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13
Sweethearts, Coffee, Cakes, and More
Amber
“We decided to go ahead with selling the house back home, but we have to stage it first, and then, get it evaluated for worth before we can actually put it up on the market. So, we are going to have to start our little venture from home.” Celine sipped from the cappuccino she just made in her mom’s kitchen and then went for a bite from the chocolate chip cookies I just took out of the oven.
I sighed and let my head fall into my hands. We hadn’t told the men our grand plan yet – other than we needed to move here. Ryan had conceded about moving out here, so we had an appointment to meet up with a realtor later this afternoon to find a place close to this one. I knew there were a few houses available in the neighborhood, and we wanted to stay close to everyone.
“Do you think we can start from home? I mean, it’s not like we can have customers coming all the way out here. The neighbors wouldn’t like that.”
Celine shook her head. “We’ll take the goods to them, have a stand at local events, offer delivery service, have a website, and be on all social media platforms.”
“We need to come up with a name, and then check that it isn’t already taken. We also need to see who our competition is in the area.”
We started throwing names back and forth, but nothing was right – nothing suited us. We looked online at local businesses that were similar, and there was one on just about every corner, being that this town was a tourist hot spot. We honestly didn’t think we would have so much competition.
“What are we going to have on the menu?” Celine asked after dropping her iPad to the table. She stares at her now cold coffee dejectedly. “Do you think we are in way over our heads here? I mean, Ames. What do we really know about opening a café? Other than how to make a mean cappuccino and freaking mouthwatering cookies, what the hell will we offer?”
I laughed because she really did make a freaking good cappuccino, and I was known for my cookies at all the bake sales at school. The kids used to beg me to make cookies because they were always best-sellers, and the kids who sold out of all their goods won a prize.
My kids always won because I made the best homemade cookies all because of my secret ingredient which really wasn’t such a huge surprise. I had a knack for adding double chocolate chips to that particular recipe.
The glass door from the pool slid open, and the kids ran in first, wet feet slapping against the clean floor. “I smell cookies!” one of them shouted as they ran into the kitchen, still dripping from the pool.
“You’re all wet!” I pointed at the mess they made on the ground, and they shrugged, all shooting me the same smile – the one their father always gave me when he knew he had messed up. “Get out now, or nobody will get a hot, chocolate chip, melting cookie.” The smiles dropped just as fast, and they turned and ran out of the kitchen, back through the sliding door to watch me.
“I’m sorry, Momma.” The oldest twins smiled bashfully. “Can we please have cookies?” The younger ones nodded in agreement, all looking at me with big, pleading eyes.
I sighed and brought over the hot tray of cookies to them. They each grabbed one greedily, sighing in pure delight with the first bite. Celine’s kids came over next, eyeing their cousins and then the cookies.
“Can we please have a cookie, Auntie Ames?” Summer asked, looking at the tray hopefully.
“Of course, sweetheart. I made them special for all of you.”
“That’s it, Amber! We’ll call it Sweethearts, Coffee, Cakes, and More! We’ll specialize in all types of coffee, and then, you can make all those delicious cakes, cookies, muffins, and whatever the hell else you want.” Celine came to stand beside me at the sliding door, looking at me with so much excitement and hope that it radiated from her.
“I love it!” She stole another cookie from the tray and smiled.
“These are going to be our bestseller if I don’t eat them all first!” She laughed, munching on the cookie in three quick bites.
“What are you and Auntie Cece planning, Momma?” Maddi asked me, looking between her aunt and me suspiciously.
Ryan and Ace walked up behind the kids, water dripping from their hair down to their toned chests. My gaze zeroed in on a droplet of water falling down Ryan’s hard chest, gliding over the fading muscles. He hadn’t been to the gym in months, and it was starting to show on his once-perfect body.
His lack of muscles didn’t deter my desire for him in the slightest. He was still drop-dead gorgeous – absolutely pure man. I just wanted to kiss him, to run my hands up and down his chest, to get lost in his blue eyes.
I was still watching that drop of water roll down his stomach when a voice caught my attention.
“Earth to Amber.” Celine shook me, and I turned to look at her, my cheeks instantly warming. She gave me a knowing look, her eyes lit up in mischief. “You can look at him later,” she whispered softly, winking at me.
“What’s going on, ladies?” Ace asked, breaking our moment. I turned back to the men, my cheeks still burning hot. Ryan smirked. He had caught me. He blew me a kiss, and then, his eyes trailed over my body until they landed on the cookie tray. He stepped forward.
“Awe, babe, you shouldn’t have.” He pecked my cheek, distracting me as he grabbed a cookie and ate it in two bites. “Oh, man, these are fresh,” he moaned and nudged Ace to get one. I offered the tray up to Ace who also ate the cookie just as fast.
“Momma, are you gonna answer my question? I wanna know what Sweethearts, Coffee, Cakes, and More is,” Maddi prodded again.
“You two are going to start that café you guys made up in college for that class, aren’t you?” Ryan interjected, smirking because he finally figured out what Celine and I had been keeping a secret.
