Summer Love_ A Steamy Small Town Romance Anthology - Piper Rayne Page 0,36

came back home a month ago and we had one tipsy conversation about going into business together, and now…”

Zoey nodded. She did have a tendency to jump into things with both feet and Gwen was the kind of person who put in hours of research before she’d even buy a lipstick. They were opposites, even on the outside. Gwen was all shiny blond hair and minimal makeup, and Zoey’s hair could best be described as “inspired by My Little Pony.” But in her mind, that was the precise thing that made them such good friends—they balanced each other out.

“Are you having second thoughts?” Zoey asked. “I thought you didn’t want to go back to working in an office.”

“I don’t.” Gwen shook her head. “I’m done with chasing the corporate dream, at least for now. I want to be here, and I want to be doing this, too. But it’s a big change in how I saw my life turning out, that’s all.”

Zoey had never harboured big dreams like her best friend. Growing up, school wasn’t a concern, because her mind was stuck on more immediate problems like whether or not there would be food in the house or if her mother was going to be passed out drunk on the living room floor. It was hard to have dreams when survival wasn’t certain. But it had taught Zoey that she needed to seize every moment and never be too afraid to make a leap, because what if tomorrow didn’t come?

Life was for living, not for fearing.

“I’m glad you’re home,” she said quietly. “I missed you a lot.”

Gwen’s face bloomed into a smile. “I missed you a lot, too. The worst thing about Perth was the fact that I didn’t get to see you every day.”

Differences aside, their friendship was one of the highlights of Zoey’s life.

“What’s the next step?” Gwen asked.

“We need to get a roadworthy certificate, and Dad said he can help with that after all the repairs are completed. We also need to have a general safety inspection.” Zoey pulled the door open and showed off the inside. “The guy who owned it before put in a decent size fridge and chest freezer, because he used to set up on the beach and sell drinks. That means we have heaps of room to chill things like milk for the coffee and any of your desserts that need to be kept cold.”

“I was thinking we could do ice cream sandwiches, but gourmet ones where the biscuits are dipped in chocolate and decorated with nuts or edible glitter or fancy sprinkles. Or we could use ANZAC biscuits instead.” Gwen’s eyes lit up. “Oh, and we could try deconstructed pavlova! Think of how refreshing it would be to have a cup with some fresh whipped cream and chewy bits of meringue and pieces of fruit.”

“See, this is why I know it will work. You’re an amazing baker and I make awesome coffee. People will want what we’re selling.” A feeling of excitement bubbled up in Zoey’s chest. Her gut was telling her that Sweet on You was a great idea—a dessert food truck with Aussie-inspired sweet treats and delicious coffee made by two locals was bound to be a hit. “But can you please stop, because I haven’t had lunch and I’m salivating at the thought of all that.”

“Good thing I brought those cupcakes you requested.” Gwen went to her car and retrieved a plastic container with a high lid. “Two coconut lime, two banana nut, and two dark chocolate mint.”

“It would be a crime for you to be stuck working in an office when you can make things like this.” Zoey took the box from her friend, ignoring how Gwen rolled her eyes at the comment. They didn’t see eye-to-eye on Gwen losing her big fancy HR job—she saw it as a massive failure, but Zoey saw it as an opportunity. “But they aren’t for me.”

“No?” Gwen raised an eyebrow. “Who are they for?”

“Mack.”

Since Gwen’s eyebrow was already raised, it couldn’t go any higher without flying off the top of her head. “Brian MacDermot?”

“The one and only.”

Nobody called Brian by his real name. He’d been Mack as long as Zoey had known him, which must have been coming up on seventeen years now. She’d met him in the second week of grade four when her big brother, Sean, had brought a friend home from school. To say she’d been instantly smitten was an understatement.

To say she was still harbouring the