Restless Ink: A Montgomery Ink: Colorado Springs Novel

by Ryan, Carrie Ann

  It seemed a lot for a single cup of coffee, no matter how good she made it.

  He rested his head against the couch, knowing he was doing the right thing. He wasn’t just hoping anymore. Thea meant something to him. This feeling she gave him, the look on her face when they were together even for a short time…it meant something. They’d figure out what was between them and work from there.

  But he couldn’t run away, wouldn’t hide anymore.

  He was a new man, a new Dimitri. Now, he just needed to figure out exactly what that meant.

  Chapter 11

  Thea wanted to dive into her bowl of frosting, and she didn’t care who noticed. If she could live in this creamy goodness, she would. She’d lick it all up, heavy breathing while she let it settle, then make some more so she could do it all again.

  She and her sisters joked that she had extra curves because of all her baked goods—tasting was important, after all—but she secretly knew that it wasn’t from the cakes and cookies and tarts. Oh, no, the extra padding on her ass came from the frosting, and she was just fine with it. Sure, she had to watch her sugar intake, and she ate healthily otherwise—if she ignored cheese— but she was in love with frosting.

  Hence why she had to hold herself back. She didn’t need clogged arteries or diabetes thanks to her love of frosting and cheese, but she also let herself indulge sometimes.

  And the fact that today’s special frosting was cream cheese? She was in dairy heaven and never wanted to leave.

  Thea didn’t exactly lick the spoon she’d been using, but she did sniff at it, imagining the sweet and slightly tangy taste on her tongue. Not only was licking anything in her kitchen at work against code, but she needed every ounce of the frosting for her red velvet cheesecake cupcakes.

  They were hot sellers this time of year—hell, every time of year—and it was all she could do not to make so many of them that even she got sick of the glorious bombs of sugar and flavor. They were her favorite thing on the menu, and because of that, she never had one. They were for her customers, and she’d eat a carrot or something while imagining it was frosting.

  Not the best thing in the world, but it was better for her ass and her blood sugar.

  While she let the frosting rest a bit before she topped the cupcakes, she went to the oven to pull out her pastries, letting them cool before she put on the fruit toppings. The oven dinged again, and she slid out her rolls and the other bread items that were done and ready to go for the day. Her early morning to-do list had a few more things on it like frosting the cakes and decorating for certain private orders, but she’d get to that once the shop was fully open for the day.

  She had two of her staff coming in soon to help out with the finishing touches and to work the counter, but this morning, she was on her own. She didn’t mind. Frankly, it was one of her favorite times of the day, where she surrounded herself with the things that she’d made by hand. These were times and baked goods that were all hers and had something to do with her future. With her own creativity and talent in her chosen career, she’d been able to buy a house, keep it, keep her bakery doors open, and make it flourish.

  And, soon, if everything worked out and the baking gods smiled down on her, she’d be able to reach the next phase of her multi-step baking plan.

  Because, of course, she had one of those color-coded with checkboxes, but her personal life had no such list. It didn’t matter, though, because she was doing better at that by working on the fly.

  She held back a laugh. Okay, not so much, since she was beyond floundering when it came to her personal life.

  Roger was totally gone from her life and thoughts, not even worth a second glance since there was no way she’d debase herself like that again. Dimitri, however?

  She took a steadying breath, bracing herself against the metal counter. Okay, so maybe she was a little lost there, but something was going to change today.

  He was coming in for coffee this afternoon after school, and that meant they were going to talk. They were going to discuss what happened between them and see where they could go next.

  Molly was all for it. Frankly, that worried Thea a bit. What had her friend meant when she said she wanted Dimitri and Thea to work out? It all seemed so surreal, and she and Dimitri truly needed to talk.

  Because even if everything else went to hell, she still wanted to have him in her life. She’d come to that conclusion the night before. She wanted him as her friend. At least her friend.

  And that meant talking to him over coffee as the first step.

  The first step to what, though, she didn’t know. But it was at least something.

  Thea pushed those thoughts to the side, though she knew they would be on her mind all day, and went about getting ready to open the bakery. Since they were the first stop for many people on their way to work, she had horribly early hours according to her sister, but Thea had learned long ago to adjust her body to bakers’ hours.

  Both of her staff members came in on time, and soon, the place was bustling with people on their way to work in need of caffeine and sugar. Thea had a few healthier options like fruit and whole grains, but mostly, it was all about the bread and pastries this morning. When her next phase began, she’d have healthier options for sure, but first, she needed to get to that part. That wasn’t for today, however, since they were busy, and she had countless specialty coffee orders to fill.

  By mid-morning, the lines hadn’t died down, and Thea couldn’t help but smile. She loved her job and loved the fact that her life’s dream meant she could earn a living. They were still bustling as Abby walked into the place, holding two cups of hot tea that Thea knew would be divine.

  When Abby had moved into the building a few doors down with her tea shop, Teas’d, Thea hadn’t felt like the other woman was encroaching on her territory at all. In fact, the two of them had not only become friends but almost business partners. They weren’t anywhere near something official, but they had a great working relationship.

