Page 57 of Coffee Break with the Billionaire

“By yourself?”

“Sometimes.”

“Sounds lonely.”

“I’m never lonely,” I say, which isn’t exactly the truth.

“Well, I think it’s great Edie wants you to stay there. It’ll be like having your own place.”

“Exactly. For a while anyway. As long as I stay.” I glance around the room again, kicking at a few dead leaves. “What is this place?”

“Not much of anything.”

“But it could be.” I visualize Coffee for the Sole next door. “Why can’t you enlarge the shop? You could tear down the wall and double the size.”

“It’s a load-bearing wall,” Silas explains. “We need it there.”

“Then what about a door? Or maybe…” I suck in my breath and look wildly at Silas. “Why don’t you open something new?”

“I’ve thought of that a few times, but I’m—”

I don’t let him finish because ideas are flying fast and furious. “When I was in town after the wedding, I went to The King’s Hat with Sophie and we talked about how there needed to be a different kind of bar in town,” I say, my words tumbling out. “One for women, with fancy cocktails and a dance floor.”

I skate to the middle of the floor, and do a few dance moves. “Coffee and Cocktails,” I decide. “You should open a bar. In here.”

It’s so clear in my mind: returning to Laandia and coming here for a drink with Sophie and Edie and Leodie. Dancing and drinking too many pretty cocktails. All my favourite bars and clubs rolled into one, but smaller.

The room could hold maybe twenty-five or thirty people. It would be perfect for girls’ nights out or birthday parties—

“I don’t have time to open anything other than the coffee shop in the morning.” Silas sounds tired as he runs his hand through his hair, making the top stand up for a brief moment before slumping over. I think that means he needs a haircut, but now isn’t the time to tell him that. “I don’t have much disposable income to open something new,” he admits.

“Then let me do it within your budget.”

Budget. I don’t think I’ve ever said that world out loud before.

I’m the daughter of a billionaire. I’ve never had a money problem in my life. If I want to buy something, I buy it. I treat my friends to dinner, to trips to our vacation homes, my father’s yacht. I don’t understand when people question prices or affordability, budgets or overspending.

But I do hear the worry in Silas’s voice.

“I can pay for it.”

His mouth falls open and he blinks at me with surprise. “No,” he says quickly.

“But I can. I want to.”

“No.”

“Silas, you’re my friend…”

“Stop saying that,” he snaps. “There is absolutely no way or reason that I would let you pay for the construction of my business. Not unless you buy the building from me, and why would you do that if you’re leaving soon? I wouldn’t let you.”

He sounds angry at the fact.

“But…” I could buy the building. Then I wouldn’t have to go through Silas’s worry to do this.

“No. Fenella, no. You can’t buy everything.”

“But I can,” I whisper. “Okay, sorry,” I add as he gives me a furious stare. “You don’t have to open a bar or any new business… yet. But how about letting me use the space?”

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