Penny sat still for a moment, her fingers trembling slightly as she held the phone. The connection she had just made with the name Greely had left her reeling, and now she was about to confront Bob Sanford about something that could change everything. She felt a surge of unease—but also determination. She had to know the truth.

With a deep breath, she dialed Bob's number. The phone rang a few times before his familiar voice answered.

"Penny, what can I do for you?" Bob asked, his tone casual and warm, but there was a note of politeness that didn't quite reach his usual affability.

"Bob," Penny said, her voice firm despite the fluttering nervousness in her chest. "I need to ask you something. It's about Greely, LLC."

There was a brief pause on the other end. Penny could hear Bob shifting in his chair, perhaps confused by the directness of her question. "Greely, LLC? What about it?"

Penny's jaw tightened as she steadied herself. "I've been doing some research, and I found something troubling. Greely, LLC is connected to your firm, isn't it? I know it's part of the firm's portfolio."

Bob chuckled softly, but there was a strained quality to the laugh. "Penny, you know how these things go. Greely, LLC is just one of many clients. We handle their accounts, but we don't manage their business. It's not something you need to worry about."

Penny could feel her pulse quicken as she pressed on. "Bob, Greel* isn't just a client, is it? I've seen their name come up in connection to these acquisitions in small towns—Avon, included. And it doesn't look good. This isn't just about handling accounts anymore. This is about real estate dealings, and it looks like the firm is involved."

There was a silence, and for a moment, Penny thought Bob might end the call. But then he sighed, a long exhale that felt like he was resigning himself to something he couldn't avoid.

"You're right," he said, his voice low. "Greely, LLC is part of the firm's portfolio. They've been a client for years, and yes, they're involved in real estate. But it's not something you should be concerned about, Penny. You know the rules about confidentiality. You're bound by your NDA. This is standard business."

Penny's stomach dropped. She felt the weight of the NDA she had signed when she first joined the firm, the non-disclosure agreement that kept her from discussing any of the firm's dealings, business strategies, or cases outside the office. But the more Bob spoke, the more the gravity of the situation sank in.

"I'm on the verge of making partner, Bob," she said, her voice quieter now, filled with a mix of frustration and realization. "If the firm is involved in something like this, I need to know. It's affecting a town I care about."

Bob's tone shifted slightly, becoming more soothing, almost patronizing. "I understand your concerns, Penny. But you also know how close you are to making partner. You've done great work, and we need someone with your skills on board to keep things running smoothly. This... this small-town stuff? It's a sideshow. Don't let it distract you from the bigger picture."

Penny felt her head spinning, caught between the loyalty she had to her firm and the loyalty she felt to Avon, to the people she had once known. Her stomach twisted. The weight of the NDA, the pressure of her career, the fight to save Avon—it all seemed to blur together in a haze.

"I—" Penny started, but the words caught in her throat. She was too stunned to think straight. Bob's words were both a reassurance and a dismissal, urging her to focus on her future at the firm while trying to shut down any deeper inquiry into what Greely, LLC was truly doing.

Finally, Penny murmured, "I understand. I'll... I'll drop it."

"That's my girl," Bob said, a satisfied tone creeping into his voice. "I knew you were a smart woman. Enjoy your holidays, Penny. We'll talk soon."

The call ended with the click of the line going dead. Penny sat there for a moment, the phone still pressed to her ear, the silence surrounding her like a heavy fog.

Her hands shook as she set the phone down on the desk. She hadn't expected the conversation to go like that—to have her concerns brushed off so easily. It felt wrong, the way Bob had treated her questions, the way he had dismissed everything that didn't fit with his version of the firm's polished, successful image.

Penny stared at the desk for a long time, her mind racing. She had been so focused on getting ahead, on becoming a partner, on securing her future in the firm, but now everything felt tainted. The name Greely—the firm she had worked for, the town she had left behind—was all tangled up in something she wasn't sure she fully understood.

She felt a pang of guilt, a quiet voice in her head reminding her that she'd put the future of Avon on the backburner, let her career cloud her judgment. But now she was involved in something bigger than she had ever expected.

And she wasn't sure she could just walk away.

Penny couldn't sit there any longer. Her mind was a storm of questions, guilt, and confusion, and it felt like the walls were closing in around her. She needed to get out, to clear her head. She needed to breathe, to stop spiraling. The cool night air of Avon might help, even if she didn't have a destination in mind. It didn't matter if Main Street was empty. She didn't care. She just needed to move.

She stood quickly, pushing the chair back and grabbing her coat off the bed, pulling it on in one fluid motion. The weight of the day—of the conversation with Bob, of the uneasy discovery about Greely, LLC—hung heavily on her shoulders, but she couldn't stay in that room. She couldn't keep thinking about all the things that were out of her control.

Penny headed toward the door, the soft creak of the old wood echoing in the stillness of the B&B. As she made her way downstairs, her boots clicking softly on the wooden steps, the cold from the hallway made her shiver, though she barely noticed it. She didn't know where she was going. She didn't have a plan, and for once, she didn't want one.

When she reached the bottom of the stairs, her eyes were drawn to a figure standing by the door. Mr. Northway, the elderly man who ran The Maple Bed and Breakfast, smiled warmly at her, completely unaware of the storm raging in her chest.

"Good evening, Miss O'Day," he said, his gravelly voice cheerful. "I see you're off for a late-night walk, eh? Your order just arrived a little while ago."

Penny blinked, confused for a moment. "My order?"

He nodded, holding up a pair of warm, waterproof boots with solid traction and a thick winter coat. They were exactly what she'd need for the snow and ice outside, but she hadn't ordered them. She was certain of that.

"These just came in," he said, grinning. "I didn't know if you'd be needing them tonight, but they should be good for your walk."

Penny stared at the boots, then at the coat, a heavy silence settling over her. It was only then that the realization hit her. There was only one person who would have placed the order for her. It wasn't a coincidence.

Her heart skipped a beat as the pieces clicked into place. Of course. Chris.

It was clear then, the destination she had been unconsciously heading toward all this time: The Loaf and Ladle. She had known, deep down, where she was going all along. There was no escaping it.

She looked up at Mr. Northway, her mouth dry as she managed a small smile. "Thank you," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

He handed her the boots and coat, his smile wide and completely oblivious to the storm of emotions inside her. "No problem at all, Miss O'Day. It's a cold one tonight. Stay safe out there."

She nodded, barely hearing his words. Her hands shook slightly as she pulled the coat on, the weight of it almost grounding her in the moment. Penny didn't know what was going to happen when she walked out that door. She didn't know what she was going to say to Chris, or even if he would be there, or what he would think of her showing up.

But it didn't matter. She had to go. She had to see him, had to understand where she stood—where they stood.

As she pulled the boots on, the warmth of the coat enveloping her, she took one last breath and opened the door, stepping out into the cold night. The snow had begun to fall in soft flurries, the quiet only broken by the crunch of her boots on the snow-covered ground. The town was still, the streets empty, as expected, but it felt different now. More familiar, somehow.

Penny's steps were steady as she walked toward Main Street, the flickering streetlights guiding her way. And with each step, the doubt that had been gnawing at her since she arrived in Avon began to fade. She had always known where she was headed, even if she had tried to deny it for so long.

It was time to face Chris, to confront the past and the future, and maybe—just maybe—find a way to make things right again.