Cunningham is making dinner tomorrow night for Mr. Hendricks. It’s the first date she’s had since Al died three years ago. She said you gave her the courage to let go and move on.”
“Kael Hendricks?”
Lilly nodded. “Uh-huh. Can you really imagine two nicer people finding each other?”
I. Really. Couldn’t.
As soon as it was time to close up shop later that day, I grabbed my purse, shut off the lights, and locked the door behind me. It didn’t matter that I’d had only two hundred dollars in sales that day. Nor did it matter that I had to formulate the most brilliant marketing plan ever to get back my business.
All that mattered in that moment was avoiding any chance of running into Epperly’s most popular gigolo.
“Elsie!”
I made it ten feet and mere inches away from turning the corner to the parking lot at the end of the street. So so close … I should have used the back door.
“Elsie!” Rachel yelled my name again.
After squeezing my eyes shut for a few seconds, I turned and painted a neutral mask on my face as I waved back at her.
“Come here!” She motioned again for me to go there.
“I need to get home. Let’s meet up later!”
“Just a few quick minutes!”
Five people knew about the fight I had with Craig before he died—me, Amie, Bella, Finn, and God. How could I keep thinking four? I forgot God!
God wasn’t happy with me. I felt it like a heavy cloud. I let petty things ruin my marriage and kill my husband. I disrupted a peaceful grief group at church. And I talked about sex just feet from the sanctuary.
Oh … I forgot. There was also the sex out of wedlock the previous night that involved questionable STD prevention and the Lord’s name used in vain a few too many times.
God wanted me to suffer, starting with Rachel blowing my cover as I attempted to escape seeing Kael until I had a better plan. I grumbled all the way across the center of the town square and ended with a plastic smile. “What’s up?”
“Come in. It’s cold. We’re closed. But you have to try this.”
“Try what?” I surveyed the store, internally paralyzed by the possibility of seeing Kael.
Rachel led me to the kitchen where I’d been for the cooking class. “Kael made his first batch of peppermint bark. It’s to die for.” She snagged an irregular piece from a stainless steel tray and handed it to me. It smelled like Christmas.
I frowned at it. Seriously? He made candy?
I hated him—in the most Christian way possible, of course.
Chewing it slowly, my complicated feelings toward him continued to twist into knots.
Amazing—AMAZING sex.
But just sex.
My competitor.
Chocolatier.
Tillie Cunningham’s upcoming date.
“Better than sex, right?” Rachel smirked.
I had mixed feelings about that too.
“Oh!” She glanced over my shoulder. “I never did catch for sure … have you met Kael?” As she nodded toward the door behind me, I finished chewing the peppermint bark and swallowed hard before pivoting like a stripped nut on a rusty bolt—my finger wiping chocolate from the corner of my mouth.
He wore a red, long-sleeved shirt under his white untied apron hanging loosely around his neck. Dark jeans hung almost as loosely around his hips. And those boots … they were the same ones that had waited by my door as we did things the previous night.
“We’ve met.” One corner of Kael’s mouth curled into a conspiratorial grin.
“Hope you don’t mind. I had to let Elsie try your peppermint bark.” Rachel covered the tray of holiday goodness.
“Not at all. Mrs. Smith can taste anything she’d like to taste.” He lived to embarrass me. “Rachel, your windshield is cleared, and your car is warm.”
She nudged my arm with hers. “Told you he’s the best. He does it for all of his employees. Ready?”
I remained unmoved by his generosity. My glare said it all, and he knew it.
“I’ll walk Elsie out after I have a word with her. We’ve been trying to finalize some ideas for cross-promotion.”
“That’s an awesome idea. Well, maybe dinner this Friday, Elsie?”
I gave her a single nod and a quick glance with a stiff smile. “Sounds good. Night.”
Kael walked her to the front door and locked it behind her. Then he shut off the shop lights, leaving on some LED accent lights around his holiday decorations.
“Nice boots.” He leaned his shoulder against the doorway into the kitchen.
My chin dropped to the red ankle boots I wore with my light gray leggings, cream velvet tunic dress, and