Page 110 of Wilde Abandon

“Where’s the band playing?”

“At the back.Dining up front until ten p.m.Dessert served until midnight during the week and two a.m.on Friday and Saturday.We’re closed on Sunday.That day is all about me and you.”

“What’s this place look like to you?”

“The bar is perfect.It’s the inspiration for the rest.Freshly painted white walls, offset by all the black chairs and banquettes and the wood tables.They got that right.I’d replace the limited seating by the hostess check-in with deep green upholstered benches to match the color in the bar.Replace the multicolored pendent lights with green glass to tie things together even more.On the blank walls, massive black-and-white photos of horses in the wild.I’ll ask Layla to take some on the ranch.A green neon sign out front.And the menu…comfort food.Steak and potatoes, mac and cheese, chicken and gravy, fried chicken, upscale for the city, but still with that nostalgic feel and taste.”She turned to him.“Do you see it?”

“Yes.And you’re right, it’s perfect.You’d be right next door.I could come down and see you whenever I wanted.You could come up and see me.”

She looked around the place.“It would take a lot of money to open this place.”

“Good thing we have a lot of money.”Fox grinned at her, like he was just as excited as her.

“I want in,” Dean said from the bar.

“Me, too,” added Max.

“What?”She couldn’t believe they were talking about this.

“We’ll stake you,” Fox said.“Partners.All of us.”

“But…”

“Dean and I want a fifteen percent stake each.Fox can take twenty, and we’ll give you fifty.It’s your place, after all.”

“But I don’t have that kind of money to put into this.”

All of them shrugged at once.

Fox was the one who answered for all of them.“We want to do this.It will be up to you to do the work and make this place a success.We believe in you.”

“I’ve never opened a place like this on my own.”

Fox brushed his hand up and down her arm.“But you know how to run a place like this.You’ve been doing it with your family for years.”

“I know but…it’s a lot of money.What if it fails?”

“What if it’s a huge success?”Fox countered.

She bit her bottom lip.“We would do this together?”

“If you mean I’d put up the money and you’d do all the work?Yes.”He grinned at her.“You want this.This is what you were looking for today.Not someone else’s place you could make great, butyourplace.”

“I just…I can see it.Right here.Filled with people and music and the smell of amazing food.I see us, all of us, here in the place we made together.”

“Then Max will handle the financing, Dean will handle security, I’ll set up all the electronic ordering and reservations and whatever else you need, and you will take care of the rest.”

There was already a list starting in her head.She’d need a food and liquor distributor, menus, a contractor to do the renovation.She needed to hire a manager, bar staff, waitstaff, a chef, and kitchen staff.

“I’ll get started on securing the space,” Fox announced like it was a done deal.

She grabbed his forearm and stopped him from turning to go back to the management office where he’d gotten the keys to let them in earlier.“You don’t have to do this.I can find a job somewhere else.”

“This is what you want.This will make you happy.That’s all that matters to me.”

She bit her bottom lip.“But what if you guys give me all that money and I fail.”

“You don’t fail, Melody.You bust your ass to get things done.If this place fails, it won’t be because you didn’t work your hardest to make it a success.”

---