Audrey quickly looked over at her sister, an uneasy feeling creeping over her. What was she doing? Was she nuts? She looked over at her father, saw him give Fallon a confused look.
“Why would she do that?” William said. “The economy is crap right now, and she already has a career.” Audrey’s heart sank. She believed that he would have said more too, if asked; that he didn’t think she could do it, that she couldn’t succeed.
Both Fallon’s and Tate’s comments from previous conversations came to mind You’ll never make things happen for yourself.
The hell she wouldn’t! It was time to make her move.
“But everyone is looking for a little piece of happiness,” she found herself saying. Her heart was pounding against her chest, but she didn’t care. Everyone looked at her as she went on. “If their happiness is in a three-dollar cupcake, people will buy it.”
William’s gaze was questioning, and out of the corner of her eye she could see Fallon with a bright smile as her mom stood with her lips parted in shock.
“Have you thought about this?” William asked.
Audrey shrugged a shoulder. “I have. It is a dream of mine.”
“Really?” Nora asked. “I always thought it was a little hobby.”
“No,” Audrey said, shaking her head. “I would like to make it a business, but I don’t know if I can be successful.” She glanced at her father.
“You’d want to leave Rocky Top for a cupcake shop?” William asked in bewilderment.
“Yes.”
The patio door opened and Tate, Lucas, and Aiden came running in. The cooler weather combined with tossing around a football and running around the yard had turned Aiden’s nose red, and Lucas and Tate were flushed too. Audrey turned from greeting Tate to see Fallon trying to catch Tate’s eye, so Audrey knew something was up.
“So Tate,” Fallon said, “we were just talking about Audrey opening a cupcake shop. What do you think?”
Tate smiled. “I think it is a great idea. Audrey makes wonderful cupcakes.”
Everyone nodded, but William. Audrey looked over at her father as he took a deep breath, and she knew this conversation would not go well.
“Yes, but, Tate,” William said, “don’t you think this economy is crap and new businesses are not doing well?”
“I don’t disagree with you, William, but this is about Audrey living her dream. I bet people told Patrick Roy that he would never have a shutout game, and he did it twenty-three times in one season.” Tate smiled, glancing at Audrey before he looked back at William and continued. “Why should we tell Audrey all the things that could cause her to fail when there are so many things that could cause her to succeed?”
“Like what, Tate?” William asked, crossing his arms. “What makes you believe she would succeed?”
Tate looked down at Audrey and winked. “She can do anything she sets her mind to, and I for one will be behind her a hundred percent. I believe in her. I am surprised you don’t.”
Audrey saw her father’s shocked expression. She was pretty sure no one but Fallon ever stood up to him. Knowing that Tate had only been ready to go to bat for her made her love him even more.
“I do believe in my daughter, Tate,” William said with narrowed eyes. “I am having a hard time seeing how she thinks starting a cupcakery is a better career choice than working in a company that has been around for decades.”
“Because it doesn’t make her happy,” Tate said, moving away from Audrey. “Shouldn’t she do something that makes her happy, that gives her a reason to go to work?”
William glanced at Audrey. “You don’t love Rocky Top?”
She felt her father’s cold hard stare, but even with fear settling in her bones, she didn’t have to think before answering. “No, Daddy, I hate it. I’ve always hated it.”
Nora took in a sharp breath as William shook his head.