Page 34 of Cosy & Chill
Kisses
“You’re a marshmallow,” Leo declared when Finn told him over their dinner of bangers, mash, and gravy that their shop had had its first customer.
“Am not. We’re not officially open, and I was being helpful. We can consider it a marketing expense.”
“That we can.” Leo shovelled another forkful of mustard mashed potatoes into his mouth. He’d spent a long time under the hot spray of the shower after coming home, but the chill had yet to leave his body. Food would help, he knew. Sitting with his feet stretched to the fire would help, too. Maybe he could treat himself to a mug of hot spiced cider later to complete the cure.
He’d thought—more than once—about kissing Finn goodbye that morning. Finn had looked so enticing with his ruffled curls and sleep-heavy eyes that Leo had acted without thinking. Before escaping as if his tail was on fire. He’d expected Finn to at least mention the kiss and couldn’t decide whether to feel disappointed or relieved that Finn talked about his day rather than the two of them.
“I love this mash,” Finn said suddenly as if he’d heard Leo’s ruminations. “The bangers are fabulous, too.”
“I got lucky at the market. The lady I was telling you about—”
“The one who has the stall next to you?”
“That’s the one. She offers gourmet takeaway meals. Most are frozen in containers, but today she also brought a few big pots of hot food that she assembled for people to pick up on the way home. This was her special. I thought we could try it.”
“Good call. This certainly gets my vote!”
“Not just yours. Oh, and guess what we did? We put a meal deal together. Her dinner, my ice cream. It worked like a treat. I’ve been struggling ever since the weather turned, but today was fabulous. Best day I’ve had in the last six weeks.”
“That’s excellent news.”
“Yes. I’ve got more appointments lined up tomorrow, too. Two cafés and a pub over in Kingston and Sutton.” Ever since he’d seen the orders Finn’s online store brought in, he’d felt a touch defensive about his own business. It wasn’t a competition, he knew that, and yet… he felt as if he should make more of an effort to keep up. “Can I see what you’ve done in the store?”
“Of course. I hope your grandma is watching us, because her sofa and armchairs fit like you wouldn’t believe.” Finn’s eyes grew a little brighter and he turned his head away. “I got a yarn delivery, just as I finished dusting. I unpacked it right onto the shelves. Then I sat there with my coffee, and it was just the way I’d always imagined it. I never thought I could—”
“Get used to it. We signed the rental agreement. There’s no backing out now.”
“What? I’m not planning to—” Finn spun back to face him, and a sheepish little grin lifted one corner of his mouth. “Sorry. I told you I was waiting for it to hit me. Dreams coming true and all that? It’s a little much.”
“Not if we deserve it.” Leo shamelessly included himself in the tale of good fortune. He’d thought he’d wanted to sell ice cream at Borough Market. Having his own shop in the centre of Richmond was a less chilly option, pun intended. It was also an unmissable opportunity, even if it had never crossed his mind before meeting Finn. “Come on. Show off your work!”
They clattered down the stairs and Finn turned on the light.
“Wow.” Leo turned in a circle, the way Finn had on the day they’d come to view the store, trying to take in the wall of colours and yarn on one side, and the gleaming counter and polished floor on the other. “I need to get cracking if I want to keep up with you.” He flushed, not having wanted to admit that.
Finn only laughed. “Setting up a café needs a lot more thought than stocking a few shelves with yarn. Do we need plumbing in here? Or were you thinking of using the kitchen?”
“You wanted to create a community space,” Leo reminded him. He could see himself behind the beautiful wooden counter, with a row of sexy, hi-tech coffeemakers at his back, and a stream of customers lining up before him. “I’m about ice cream more than I’m about coffee,” he said, a reminder to himself this time. “We’ll want to offer coffee, tea, and probably cakes. But it’s the fact that we mix yarn and ice cream, that people can come here to find company that makes us different, right?”
“You’re saying we should stick to that.”
Leo nodded. “I told you I’m easily distracted by new ideas. Which is why I’m trying to move slowly.”
Finn’s grin went beyond teasing. “Of course, you do. I saw how slowly you moved when I told you about this place.”
“That was—” Leo felt his cheeks flame. “I only went to ask how much the rent was! I couldn’t have known that it would turn into such an epic opportunity.”
“True enough. Go!”
“What?”
Finn made shooing motions with his hands. “Go! Get behind that counter. I want to see how you look standing there.”
“Okay?” Leo stepped around the counter, realising that he’d never done so before. Oh, he’d bent and peeked beneath to see the shelves and had studied the wall at the back with its cubbyholes, cupboards, and more shelves. But he’d never stopped, turned, and faced the room from behind the hefty board. “Standing here feels… exciting.”
“It looks exciting, too.” Finn turned in the empty space. “We might fit three or four small tables in here,” he said. “Or two sofas and a couple of tables.”
