and at peace. There’s no tension in those eyes of his, and he doesn’t hum with that restless energy that he always had when he worked at Crystal Cove.

“Thank you. It’s just a small shop, but it’s a start. I’m keeping things simple, you know?”

“I do. That’s my motto these days. I manage a small restaurant in the valley and went back to painting. I have a show coming up next month at a gallery in Hollywood. It’s a big one.”

“Daddy gets paint on his face sometimes,” Eloise chirps from below.

“Sometimes I do, it’s true.” He taps her nose and she giggles.

“How thrilling. I always wondered if you’d pick it up again.”

“Turns out, Eloise doesn’t need a big house in the canyons to be happy. We do alright with what we have, and we’re both happier these days.

“That’s great, Josh. You really seem like you’re in a better place.”

“So do you…” he trails off and looks at Eloise who’s playing hop scotch by herself in front of the shop. “I’m so sorry for all of it. I hope you know that.”

“It’s okay now. I made it to the other side.” I smile sincerely.

“So did I. I never really knew what that meant, until now. But yes, I’m happily on the other side.”

There’s an awkward pause between us, and Eloise comes rushing back.

“Don’t forget to buy me croissants, Daddy. I told everyone at school I would bring some in. No one believed that I knew you.” She looks outraged that anyone would question her.

“We will take a box of whatever you have left. I know you’re closing up.”

I put a package together for them, enjoying the chatter of the young girl and her dad talking about what they’re going to make for dinner, which includes a minor debate on how healthy corn dogs are and finally an agreement on homemade veggie pizza.

“Thanks, Indira. Everyone at school will love me tomorrow!”

Josh pulls out his wallet and I roll my eyes at him. “Are you kidding? No charge. It’s for Eloise. She has a permanent discount with me.”

“We appreciate that. Thanks for seeing us. Take care of yourself.”

He takes his daughter’s hand, and they cross the street to his car. He helps her in the back seat and makes sure she’s fastened in her seat belt, and I watch them drive away.

Sometimes you never stop loving someone. It doesn’t mean it works, it just means they’ll always have a piece of your heart. I see the last of the red from his taillights disappear as he turns the corner, and it hits me. Maybe it’s time for me to get my second chance.

Chapter 24

“You have arrived at your destination, 1257 W. Highway 12.” The GPS lady announces ceremoniously as I pull into the dusty parking lot of The Peach Keeper at lunch time on a busy Saturday afternoon.

Tucking my car keys into the back pocket of my jeans, I shield my eyes from the Central Valley’s big, bright sun, but the air is cool, crisp and almost sweater weather. I can smell the fall in the air. It’s just one pumpkin spice latte away from its arrival.

A group of tourists who just got out of their luxurious weekend wine bus, mills around the front of the restaurant talking about the buckwheat peach flapjacks they had read about in
Food & Wine Magazine
. I smile, as the gourmands gush about Noah Cavatelli.

“Can I help you?” A young girl with a Peach Keeper apron stands in front of the door holding a clipboard.

“Sure, what’s the wait?”

“It’s 45 minutes for a table right now, but I may be able to get you a seat at the counter if you’re just one, did you want to wait?”

“Absolutely, I’ll take whichever is available first.”

I’m impressed with how busy and professional the roadside diner is. The years have continued to be good to Noah and his family business. After returning from Crystal Cove, I read The Peach Keeper continued to thrive as he turned toward the community to partner and create farm-to- table wine dinners with guest chefs from all over the world and local vintners.

With Noah’s rolodex he has attracted high caliber names from the food industry that put him and The Peach Keeper on the culinary map. Even Simon got an email from him a few months ago that invited him to participate. He turned it down, though. I think he did it out of loyalty for me. Although, he seemed to think this was Noah’s way of extending the olive branch toward me. But I never called Noah. I wasn’t ready to talk to him. I was embarrassed of where I had been when I met him. And I also knew that he was right at the time. I wasn’t done. I was still Josh’s.

