Page 103 of The Little Board Game Café

‘That’s the problem with you, Em. Always afraid to take a risk.’

‘Said the person who never leaves Thornholme.’

Dad frowned and sipped his tea. ‘We’re talking about you, Em. Not me.’

‘Yeah, but …’

‘So what are you going to do now?’

‘I’m working at Thorp’s. Luckily for me, my old job came up at exactly the right time.’

‘Pity that,’ said Dad.

‘How is it a pity?’

‘You’re going to go back to where you were a few years ago. Same old, same old.’

‘Said the person who never leaves Thornholme,’ Emily said again.

Her dad ignored her. ‘Next minute you’ll be telling me you’re back with Peter. Or is there someone new? Please tell me you’ve found someone new.’

‘There was someone, but that didn’t work out either.’

Dad rolled his eyes. ‘Okay, let’s sort out what we’re going to do about this café dream of yours, and then we’ll discuss your love life.’

There was no café dream. Not anymore. But nor did she want to discuss her love life with her father so she decided she’d indulge him and talk about the café.

‘I shouldn’t have bought a café on a back street in a town where Costa Coffee was about to open. Not that I knew it was. But maybe if I’d done more research. Even Sweet Delights has been struggling and that’s in a great position on the high street. That’s for sale now.’

‘Well, there’s your answer.’

‘My answer?’

‘You buy Sweet Delights.’

‘I can’t, Dad. I’ve no money. Buying Nico’s wiped me out. And don’t tell me to borrow the cash because no one would lend to me – not with my track record in business – and, as you pointed out, I don’t like taking risks.’

‘I have the money.’

‘You do? Since when?’

‘Your mother’s life insurance. I never felt right about spending it. Sometimes wondered about buying myself an Austin Healey one day. That’s always been my dream. But what’s the point? As you say, I never go anywhere.’ He sighed.

‘But you can’t give me your money, Dad. What if I lost it? I’ve already made a complete mess of one café. I’m quite capable of screwing up another.’

‘All successful entrepreneurs have their failures, Em. It’s how they learn. Look at Branson. Before he started Virgin Records, he… Actually I’m not sure what he did, but I’m sure he had the odd failure or two. On Monday morning, you’re going to find out how much Sweet Delights is going for.’

‘No, Dad. Thanks, but no.’

‘Okay, I’ll buy the café. And you can run it. How does that sound?’

‘Dad, no. I can’t let you do that.’

‘I want to do that. I listened to your mother chattering on about running a café for years and it’s beautiful that you share her dream, Em. I’d like to be part of it.’

Well, when he put it like that, it would be kind of churlish to say no. And he looked so hopeful. Like this was what he really wanted.

‘But what about your dream? Your Austin Healey?’