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“Why’d you do that?”
By now, didn’t Kelly know? Her happiness mattered to him, and so did she.
“Why do you think?”
She didn’t get the chance to answer. The server with impeccable timing brought out their entrees. And then it was the white and dark chocolate mousse cake. It wasn’t until after dinner, halfway across the plaza, when he paused mid-step and pulled her to stand in front of him.
“Truth for a truth, Kelly.” His fingers clutching the lapels of her coat, Kodiak looked into her eyes. “Do you really think we’re just friends, you and I?”
“No,” she whispered, slowly shaking her head.
“That’s good.”
And those blue eyes gazed back into his.
“Because I love you.”
On top of the world, Kelly and Katie spun around together in the middle of the empty space that was once the Lebanese place next door. Having just signed the new lease with Brendan, it was officially theirs now. He and Leo stood off to the side, chuckling at their childlike antics, Declan squirming to get out of his arms.
Dizzy, she stumbled to the floor, taking her niece down with her. Kelly sat up, laughing, and leaning back onto her elbows, surveyed the newly acquired space. There was so much work to be done here, but even with the scent of za’atar and olive oil still lingering, she could already envision what this place would become.
Brendan let his son down, the ginger-haired toddler running to his mother’s waiting arms. Kelly ruffled his hair, pointing to where his father and Leo still stood. “We’ll have to knock out that wall, redesign the kitchen…maybe we should leave it open, so the customers can watch you bake magic. What do you think, cupcake?”
“Yesss, ma chérie, Leo likes that.” His head did this shimmy thing, pink curls bouncing. “Mmm, all those delicious smells blending together.”
“Can we get a fireplace now?” Katie chimed in. “Every time that door blasts open in January, I feel it in my bones. The one they have in Charley’s is so cozy.”
The expression on Brendan’s face turned wistful.
Kelly swiveled on her bottom to look at the opposite wall. “A fireplace would look amazing here. I wish that was brick.”
Beanie’s was an end unit, so it had an exterior wall, the exposed brick giving it texture, merging the past and present within the space. Not so the case here.
“You can make it brick,” Brendan offered.
“But it wouldn’t be the same.”
“Yes, it could be.” He winked. “Reclaimed Chicago brick. We get it for projects all the time. I know a guy…and if you’d like, we have all of Kyan’s drawings—there’s a ton of them. Maybe you can make one work for you. He designed Charley’s, you know.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah,” he answered with a single nod.
“I’d love to be able to do that.”
“Come by the office. We can have a look.” His smile reaching his eyes, Brendan tipped his chin to his wife. “Katelyn, are ready to go home, sweet girl?”
“It’s time for your nap, isn’t it, baby?” Katie cooed to her son, but she just as easily could’ve been talking to her husband. Helping Declan into his jacket, her head shot up. “You know, you should think about rebranding while you’re at it. Beanie’s won’t be just a coffee bar anymore.”
“True, but everyone knows the name. I don’t think changing it would be a good idea.”
That would be like starting all over.
“You don’t have to change it altogether, silly.” Giggling in that cutesy way of hers, she handed Declan off to Brendan. “Just add to it.”
“I’m not following, KK.” She rolled her eyes.
“Sugar Beanie’s Bakery & Coffee Roasters.” Before Kelly could protest, Katie threw her hands up in the air. “Wait, now hear me out. You’re just adding two words. The blue cups and logo can stay the same. Just add ‘sugar’ in all caps behind it—a block font in light pinkish-taupe would look nice.”
