But everyone had promised to return for the 9:00 AM grand opening of Bom’s Place.

“Your displays are gorgeous, Bom,” Nicole said. “What time are your employees coming in?”

Bom wiped her forehead with the back of her hand.

“Any moment now. I could have had them in overnight to help, but to be honest, I’m too much of a control freak. I want everything just so for the first day. After this I can leave the shop in capable hands when needed.”

Nicole laughed. Then she impulsively hugged Bom.

“You need some rest. You look exhausted.”

“No rest for the weary today,” she said with a grin. “I don’t close until this afternoon and I’m hoping to draw a large crowd. Jiyong might have gone a little over-board advertising the big event. Let’s just hope he didn’t oversee me and nobody likes my cooking.”

“Not going to happen,” Nicole said firmly.

The front bell jangled and Bom stuck her head through the kitchen door dividing the kitchen from the rest of the space. She waved her employee back and gave her instructions for stocking the displays with the remaining cupcakes and cookies.

She busied herself with cleaning the kitchen while Nicole greeted the second employee and put her to work. Bom thought about the delivery van, which was parked in front of the shop today. It provided great advertising with its cheerful color and the shop name displayed predominately on the side.

After her illegal drive through the city, she’d spent the next few weeks getting her driver’s license even though she hoped she never had to actually drive the thing herself.

Satisfied that her kitchen was in order, she went into the bathroom to repair her appearance. What she really needed was a shower, but she didn’t have time to go home.

“Bom, you in there?”

She cracked open the bathroom door to see Nicole and Ga In both standing there.

They started to crowd in, both carrying cosmetic bags.

“We’re here to do your hair and makeup,” Ga In announced.

Bom smiled, put the seat of the toilet down and sat so her friends could fuss over her. Peace replaced the overwhelming sense of panic. This was it. Her dream was coming true today. It hadn’t gone exactly as she planned, but she wouldn’t change a single thing.

Already she loved her son with a fierceness that surprised her. She hadn’t imagined being so connected to another life in quite this way. She talked to him every day. Sang to him at night. Read him stories while she lounged on the sofa after a long day of dealing with business stuff.

Her child had given her a purpose. She was even more determined to succeed. To be a mom her son would be proud of. She never wanted her kid to feel about her the way she felt about her own mother.

Where Mi Kyung was more concerned for her own happiness than that of her child, Bom was never going to go that route. Her son would be the single most important person in her life.

For the next half hour, Ga In and Nicole kept up a lively stream of chatter as they applied makeup and touched up her hair.

Bom’s heart was full of love for her friends.

They were working hard to keep her mind off the impending grand opening and to allay her nervousness.

Just as they finished the last brush of the mascara wand, the door burst open and Taeyeon and Yo Won tried to shove inside.

“Bom, you have to come see!” Taeyeon exclaimed.

She grabbed Bom’s hand and hauled her toward the front. As they stumbled into the eating area, Bom’s eyes rounded in shock.

People. Lots and lots of people!

All crowded outside the entrance to her shop. Waiting for her to open. And her employees, bless t