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I sighed, staring out the window at the crashing waves. “I don’t know, Grace. It’s just a whirlwind. My life is already a mess, and then he flies in. But yesterday, after our painting class, there was some guy named Jasper waiting in a Ferrari. It was his agent, and I think something major is going on back in London. They had a heated conversation, and then Leo was distant the rest of the night. I haven’t heard from him today, either.”
“Do you think something’s going on? Do you think he’s going back?” Grace asked, setting down the glass.
“Maybe? He keeps talking about how everyone depends on him and how he came here to escape. I don’t know his story. He’s open but at the same time closed off. It’s like there’s this kind, vulnerable Leo who is just your regular guy. And then there’s tabloid Leo, popstar Leo, the Leo who keeps himself walled up and doesn’t trust anyone.”
“Ugh. Sounds complicated. Good thing the guy is easy to look at,” Grace said. I rolled my eyes, smiling. “So, I hate to ask. But with your time off, anything new with your plans? I hope being away from here showed you just how awful it is. You’re glowing, even with a broken ankle.”
I exhaled. “I don’t know if it’s being away from here, listening to my parents hound me about stability or being around Leo, but I’ve been feeling inspired again. I know Tino’s isn’t it for me, I know the hotel isn’t it, and I don’t want to go to law school. I’ve been thinking about what makes me happy.”
“And?” Grace asked, face alight.
“I miss the coffee shop. I do. I know it’s ridiculous because it failed. It should be a case-closed situation. But when I was telling Leo about it, I just felt it deep down, how good it was, how much I loved it. I just, I don’t know, it’s stupid. I just wish I could make it work again.”
It felt both embarrassing and great to have it off my chest.
“Then make it happen, Girl. You’re thirty, not dead. You have so many years ahead of you. Tillie’s Brews in the middle of the city didn’t work. So what? Make Tillie’s Brews Two and get to it. What do you have to lose?”
“Well, nothing except more of my pride.”
“Pride’s overrated. Just ask me. I’m still living in my parents’ basement and have no hopes of moving out anytime soon,” she said, shrugging.
“And you’re also at an age where it’s okay to still be living with your parents.”
“Listen, what does it matter? Use this time to sort through some things and get started on it. You took a risk before. You can do it again. And this time, you’re not starting from scratch. You have experience.”
I exhaled, beaming at Grace’s enthusiasm. “Oh, I’ve missed you.”
“Oh, me too. Now listen. Get working on this coffee shop scene. And if you need a barista, keep me in mind. Please.” At that, the music for the line dance began. Grace shook her head. The new girl marched over and pointed at Grace, who promptly rolled her eyes.
“Please hurry on the coffee shop thing. I can’t take one more minute of this place,” she uttered after marching angrily to the dancing spot. I sat for a moment at the bar, watching the few customers and the staff at Tino’s. I thought about the environment of my coffee shop, how it was happy and peaceful. How the staff all got along. I thought about how maybe Grace was right. In some crazy way, I felt like this was just a reboot on my dream, not a closed door.
I didn’t call Mom. I made my way back to the bus stop, wanting some time to clear my head and think about the possibility. And when I got home, the condo was mercifully empty. I went to my room, busted out my laptop, and started taking notes on Tillie Brew’s Two. Just for fun, I told myself. It wasn’t serious.
But within an hour, I had pages and pages of notes for a reboot of the business that had failed. Now I just had to convince myself that it was worth going after and that I wouldn’t be the family’s biggest disappointment a second time.
Chapter Nineteen
