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A little boy held the string of a broken balloon up to his parents.Whew.Just a freakin’ balloon.

She released a deep breath to let the fire subside.Just a kid. Just a balloon.

Sadie watched her with wide eyes. Joan pushed her sunglasses back and sat. “Loud noises,” she said, like that might explain.

“Yeah, that scared the bejesus out of me.”

Sadie snuck a glance at her. Whether she was respecting Joan’s privacy or trying to figure out how to askWhat’s up with you and loud noises?, it’d be best to pretend like that hadn’t just happened.

Joan took a big gulp of horchata. The cinnamon-y rice drink heated as it traveled to her stomach. “So what’s the holdup on opening Sadie’s Café?” she asked.

“The cost.” Sadie made a face. “The initial expenses to get it going, but also the insurance. Banks don’t like to loan money to new businesses because they know you have to spend a fortune on property and liability insurance. Those rates are ridiculous.”

“Insurance is really that expensive?”

“It’s ludicrous,” Sadie stated. “Witness what happened at Vector City Coffee. Three property damage claims in one year. Our rates are always going up.”

“I didn’t know that.” Joan never had to worry about stuff like insurance. She couldn’t even go to a regular doctor due to the whole shooting fire as a preexisting condition thing.

“It’s part of living in any big city.” Sadie tapped her on the knee. “Definitely shop around for the best quote if you do get a food truck.”

Joan quirked her eyebrows. “Any tips on the best companies?”

Sadie gave her the inside scoop on insurance companies, and which grocery stores were best for buying in bulk, and how to get equipment and supplies at a discount. They inched closer, voices growing quieter. It felt good to sit there sharing secret dreams. Reassuring. Sadie had thought about this café as much as Joan and Mark had about their food truck.

Sadie rested her fingers on Joan’s forearm. “Can I admit something to you?”

Please don’t let my skin be burning hot.“Sure.”

“I’m scared I might not be able to run my own business. Like, do all the paperwork and hire people and worry about profit and loss statements. It’s a lot of work. I don’t know if I could hack it. I’m a creative type, not an analytical type.”

Joan hummed in sympathy. “Have you thought about a business partner? Someone who’s good at that stuff?”

“I have. I asked Amit about it once. He’s been the manager of Vector City Coffee since it opened. But he doesn’t want to start from scratch. He’s married and settled in a good routine. He likes where he’s at.”

Sadie stared down at her dress. It was the first time she hadn’t been upbeat and confident about something. This was a deep confession she was trusting Joan with.

Her heart twinged.

“I’m sorry, and I hear what you’re saying.” Joan rubbed her date’s cool hand. “For what it’s worth, you strike me as the sort of woman who goes after what she wants.”

“I usually am,” Sadie said. “I think I just want this so bad. Like, more than anything.”

“It’s scary to go for something you want that much. But I think you can do it.”

“You do?”

“I do,” Joan said.

Sadie dragged her fingers along Joan’s arm. “Can I tell you something else?”

“What else?”

“You have very sexy forearms.”

Desire bloomed from her core, flowing through her veins like warm tropical waves. She brushed Sadie’s thick hair back. “Now that’s a prime example of a woman who goes after what she wants.”

Sadie pinned her with a sizzling gaze. “I really want to kiss you. If that’s okay with you.”