Jade remained still, staring blankly at the now empty bottom of her beverage. And then she hung her head, supporting her forehead with her palms. With a muffled voice she said, “She’s asking me to seriously consider her father’s offer for me to come work with him after graduation.”

“He’s probably heard about your investments and involvement in setting up those franchises in Providence, Jade. Unusual for a college student to do grown-up stuff like that. Construction’s started on those shops, right?” the brunette asked.

“Well, construction won’t be that complicated,” Jade answered, looking up. She spoke in a quick, business-like voice, “More like remodeling really: the sandwich shop will basically take over a space that used to be a bakery, and the pizza place will take a corner space that became available in a mixed use building closer to the river. We’re hoping to attract more pedestrian traffic in that locale, and build corporate accounts with all the offices downtown, which are all within a two-three block radius. Plus there are all these homes nearby, too. Meanwhile, I’m more concerned that the contractor we found does a good job of installing all of the ovens and equipment, including repositioning the vents …”

Bette smiled.

Jade paused, and smiled also, “What? Why did you smile like that?”

“That’s why Fabienne wants you to think about joining her dad. All this drive inside of you … she’s afraid that it’ll take you away from her,” Bette answered, smiling again, not without some pride.

Bette had been one of those that Jade had consulted with as she thought about what to do, and Tina had asked the brunette to join in the call she’d been having with her cousin when Jade briefly mentioned her dilemma. As Bette and Jade had gone over the various options Jade said she’d been considering, Bette said the idea of co-investing in the franchises sounded like the one “you have your heart most set to, Jade. It’s got you more excited than anything else, plus the business plan sounds very solid, and the market research, as you said, is top-notch.”

“I don’t want to just sell my interests in those franchises, the way her dad is suggesting to me, if I do decide to take his offer,” Jade said now, and then blew her breath out.