But I’m not anymore. Finally.

I feel a gentle tap on my shoulder and turn around to find a beaming Mrs. Cavatelli, who looks beautiful in a Peach Keeper t-shirt and a pair of chinos. She leans in and gives me a long hug.

“Indira, I cannot believe it’s you! I thought I was dreaming when I saw you talking to our hostess. I came out to make sure my eyes weren’t deceiving me.”

“I’ve come to eat, of course! The Peach Keeper was on my bucket list of places to try, so here I am!”

“You are not waiting for a table, are you?”

I shake my head yes as she motions to the hostess to take me off the list.

“Come now, I am bringing you inside and you can eat with us. No need to eat alone. We have so much to catch up on. I heard about your new shop, and it sounds like a perfect fit for you.”

She grabs my hand to whisk me away, but before I lose my nerve, I stop her.

“Actually, Mrs. Cavatelli, is Noah here? Honestly, I came here to talk to him and I don’t want to chicken out. And I don’t want him to see me with you first. Is he cooking? Or is there a better time I can come when he may be available for a quick visit?”

It all rushes out, but I know that I just need to see him first. I have a dozen questions for him, and then one really important one that I’ve been practicing asking since I got in the car 500 miles ago.

“Of course, Indira. That makes sense.” She squeezes my hand with understanding. “Noah is in the orchards, the only other place you could find him when he’s not in the kitchen. He’s picking the last of the peaches of the season. Just head toward the farm and keep walking, you’ll see him on a ladder. Just don’t startle him,” she says with a laugh.

“I won’t, and thank you. I’ll be back for lunch and we can catch up.”

“My pleasure, come find me when you’re done.” She heads back into the restaurant, and I start walking toward the farm slowly, nervous about his reaction upon seeing me here in his home and his world.

I hear Mrs. Cavatelli call my name loudly and I turn around.

“Oh, and Indira, Noah is the most stubborn man out there. Next to his grandfather, of course. But he can be persuaded by the right person, so do keep that in mind.” She gives me a wink. “I don’t think he’s ever forgotten your lemon lavender muffins. He always found a way to bring them up. Strange, don’t you think?”

With a happy wave, Mrs. Cavatelli disappears into the restaurant, and I head in the direction of the canopy of trees where I will find Noah.

I feel hopeful he may give me the same warm welcome his mom just did, although we haven’t spoken in three years. My memory of him may not be the same memory he has of me. It’s been an odd few weeks since opening the shop. I’ve been keeping busy as we continue to get the word out, and my past and my present are mingling as the food world is looking for me again now that word has spread that I’m back.

And while I am forgiving and welcome their queries about my shop, Butter, I have not forgotten their treatment of everyone.

And that goes the same for Josh.

Seeing him again brought back a flood of memories. I knew he had hoped that we would find a way to one another. He always did say that to me. Now here he is, finally divorced and ready for me. But too much has happened, and my heart is no longer available to him.We had reached our
The End
, and I was grateful for it.

But Noah. My feelings for him surprised me. A day hasn’t passed these last three years that I didn’t think of him and what could have been. I brushed it away for a while, knowing that it was a case of horrible timing. But now with the shop open, my friendships blossoming, and my heart finally healed, I find myself thinking about him. Our chemistry was instant, our connection unique, and my certainty toward him was one-of-a-kind. I hadn’t felt that for anyone since Josh. But with Noah, those feelings were reciprocated.

Could it have been something? I certainly think so.

So here I am. After a seven-hour car ride, three cups of coffee, and a promise to my parents that I would be back by Sunday, I have arrived at The Peach Keeper to see Noah.

With the crunch of leaves under my feet, I hear music being played amidst the trees and follow it until I find Noah standing on a ladder, singing along to The Beatles and pulling peaches from the tree.

“I always took you for a Rolling Stones man,” I call up to him, and he looks down at me as if he had just seen me the day before for dinner.