Page 322 of The Maxwell Brothers
I decided at that moment that I would never let that happen. I wasn't going to lose Liz, no matter what. Her place was here with me.
When Liz went to sit with everyone in the other room on the couch, Travis and Luke came up to me, asking for two more coffees.
"What was that I heard about two years?" Travis asked.
"It's normal to have goals in every business," I replied in a clipped tone.
"Yeah, yeah. I know that. I just sold a very successful company, thank you very much."
"And you can’t stop reminding us," Luke said. He focused on me when I handed him the coffee. "Is this thing between you two serious?"
"Of course it's serious," I said.
"Then why is she under the impression that you're not going to throw her over your shoulder and lock her up in this place if she tries to leave?" Travis asked. "Unless you've not made that point very clear."
I patted my brother's shoulder. "You have your style, and I have mine."
"As long as your style doesn't end up with you losing your girl, I guess it's all good."
CHAPTER 22
LIZ
Beinga business owner was a dream come true for me—but I’d underestimated how much stuff needed to be done. Even with my sexy lawyer taking care of all the permits, I still had a mile-long to-do list.
I was proud of the two hires I’d made: an assistant baker and a sales associate. Between the three of us, we could do a lot.
On a bright Sunday morning, one month after visiting the building for the first time, I was ready for a trial run. I’d visited Helen early in the morning with a strudel recipe I’d perfected, and she loved it. I was so excited to add that to my menu. I was officially opening on Monday, and I was seriously ready to kick some major ass.
Helen was so supportive. I’d been bringing her treats the last month because I was trying out new recipes, and there was nothing she didn’t like. The woman did have a major sweet tooth.
I stood outside the bakery, filming the sign and storefront for my parents through our video chat. It was called Sweet Treats. The name was written in cursive white letters against a pink background.
Pressing down on the brass door handle, I stepped inside. The bakery was tiny. Customers could pick up their order at the counter; there was no space for tables. The display was organized in straight lines, so they could see the offerings at a glance. Behind the counter were several appliances as well as the workstations. In the back, I had a workroom with appliances, a supply room, and a bathroom for employees only.
I’d cleaned everything thoroughly and decorated it to my taste. The floor tiles, backsplash, and walls were white, and I’d decorated with colorful cups throughout, and posters with feel-good quotes. My favorite was “The world belongs to those who enjoy it.” All the posters mirrored my brand—the writing was in cursive white with pink background. I’d also changed the counter to a granite one, which went better with my color scheme.
It looked cozy and exactly the way I’d imagined it ever since I was a kid.
I also had menus and business cards sitting by the cash register for customers to share with family and friends. Word of mouth was one of the best ways to build your business.
"What do you think?"
"Honey, we are so proud of you," Mom said.
"Yeah, we are," Dad chimed in. "You've made it, baby girl."
"It’s the start of the journey," I told them.
"Don’t downplay it," Dad said. "You set a goal for yourself to open the bakery within a year, and you’re only at the nine-month mark. Be proud. You deserve it!"
"That's right," I said. "So I’ve actually exceeded my expectations."
We laughed, as I still needed to make a profit, and that was going to take a bit of time.
"When do you plan to open?" Dad asked.
"Tomorrow. I'm going to spend today baking some new recipes just to get more comfortable with how things work, and tomorrow, I'll be ready to go. My assistant and sales associate will start then too."
