“Similar to a tavern, then,” Maddox said. “But instead of an establishment to drink and be rowdy, it would be one to unwind and relax.”
“Exactly.” I smiled so big my cheeks ached.
The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Bremloc had a few restaurants, a bakery, and taverns but no cafés. There wasn’t a single place in the kingdom where you could walk in, order a coffee, and sit and enjoy it with a pastry. In fact, coffee wasn’t served anywhere at all. Commoners brewed a sludge-like concoction that could hardly be called coffee. Only nobles could afford quality beans, and even they had to have someone make it for them—because lord forbid they lift a finger to make it themselves.
“Everyone would be welcome in my café,” I said, excitement building. “Quality food and drink at an affordable price. I mean, that’s the goal, at least. I’d need to research where to obtain my ingredients and all of that stuff, maybe even grow my own crops. I also need to actually, you know, get permission. Probably need to get a business license, too, and fill out a ton of paperwork to buy this place and fix it up. But all of that aside—” I chewed my bottom lip. “—what do you think?”
“That was a lot of words,” Maddox said, amused.
“Sorry. It’s probably a silly idea. I don’t have money to purchase the building and no plan on how to go about starting a business here. I just…” My throat got tight. “Never mind. I’m sorry I dragged you guys all the way here for nothing.”
Briar and Maddox exchanged a look before both stepped toward me, one on each side.
“It’s not silly.” Briar rubbed the small of my back. “I think it’s a wonderful idea.”
“If this is what you want, we’ll help you make it a reality.” Maddox slid his arm around my waist. His fingers grazed Briar’s hip. “We support you.”
“Stop it.” I turned my face into his chest. “You’re making my eyes leak again, damn you.”
Briar softly laughed and held me closer. “You and Prince Sawyer have become friends. I’m sure you can speak with him about your café, and he’ll tell you what you’d need to do. One step at a time.”
“Maybe you could bake some things too,” I told him, switching from Maddox’s chest to his. God, I loved them both so much. When they held me in their arms, I felt like nothing could hurt me. “That fig bread would be a best seller. The lemon blueberry too.”
Briar smiled into my hair. “Perhaps. But the first slice would always go to you, love.”
“The knights would enjoy coming here,” Maddox said, his hand finding mine. My heart thumped harder when I felt the band of his ring. “A place for us to relax after a long day. They’d be all too eager to devour your cooking too.”
“You’d need to ban Sir Callum.” Briar chuckled. “He would eat you out of house and home.”
“Quincy too,” Maddox said. “All of them, really. Perhaps none of them should be allowed a foot inside the door.”
I relaxed more against them, my heart swelling. “Speaking of home, the cottage has a second story. If I’m able to buy this place, I thought I could move here, too, and live upstairs.”
“You’d move from the castle grounds?” Maddox asked. “Why? You don’t need to. You fit perfectly in my bed.”
“As much as I love hopping between your beds, I can’t do that forever,” I responded. “And my room at the castle is only temporary.” A room I hadn’t used in about two weeks because of said bed hopping. “I need to lay down roots in Bremloc and build a real life here, and this is a way for me to do it.”
“I’ll miss you being so close, but I understand,” Briar said. “My one condition is you having a big bed for me and the captain when we visit.”
“Of course.” I grinned.
“You wish to lay down roots here.” Maddox pressed his face into my hair. “Does that mean you’re no longer interested in traveling the world, my muffin lord?”
“I don’t need to travel anywhere else,” I said, the truth settling over my heart. “I’m right where I want to be.”
With them.
In this kingdom that was better than anything I had ever dreamed.
Chapter Eighteen
The Festival of Lights
The first day of summer was perfect, not too hot or humid, just blue skies, a warm breeze, and excitement buzzing in the air as the citizens of Bremloc gathered for the festival.
More merchants had set up booths and tents in the market, some selling trinkets and others a variety of food. My mouth watered as we walked down the lane.
“Uh-oh,” Maddox said from my right. “I know that look well. We must feed him before he starts to whine.”
