“Have you”—Geez, he really did not want to get involved with this—“Have you considered taking out a loan?”
She snorted. “Not the way the business is doing now. I’d never get one.”
“Look,” Leo said, “I—Tessa and I don’t have secrets.” They’d concocted this plan, and they were on the same side, with the same goals. He tried to hand the paper back. “Why don’t you sit down with her and talk this through?”
Joanna shot him a look that appeared way too much like Tessa at her most stubborn. “Because she would get upset, of course. I want the money to be ready for her when she needs it. So show this to your father, okay?”
“Leo, your lunch is ready,” Tessa said, appearing in the doorway with a little bag and a coffee.
Before Leo walked out into the bakery, Joanna grasped his arm firmly and dropped her voice. “Please, not a word about this to her,” she pleaded. “She’d never allow it.”
“Joanna, I—” He knew Tessa would be upset—very, very upset if she learned her mother was trying to sell off their century-old bakery. The one she’d just fake-married him to save.
Her eyes took on a pleading expression. “Please, Leo. For Tessa.”
“Leo, are you coming?” Tessa called from the front.
He heaved a sigh. “Okay, fine.”
Joanna smiled and hugged him, then held him at arm’s length. Her eyes filled with tears. “Thank you, Leo,” she said. “I’m so grateful.”
Leo was left staring at the doors, his mind whirling. Joanna was grateful to him for allowing her to sell him the bakery? That was like thanking him for helping to ruin everything the Montgomerys had worked for during the past hundred years.
The doors—solid, unyielding, and large—seemed to mock him for that.
“Be nice to me, or I’ll make you into a kitchen island,” he said in jest.
And then an idea hit him. A kitchen island. For Tessa. What a great—and needed—surprise. And a meaningful one, that she could bake her creations on something that was symbolic of her family’s livelihood.
Yeah. Selling this bakery that had been in the family for generations to finance Tessa’s education was a terrible idea. There had to be a better way.
Leo walked out into the bakery to find Sam Donovan chatting up Tessa. “So we bought this house on the west side that’s got wallpaper all over the place. There are, like, ducks in the kitchen. Do you know anything about removing wallpaper?”
Leo’s gaze locked with hers, and he knew they were thinking the same thing. That Sam was in for a whole lot of wallpaper removal in that house.
As Sam droned on about the woes of home ownership, Leo walked over to Tessa and draped an arm around her shoulder. “Hi, Sam. Did I hear you congratulating Tessa on our marriage?”
“Oh. That’s right. Of course. Congratulations. I, um, I was just asking her if she knows anything about removing wallpaper. Marcy’s tearing down two walls, but I have to somehow figure out how to get the ducks off the other two standing ones.”
“That right?” Leo nuzzled Tessa’s neck, not too aggressively, but he was a little worried she’d haul off and slap him—or worse. But she actually stretched her lovely neck a little to give him better access. Either she was playing along with him or she was liking what he was doing.
Probably the former, and he’d get a tongue lashing as soon as Sam left. Which had better be soon.
And as for himself…well, he was just doing it to prove a point.
“Well, I—I’d better be heading out,” Sam said, looking uncomfortable as he edged toward the door.
“The hardware store has a steamer you can rent,” Leo called as Sam looked back, and he made sure to cast an adoring gaze at Tessa.
“Why did you do that?” she asked once Sam was gone.
“Are you angry?” he asked in a low voice, in case Joanna happened to be listening.
“No— Yes— I don’t know.” It seemed like he wasn’t the only one who was a little discombobulated.
“I was just trying to let him know what he’s missing.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? Are you teasing me?”
That guy really did a number on her. “I’m not teasing you. I just hate assholes who treat people badly. And I don’t know if you want my opinion or not, but good riddance.” He dusted off his hands.
“Oh. Well, thank you.” She looked at him with a penetrating gaze. “I forgot to tell him about us getting the house they wanted.”
He realized with a start that he wanted to believe that he’d been the reason she forgot. “We were too busy pretending to act like newlyweds,” he said. “Besides, they’ll find out soon enough. And as far as I’m concerned, we saved that house from them.”
“I think you’re right. Anyway, your antics certainly got him out of here quickly.”
“Happy to help.”
“Oh, I nearly forgot.” She pulled out a brown bag and a coffee cup. “I hope you like this,” Tessa said. Then, she added, “I mean, I know you like a cappuccino with an extra shot of espresso and lots of whip.”
“Perfect,” he said, taking off the lid to find a steaming, cinnamon-smelling coffee with an intricate leaf design folded artistically into the foam.
“Did I guess right?” she asked in a whisper.
He smiled. “I’m used to plain black coffee, so this is a treat.” The paper from her mom felt like it was burning a hole through his pants. He wanted to toss it out right now and never mention it. Ever. Also, the scent of Tessa’s shampoo was still clinging to him, which was disconcerting. “What time are you coming home?”
“I get off at two,” she said, “but I’m going to stay and try a few new recipes, so it will be a late night tonight.”
“Okay, well, good luck. See you later.” Wait—did he just ask her when she was coming home? That was a weird thing to say. Over his shoulder, he called, “Bye, Joanna. I’ll bring Jack around later to help get those old doors out of your way, okay?”
“Thanks, dear. Appreciate it!” she called from the back room.
He did not want to tell his dad that Tessa’s mom wanted to sell the bakery.
And he definitely didn’t want Tessa to find out.
But maybe she wouldn’t have to.
If Tessa made the bakery successful—really successful—his dad wouldn’t be able to afford their business. And Tessa wouldn’t need her mom’s money. And her mom wouldn’t need to sell her business.