  Thea mostly did coffee and baked goods, but the tea she had on site was from Abby’s place. And any baked goods Abby had at her place were from Thea’s bakery. Teas’d was where one could buy loose leaf tea in bulk or just sit for a single cup or take one to-go. Abby also sold handmade teapots and other accessories made by local artists. Apparently, one of them was married to Thea’s cousin.

  It seemed Colorado was a lot smaller than Thea thought.

  “I brought tea,” Abby said with a grin. “I’m sure you had like four cups of coffee already, but I have a new blend of white chocolate and other goodies that I wanted you to try.”

  Thea’s mouth watered, and she held out her hands. “Gimme.”

  Abby just laughed and handed over the mug, no paper cups for the two of them if they could help it.

  As soon as Thea blew over the surface of the tea and took her first sip, she knew she was in Heaven. “Oh my God. What’s in this?”

  “A new rooibos blend I’m trying out. I’ll give you the specs if you decide you want it in the shop.”

  Thea nodded, sipping some more. “I’m in love. And, hell yeah I want it in the shop. It’s perfect for the season. Oh, and I have some of those cream cheese-frosted, red velvet cheesecake cupcakes you love if you want a dozen for the shop today.”

  Abby groaned. “Maybe only a half dozen or I’ll eat them all and end up rolling around and not serving tea.”

  “That’s my problem with them, as well.” Thea winked, setting down her mug. The bakery was slowing a bit before the mid-afternoon rush, and she was grateful. It gave her time to get other things done around the place. “Want me to walk them over to you, and we can grab some lunch?”

  Abby looked over her shoulder. “If you can swing it, sure. I actually brought my own sandwich today since I’m on a budget.”

  Abby never hid that she was still at the beginning stages of her business, and as a single mother, every penny counted. As Thea was possibly about to make more than one signi
ficant life change, she totally agreed.

  “I brought in a sandwich, too,” she said with a laugh. “I think I know us too well. I bet Adrienne brought hers too if we want to stop by and see if she has time.”

  During lunch times, the bakery sold a small variety of sandwiches with their baked bread, but they weren’t equipped enough to do full salads or soups yet. That would change, though. At least, Thea hoped.

  One thing at a time.

  And that one thing was her coffee date that afternoon. Not that she was going to mention it to Adrienne and Abby during lunch. Not at all. She needed to keep this to herself, at least as much as she could for now while she figured out what she was doing. Yes, they all knew—including Molly—what had happened, but the next stop should be hers and Dimitri’s.

  Maybe.

  Everything was far too complicated, and she really needed one of those damn cupcakes. And because she was a glutton for gluttony today, she grabbed three of them for their dessert along with the six for Teas’d and headed out of Colorado Icing, leaving her staff in charge. They were good at what they did and handled the place expertly. She worked long hours because she loved it, not because she had to anymore.

  Adrienne did have time to eat with them and she had brought lunch with her, so the three of them took one of Abby’s tables in front of Teas’d. Abby only had two bistro tables. Thea had four. And though they needed more for good-weather days, until something changed, that wasn’t going to happen.

  Plans first, she thought. Then, they’d see.

  By the time they finished their lunch and talked about the tattoo Adrienne was working on, as well as Abby’s new tea, Thea was ready to head back to work, a container of tea in her hand for brewing. She could already smell the sweetness and couldn’t wait to serve it in her shop. The day Abby came to Colorado Springs had been a blessing, even if Thea knew it had come from a place of heartbreak.

  That wasn’t Thea’s story, however, so she never pried. She just hoped that one day, Abby would want to tell Thea the whole tale, at least to lessen that burden from the other woman’s shoulders.

  Thea was working on setting up a display case when Molly walked in, all class and bright smiles, looking ready for the runway and not what most people would be doing in Colorado Springs at this time of day—working or running errands. But since Molly always looked like that, sometimes even at home, it didn’t really surprise Thea.

  What did surprise Thea was that Molly was actually here in her shop so soon after everything had happened. Thea was still on the fence whether the conversation she’d had with the other woman was a dream or not. It wasn’t as if Thea had time to ponder what it all meant. However, since Molly was walking toward her, Thea needed to act like nothing was wrong.

  Not that anything was wrong, but Dimitri was coming into the shop soon for coffee—either just as friends or perhaps something more. She really didn’t know but knew they needed to talk about it. The last thing anyone needed was the three of them in the same room in public before they all figured out what was going on. It was getting to be a little too much for Thea, and complicated wasn’t a good enough word to describe it.

  “Thea, darling, I’m so glad I caught you. I didn’t know if you were working this afternoon, but from the flour in your hair, I’m assuming yes.” Molly winked as if it were a joke, and Thea supposed it was. She was always covered in flour.

  She winced and reached up to her bangs before lowering her hand. Sadly, she knew from experience that the more she messed with the flour in her dark hair, the more it would spread and make her look like a skunk. Plus, she was a bit sweaty from working all day even in the cooler air, and flour and water made paste. Having that in her hair was never a good thing.

  “That’s me, the flour queen. Do you want your usual, Molly?”

