All's Fair in Love and Chocolate (Marietta Chocolate Wars #1) - Amy Andrews Page 0,54

of her thighs, his greedy gaze eating her up. He executed a perfect sit-up. “I’m recovered.”

Viv smiled and said, “Atta boy,” as she sauntered for the door.

*

The following weekend, with much excitement and anticipation around town, the annual Marietta Stroll finally got underway. She’d listened to so many of her customers reminisce about past Strolls, Viv had been looking forward to it herself and not just because it was the day of the hot chocolate judging. But because everyone in town seemed to be involved in some way and the feeling of solidarity, of belonging, of coming together and being a small part of something bigger, permeated everything.

Delish was one of the many vendors—over thirty in all—that would be setting up in the closed-off main street. They were giving away free hot chocolates and displaying a selection of their stock, hoping to attract customers after sweet treats for Christmas stockings. It was the kind of event that wasn’t available to a big-city store and their chance to really cement their presence in the community.

Saturday arrived, a crisp, cold morning, under a cloudless blue sky as the many vendors set up in their allocated spots along the street. At the end of the street the domed courthouse resided over the proceedings as the historic hub of downtown Marietta was transformed into a magical Christmas fair.

Behind it, the stark majesty of Copper Mountain stood sentinel over the town, dominating the landscape as usual, its craggy peak crowned in thin blue air. Its snowy slopes shone bright as diamonds beneath the golden rays of sunlight, the blazing white interrupted lower down by the tall, steady presence of evergreen conifers, their dark green, needle-like foliage providing a splash of color despite the snow on their tops and branches.

Viv, Robbie and Mackenzie worked in tandem to get their stand set up. The event didn’t kick off till the afternoon but there was plenty to do to keep them occupied—making several hundred hot chocolate stirrers for a start—and many hands made light work. The camaraderie between all the vendors as everyone went about their jobs also helped pass the time.

It was hard to believe just over a month ago, she’d been regarded with mistrust and suspicion. Now people were dropping by for a chat, lending a hand if she needed it, having a laugh, pointing at the board Mackenzie had brought over from the shop proclaiming Delish’s hot chocolate as the best in town and asking Viv if she was nervous.

Viv was not nervous. She knew the popular vote was a lost cause even though Marietta had warmed to her significantly and the stirrers had proved very popular but she was still utterly convinced Delish sold the better hot chocolate and she was looking forward to proving it in front of the entire town.

Maybe it didn’t matter anymore who won with Delish forging ahead as it was. She didn’t need to win the friendly comp to increase their exposure—just having the audacity to throw the challenge down had been enough—but it would be the icing on the cake. And, if she was being honest, Viv’s pride was on the line.

In the beginning that’s all she’d had against the naysayers in Marietta and she’d like to be able to prove it was justified.

Despite the freezing temperatures as the day started to fade, Viv was warm from all the activity and raring to go when the event opened at four thirty. The smell of roasting chestnuts and hot dogs spiced the air as Santa arrived and led the lighting ceremony down Main Street to the courthouse where the special Christmas lights that had been installed over the past few days were lit up with the flick of the ceremonial switch.

The street, which had already been picture-postcard pretty took on an extra festive glow, the fat red bows on the giant wreaths that hung from the light poles went from merry to radiant. Everybody’s eyes seemed to sparkle a little more. The children’s cheeks got pinker.

And, despite being crazy busy for that first hour Viv made sure to lift her head every now and then and soak in the atmosphere. She could hear sleigh bells somewhere in the distance and see the hay wagon piled high with hay and laughing family groups departing to do its loop out to the fairgrounds and back again. Children ate cotton candy with one hand while in the other they clutched their precious free photo with Santa being offered in the foyer of