Page 209 of Worth the Trip

“What they say?”

“They want us to include it if we’re interested.”

“That sounds like they understood what y’all built.”

My eyes moved back to the email.

That was exactly what mattered.

They hadn’t reduced Crème & Chill to ice cream. They had noticed the books. The children. The part of our vision that believed sweetness and story could belong beneath the same roof.

“I think they did.”

Landon picked up another piece of sushi. “So what you want?”

I looked at him. “What?”

“You heard me.”

I looked down at the email again. Staffing, transportation, equipment, inventory, weather, and every other practical concern waited exactly where they belonged.

But they weren’t first.

Excitement was.

“I want to go.” Landon smiled. “I want the reduced menu. I want Scoops & Stories there. I want to see how Self Springs responds to us when we bring what we built into their community.”

“Aight.”

I blinked. “That’s all?”

“What you want, fireworks?”

“A little enthusiasm would be appropriate.”

He put his chopsticks down. “Baby, I’m trying not to celebrate harder than you. This your moment.” That shut me up. “You want the pop-up?”

“Yes.”

“Then hell yeah, Hershey. Bring Crème & Chill to Self Springs.”

I laughed.

My hand moved toward the trackpad.

Then stopped.

Landon noticed.

“What happened?”

“Logistics became real.”

“Yep.”

“Inventory. Equipment. Staffing.”

“Also yep.”