  “A sugar-free, fat-free, vanilla latte please,” her friend said with a smile. “Though, sometimes, I wish I could be as daring as you and go for full-sugar along with one of those brownies in front of you. They look delicious, but they also go right to my hips.”

  Thea just rolled her eyes and went about making Molly’s drink. “As they do go to my hips, I don’t indulge all the time. I mostly taste-test to make sure I have the recipe right.” She kept her hands busy making the drink, her back to Molly, but she looked over her shoulder once in a while to make sure there weren’t any other customers in, like…the aforementioned Dimitri.

  “Your hips look good with a little bit of curve to them. My hips, on the other hand, just don’t carry that weight. I don’t know how you do it, but you look wonderful with curves. Me? I have to watch everything I eat.”

  Thea just rolled her eyes as she served Molly her coffee. Thea didn’t ring the drink up, and Molly didn’t bother to open her purse. That was how it had always been, and Thea didn’t care anymore. The curve comment, however, stung a bit. But she figured it was a compliment. Maybe.

  “You look wonderful, and you know it. Where are you off to today?” Thea kept working, changing out stock and fluffing the display case for the late-afternoon sugar hounds. People needed their fix so they could get through the rest of the day, and she was grateful.

  “Committee meeting, of course. So much to do, so little time. But the world needs me.”

  “That we do,” Thea said, not lying. Molly had been her friend for years, had been there when she opened Colorado Icing and bought her house the same year. Thea had done it on her own and with her family, but Molly had been around as well, always eager to offer advice about how things should be done. It didn’t matter that Thea hadn’t taken any of that advice since she had her own vision and business plans, her friend had still offered it.

  “Must be off, but when I have time, we should catch up. I’d love to hear about you and a certain teacher.”

  Thea froze, but Molly just waved her fingers before sauntering out of the bakery in her four-inch stilettos. It was going to ice later, and Thea wasn’t sure how the woman could walk in those things in this—or any—weather, but women were strong and could do just about anything.

  Though how Molly could be so okay with whatever might happen between Thea and Dimitri was something Thea couldn’t quite comprehend. The other woman had basically—and easily—given Thea the okay to pursue a relationship with her ex-husband and even wanted to offer advice, yet Thea felt as if she were barely keeping up with all the changes.

  Thea didn’t know if she wanted a full relationship with Dimitri, she didn’t know if she could handle that with her business and her life, yet Molly seemed to want it.

  Thea’s life had already changed so drastically, she was struggling to understand it all.

  And because she’d apparently conjured him out of thin air, Dimitri was the next person to walk through the door. She didn’t think he’d bumped into Molly outside since he only smiled at Thea, giving her that look that went straight to her lady parts. And now she wasn’t thinking about her friend at all.

  She was just thinking about Dimitri and what the hell she was going to do about him. And, just like that, he was in front of her, making her doubt her resolve.

  “Hey there,” Dimitri said softly, his voice that low, whiskey growl that sent shivers down her spine.

  “Hey.” Oh, good, she was back in high school, unable to form complete sentences. She cleared her throat and started over. “School’s out for the day, I take it? How was it?”

  Dimitri just shrugged and leaned against the counter as others milled about. The rush would be soon, but for now, all of her tables were full of happy customers eating sweets and bread and drinking hot drinks since the temperature was dropping outside.

  “School’s out for the weekend, which is nice. Soon, we’ll be at winter break, and I can try to sleep in a bit. It’ll be interesting.”

  “Sleeping in? Like to seven or something?” she asked, her eyes wide.

  He was the one to wince this time. “Oh, yeah, bakers’ hours. I mean, I wake up early as hell to work out before work, b
ut I think you beat me.”

  She smiled, but her brain was going a mile a minute thinking about Dimitri all sweaty, working out.

  Shirtless.

  With those shorts that rode low on his hips so she could see those lickable lines on either side of his body.

  And that was enough of that.

  When she met Dimitri’s gaze, she figured he knew exactly what she was thinking, considering the heated look that passed between them.

  Well, hell.

  “Can you spare some time for coffee with me? I know you’re working so I’m not going to force you into it. The fact that you’re letting me into the building at all is a step.”

  “I wouldn’t force you out of Colorado Icing.”

  “Maybe not, but you’d be so polite about it that it would hurt to know that I broke what we had.”

  She looked behind him, then gestured for one of her staff to mind the counter. “Come back to the office with me.”

  His brows rose, but he followed.

  “Sorry, I know most of the people in here since they’re all regulars, and while I don’t want to hide anything, even if there ends up being nothing between us, I also don’t need to advertise my personal life.”

  “Understandable, I’m a teacher. I get it. But I hope there’s not nothing between us.” He sighed. “I hate double negatives.”

  “They sometimes work, though. As for what you said back there… It wouldn’t have been you that broke what we had. It would have been the two of us together. I hope you realize that.”

  Then she took a deep breath and told him exactly what Molly had said when they talked. The comically wide eyes on his face made her lips twitch even as she totally understood his reaction.

  “Seriously? I…I don’t get it.”

  “I don’t either, but I also can’t find a reason why she’d lie. Not even to cover up any hurt. She’d have said something like she was fine with it, but she wouldn’t have actively put us together in her response. Or at least tried to.”