“But I do. No one in this state gets food for the cost that the Westons pay. So, in that aspect, I have you covered.” While she’d been telling me her ideas, my brain had been racing with some of my own. “Labor-wise, you could treat the positions like an internship. You could also work with local colleges and outreach programs, and they could probably find you full-time staff much easier than you think.”
The stress was already invading her eyes. “How would the restaurant make enough to support the overhead? Would these numbers even work?”
“You could sell merchandise. I’m not talking hats and T-shirts. I’m talking things that could help your customers, given their situation. To the general public, you could have a bakery. You could sell already-prepared meals at full price. You could have a booth at the farmers market. There are ways, Alivia. You just have to be creative, and, baby, you are.” My hand moved back to her neck, my grip tightening. “If you really want this, it can happen.”
She let out a soft breath. “I do. I really do, Walker.” She glanced up at the ceiling. “Would a restaurant have changedmy path? No. My selfish-ass mother would have always chosen the scumbag and the bottle over me.” She ran her tongue over the inside of her teeth. “But in those helpless situations, when I was eating ninety-nine-cent bags of chips for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, a place like this would have made me feel better. And I believe it would have made her feel better too.” She finally looked at me. “And, I have to remember, not all mothers are like mine. Most actually put their children first.”
I fucking hated the woman who had birthed this beauty.
“You will make this dream come true, Alivia.”
She put her hand on top of mine. “No. We will.”
“Does that mean you’re ready to get to work?”
She sat up straighter. “Ohhh, hell yes.”
“Then the first thing you need to do is quit the assisted living facility.”
She waved her hand, like she was trying to get my attention. “Walker, no, I can’t?—”
“Listen to me. You’re not saving for an apartment anymore.” Her grin confirmed what I already knew—there was no way she was moving out of my place. “You’re not giving anyone half your income anymore. You need that time to spend on this, Alivia. You can’t work both jobs and expect to open a restaurant. Something has to give, and Charred is where you make the most.”
“Ugh.”
“And once the restaurant is open, you’ll quit Charred and focus solely on your place.” I paused. “You know I’m right.”
“You are. But … the residents at the assisted living facility, they are like family to me.”
I pressed my thumb against the center of her lips. “I’m your family. The Westons are your family. And you can go back to the assisted living facility anytime you want and visit that family.”
She nodded. “Okay.”
“If you find a space that already has a kitchen, you can be up and running in a few months.”
Her mouth hung open. “Months?”
I chuckled. “Maybe even less depending on the building. If there’s no kitchen, that’s going to be an expensive build-out and a much longer timeline.”
Her hands went to the top of her head. “My mind is spinning.” She was sucking on her bottom lip. “I probably have enough to cover the rent for a few months, depending how much it is. But anything beyond that, I don’t have. Would I take out a loan? Or?—”
“I will help you figure it all out. I’ve done this hundreds of times. I could do it with my eyes closed. You have nothing to worry about.”
She found my hand and linked our fingers. “But do you have the time? Walker, you’re running a Weston empire, you’re full-time at Charred?—”
“My days at Charred are numbered. We both know that.”
She nodded. “I don’t want to be the reason you leave. I don’t want to be the person who pulls you away.”
“Baby, I was gone before I even met you. I just never yanked out that fucking plug. And like I’ve told you, you’re the only reason I’ve stayed.” I leaned forward and kissed her. “I want you to sleep on this idea. If you wake up tomorrow morning and still feel the same, we’ll get in touch with Jenner Dalton, my family’s attorney. We’ll give him the parameters, and he’ll find a space that fits what you’re looking for.”
She was holding her chest. “I feel like I can’t breathe—in a good way, I mean.”
“That’s what I want to hear.” I kissed her again.
As I was pulling my lips away, my phone rang from the nightstand. These days, it was always on silent unless someonefrom my Favorites list happened to call. I lifted it off the wood and checked the screen, sending the call to voicemail.
“Colson.” I shook my head.
