Page 116 of Bleeding Hearts

She also let me hire her, in a way. She’s not technically hired because she won’t let me pay her, but she’s been helping me with a lot of the administrative side of the restaurant so I can also focus on the part of it that I love, the cooking.

I’ve decided if I can’t pay her in money, I’ll pay her back in food, never letting her pay for a single thing when she’s here.

“Always.” I smile at her. “Also excited to show you the new sign out front,” I say.

“Does this mean I finally get to know the name?” she asks.

“Yes, it does.” I’m practically jumping out of my skin with excitement and nerves, but I’m doing my best to ignore those.

“About damn time. It’s opening day, for heaven’s sake.” She huffs and I roll my eyes.

“Come on.” I grab her hand, walk through the back door to the restaurant and pull her through.

We walk out the front door, standing on the sidewalk, and I turn around to look toward the sign, her hand still in mine.

“Look up.” I smile, watching her as she does, and her eyes go wide.

“Harvey’s Haven?” she asks, her voice catching as she reads it.

I knew from the second Lydia gave me the money what the name of the restaurant would be. I wanted Lydia to have a piece of it because of everything she’s done, but I knew she’d kill me if I named it after her.

So, I named it after the person she loved the most, her late husband, Harvey.

I also knew I wanted to include haven in the name. Lydia’s bakery became a safe space for me over the years.

It was somewhere I ran to when I needed to escape. It helped me find my love for food, it helped me find a passion, and it was where I met one of the most important people in my life, her.

She and her bakery changed my life in more ways than I can count, and I hope that my restaurant and my food can maybe be that for someone else one day too.

I hope that if a young girl with a love for food, stuck in a life she doesn’t deserve, walks in here, this can become her safe space.

“Yeah, Harvey’s Haven.” I smile at Lydia, knowing I don’t have to explain the concept to her. She knows me well enough to understand the meaning behind it. I can see it in the way she looks at me, a heartbroken but loving and proud look in her eyes. She gets it.

“It’s perfect.” She pulls me into a hug. “I’m so proud of you, Demi.”

“Thank you, Lydia. For everything.” I hug her back. “I love you.”

“I love you too, sweet girl,” she says as she pulls away, hastily wiping a tear from her cheek. “Alright, no more tears. You have a restaurant to open.” She claps her hands together and I laugh.

“Let’s open a fucking restaurant.”

Everything is perfect. The moon shines through the open windows, the chandeliers twinkle from the ceiling, and music plays softly behind the chatter of the crowd.

Yeah, the crowd. My restaurant has a fucking crowd.

We decided to open the restaurant just for dinner to start. The doors opened at four and there was already a line outside them at three.

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw it. It’s a Saturday night tonight, so starting Monday, we’ll be opening full swing for brunch, lunch, and dinner.

It’s eight now, and every table is full. Plus, we have a waiting list that’s over an hour long.

I started my night in the kitchen, cooking beside all my chefs and I’m just now sneaking out of there after ensuring they have it all under control.

Our menu is large enough to have options but not large in an overwhelming type of way. I created it with the thought that there would be something for everyone, regardless of age.

It’s a melting pot of different dishes and flavors, something for everyone to appreciate.

I walk through the kitchen door and find Asher waiting right outside it for me.

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