Page 80 of The One You Want

Chapter 19

Iwas distracted for most of the meeting. I tried to pay attention as the other Libbies happily shared their Pride Project progress. Sherry had booked that Mediterranean cruise for her and her sister, telling her husband he could do whatever he wanted for his vacation but she was going to see some of the world. Cora was entering her mead in a national competition. Lilah Taylor was working on a business plan to convince her aunt Sadie that opening the bakery for lunch could beprofitable.

Everyone seemed excited and encouraged and the alcohol was flowing freely. But for the life of me, I couldn’t keep my mind off the conversation I’d had withGrant.

A loud burst of applause and whistles broke out suddenly and I jumped in my seat. Several people were patting Margaret on the back but I had no ideawhy.

“What’d I miss?” I whispered to Riley. She gave me a weirdlook.

“Margaret just announced that she has an appointment at a fertility clinic. She’s tired of putting all of her effort into finding a partner. She thinks she wants to try to have a baby on herown.”

“Oh, wow.” I looked over at the girl who had started all of this. Her cheeks were flushed and she looked both excited and scared. “That’s a pretty bigdeal.”

“Um, yeah. Obviously.” Riley narrowed her eyes on me. “What’s with you? You’ve been distracted allnight.”

I shook my head, trying to clear it. “Nothing. Ijust—”

“Jenny,” Margaret called, and the room quieted a little. “How about you? Any updates on the jobhunt?”

And maybe what Grant had said about showing myself had actually sunk in, because I heard myself blurting out, “yeah. I think I know what I want todo.”

“What?” Riley gasped next to me. “Don’t tell me you actually had an epiphany at the chickenfarm.”

I snorted. In a way, I guess Jerry had helped me. It had been eye opening, seeing someone so single-minded about their craft. I had noticed a lot of unused fields on his property. He probably could have made a lot more money if he was using that land on more crops, but crops weren’t the thing that made him mosthappy.

I was finally starting to realize that I knew what it was that made me mosthappy.

I took a deep breath. “I want to make a career out of my jewelrybusiness.”

There was a beat of silence and in that moment, I could practically feel the doubt radiating off of them. I knew just what they all must be thinking—what a clueless girl. Crafts like that were fine for a hobby, but not something you could actually do for aliving.

But Grant did, I reminded myself. Grant took a love for flowers and growing things and turned it into a business. Why couldn’t I do thesame?

“I’m actually really good,” I said, my voice way more confident than any of them were used to hearing. “I’m the highest selling fine metals crafter at the ArtisanMarket—”

“Wait, you sell your stuff there?” Tessa asked, eyes wide. “My uncle is in woodworking, and he’s been trying to get into that market forages. He says the vetting process is reallystrict.”

“It is,” Lilah agreed. “We tried to get a permit to sell baked goods there last summer and the organizer told us they accept less than twenty percent of theapplicants.”

I straightened my shoulders, feeling a warm hum of pride in my chest. “I wasinvitedto participate,” I told them, not even caring if I sounded smug. It was a big deal, damn it, and it was high time I started acting likeit.

“Wow, Jenny,” Margaret murmured. “I had noidea.”

“Didn’t you use to sell stuff at Libby’s store?” Sherry asked, and that took the smugness right out ofme.

“Um, that was a while ago. I was just starting out. I’m much betternow.”

But Sherry was shaking her head. “No, I’m pretty sure I have some of your earrings. I wear them all thetime.”

“Oh.” I felt my face flush. “That’snice.”

“Well now I want to see your stuff,” Jill Franklin calledout.

“Yeah, show us,Jenny.”

“Um, I don’t have anythinghere…”

“Then we’ll go to your house,” Jill said, standing—and swaying. Oh God, she was drunk already. They probably allwere.