Page 37 of Restless Ink
“Is it about Dimitri?” her mother asked, and Thea froze.
“Uh…”
“My friend Kathleen saw you two at a bar a couple of nights ago and told me. I wasn’t going to say anything since I figured you’d mention it when and if you were ready.”
Thea ran a hand over her face. “No, the paperwork doesn’t have to do with Dimitri. And I’m not going to talk about him right now. Okay? And what could these papers possibly have to do with him anyway?”
Her mom blushed, shrugging. “I don’t know. It seemed like a good way to mention that I know, though, since I hated not telling you.”
“There’s nothing for me to tell.”
Her mom raised a brow.
“Fine, there’s nothing to talk about rightnowwhen it comes to him. Can I talk about what’s in this folder, or should I just go and bake some more?”
“Talk about the folder, though I do love your baking,” her dad put in.
Thea let out a breath. “As you know, the bakery is doing well.”
All three of them immediately knocked on the wooden tabletop, and Thea let out a laugh. Superstitions were part of her life, even with little things like knocking on wood and spilling salt.
“Anyway,” she paused, chuckling again. “The business is going well to the point where I’ve been saving up for what to do next. I mean, with Colorado Icing that is. I’ve been saving for other things too that don’t have to do with the bakery, but for now, I’m…well...” She shook her head. “Sorry, I had a whole speech planned out in my head, and now I can’t remember it.”
“We’re so proud of you and Colorado Icing,” her dad said quietly. “You started with a dream, and you’ve kicked butt. Plus, you let me taste everything, so I’m happy. Well, happy other than the fact I have to work out more to compensate, but it’s worth it.”
Thea just smiled. “I love you guys.”
“We love you, too,” her mom said. “Now spill, Thea. You’re killing us here.”
“The place next door is going up for sale soon, and the owner is willing to sell to me before she puts it on the market. It’s been empty for a little while now while she gets her next place ready, and I really feel like I can make this happen. As it is, there’s not enough seating during rush times, and the kitchen isn’t set up for a full lunch. Right now, I do a few sandwiches, but I want to do more. I want to make sure people come to us for our drinks and baked goods, but also for lunch and other needs. I’m making it work now and even offer a lot of that already, but I want it to be a little more streamlined, I want more room. And I know I can do it. I’d have to hire on a person to help me handle it all at least part-time, but that would be part of the loan and startup costs to merge the two parts of the main building. It would be a lot of work, but I’m ready. Roxie thinks I can get the loan, and if I have the right paperwork with the right references outside of family, I really think this could happen.”
Thea bit her lip as she stared at her parents, worried that they’d say something like this was too much or that she needed to take a step back and think of her personal life.
She shouldn’t have worried.
They were Montgomerys, after all.
Her father immediately stood up and went to hug her tight, her mom coming around the other side, doing the same.
“This is going to be amazing, and I’m so damn proud of you. I can’t wait to see what happens,” her father said.
“You’re going to kick ass,” her mother said, and Thea laughed. “What? I curse all the time.”
“I know, I just love when you do.”
“Are you going to get your Denver cousins to do the renovation? Or what about the Gallagher brothers up in Denver? I know they do restorations, but since one of the brothers married into the Montgomerys, they’d work, too.”
Thea rolled her eyes. “I was already planning on calling the cousins if things work out with the loan. I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself or them if it all falls apart. But I should mention that a qualification for being good at your job shouldn’t just be that you’re a Montgomery or related to one.”
Her dad scoffed. “Ha. How little you know.”
“Honey, she knows a whole lot if she’s going to take this on. I know it’s a lot of work, but I also know you’ve already thought it through. Your dad and I might be retired, but we’re also here if you need us. Don’t do everything on your own if you can’t. I’m not talking about money,” she added quickly when Thea opened her mouth to protest just that. “I’m talking time, labor, and anything else you need from us. We love you, Thea. You’re our baby girl even though you’re all grown up.”
Thea blinked away tears and hugged her parents hard. “I love you guys. I was so worried, and I know I shouldn’t have been.”
“Damn right,” her dad said with a wink before taking his seat again once Mom did.
“Now, tell us everything,” her mom said. “We want to hear it all, and you’d better eat a few of these carrot cupcakes with me because I think I just fell in love with this frosting.”