“What are you talking about?” Ash asked, frowning.
“I get it, that’s all,” she said. “You’re a single dad, trying to do it all, and you’re in the service industry. You should be saving whatever you can for you and Maya.”
He blinked at her in a confused way for a moment.
“Allie, what do you think I do for a living?” Ash asked, a crease in his brow.
“Maya said you make drinks for people,” she said. “So, I’m guessing you work in a café, or maybe a bar?”
Ash stared at her, speechless.
“It’s nothing to be ashamed of,” she said right away. “No one should be ashamed of an honest day’s work.”
His eyes lit up at that, like she’d made some kind of joke.
“Allie, have you ever had a TBC cream soda?” he asked.
“Sure,” she replied. TBC made the best microbrewed soda. When she and her brothers were little, it was a real treat to get a TBC root beer or cream soda if they went out for a family dinner. And her dad usually kept a six-pack of the stuff out on the porch during the cold part of the year.
“Well, I’m the T,” he said.
“The tea?” she asked, more confused than ever.
“Tailor Beverage Company,” Ash said simply. “I own it.”
She blinked at him, completely thrown. Ash Tailor.Of course.
“Allie?” he said softly.
“You… youownTBC?” she asked. “LiketheTBC?”
How had she not known this? How had no one thought to mention it to her when they were gossiping about his good looks or congratulating her on her…engagement?
“Yes,” he said with a smile. “That’s me.”
“My dadlovesthat cream soda,” she said. “Everyone does. You’re a legend.”
“Maybe on the east coast,” he said, looking a little uncomfortable.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked, shaking her head.
“I don’t really like to talk about it,” he said. “Maya and I just want to fit in.”
Allie suddenly realized what he’d been trying to tell her all this time.
Ash Tailor was rich, probably more than rich—wealthy—or whatever those people with more money than they could ever spend would call themselves.
And if he wanted to fit into a rural town like Sugarville Grove, he was right, maybe his financial situation shouldn’t be the first thing people knew about him.
From what she’d read, his financial situation was about to get a whole lot better, too.
“Are you really making those Turbo Tailors?” she asked him before she could stop herself.
He nodded, but he didn’t look too happy about it.
Well, he shouldn’t look happy,she thought to herself.Those high-caffeine drinks are horrible, and the weird colors can’t be good either. Plus, they’ll attract little kids…
“So,” she said, forcing herself to stop spiraling. “I guess you’re not actually stretched, financially, I mean.”
