“I feel like him buying the bar is something, right?” Delaney asked. “Maybe he really is turning a corner.”
“You mean, becoming an adult?” Jules reached for a chocolate-covered raisin.
“Exactly,” Delaney said.
“If being an adult means you have your act together, I’m not quite there yet. But I have been mulling around an idea.”
“Oooh, do tell.” Delaney rubbed her hands together eagerly.
“I spoke with Ellie, from that B&B last weekend, and she wants to move forward with an order. So I also talked to Pia a little yesterday morning, and she thought it was a great idea.”
“It?” Jules drew her full eyebrows, one of her most striking features, together.
“The possibility of expanding the idea, to serve other inns, restaurants, whatever. Like the B&B. Could I get enough customers to make it a business?” I could tell the ladies were as excited as me about the possibility, and that meant the world to me. “It’s all very willy-nilly. But between the festival success, and then Beck had the idea of putting the tarte tatin on the menu as a special… things like that. Could it be viable, without serving customers directly?”
“So you don’t want a bakery or anything like that?”
“No,” I said. “I had so much fun tailoring the perfect desserts. I want to experiment with recipes and bake.”
“You could hire someone to handle customers,” Jules suggested.
“I don’t know,” I said. “I envision more of a small-batch artisan dessert thing. But I have no idea if that’s sustainable.”
The ladies appeared thoughtful.
“Sort of a catering, but for desserts,” Delaney said. “Yeah, that’s definitely unique. What’s the risk to try? Could you do it out of your house?”
“I’m not sure yet,” I admitted. “There’s more questions than answers at this point. But it’s a thought.”
“So,” Delaney ventured. “You’re wanting to stay in Cedar Falls?”
“Yes!”
That from Pia, who was just walking inside.
“She wants to be the most sought-after pastry chef in the Finger Lakes, her creations so in-demand that I’ve already put in a long-standing order. Then we’ve got her for taco nights and Wine Wednesdays, when I can drink again,” she said, eliciting a nod from Thayle. “And not to mention making a man out of Beck.”
“Have this all planned out for her, huh?” Delaney popped a piece of pepperoni into her mouth.
“In all seriousness,” Pia said, her hand moving, probably unconsciously, to her stomach. “Did you not see them together the other night?”
“I did. And agree it’s a different Beck since she came home. But this is Beck we’re talking about.”
“And you know as well as I do half, if not more, of his schtick is a front. He has a heart of gold underneath the jokes?—”
“And womanizing?”
I watched Pia and Delaney like they were a ping pong match, wondering if they remembered I was in the room.
“That too.”
“Um…” I raised my hand. “Hello?”
Thayle laughed. “You don’t get a say,” she teased. “But I will say this. We have a reformed playboy in our family too. When they fall, they fall hard. With the right woman, it’s possible.”
Jules reached for a cracker. “Really wish we had some popcorn. This is highly entertaining.”
My pocket buzzed. Not wanting to attract more attention by taking it out, I excused myself. “While you guys analyze my love life, I’m hitting the ladies’ room. Be right back.”
