What a Tangled Web (Tangle Valley #3) - Melissa Brayden Page 0,111

it, guiding me to you. My purpose with the café has been fulfilled because here we are.” She dried Clementine’s tears with her thumbs, and when she looked around at the smiling faces of their friends, there were very few dry eyes.

“What can I say? I’m a sucker for special moments,” Gabriella said, referencing her emotion. Ryan pulled her in for a squeeze.

“We’re so happy for you,” Becca said, kissing the back of Joey’s hand.

“I can’t think of a better person for the job,” Joey said.

They formalized the arrangement that next week, and the Bacon and Biscuit Café became Clementine’s.

“I can’t believe this is real. I still feel the need to pinch myself,” Clementine said, as they stood in front of the building, staring up at it. Because she’d insisted, she’d purchased the business from Madison officially and would make monthly payments in addition to the chunk she’d put down up front. Well, at least until it no longer mattered anymore, which Madison hoped would be sooner rather than later.

“Pinch away, because it’s not going anywhere.”

She looked over at Madison. “Does this mean I won’t see you every other day for bank drops? I always look forward to those stolen moments. Highlight of my day.”

Madison gave her waist a squeeze. “I don’t really see those going anywhere. Not sure I could stay away. The biscuits beckon.”

“Hey!” Clementine said, wounded.

Madison quieted her with a kiss. “I love you and plan to see you just as much as before. Maybe more. No possible way to keep me from it.”

“So much better,” Clementine murmured against her lips. Another kiss that made Madison flash back on their celebratory morning in bed, and her cheeks went hot.

“How many hours until tonight?” she asked.

“Too many,” Clementine said with a smile. “But we’ll get there.”

✥ ✥ ✥

Why had it taken Clementine so long to give in to this? Domesticity rocked, especially when it was Madison she got to gaze at dreamily across the house every day. She lounged on the couch, lost in the latest Groffman mystery, dimly aware that Madison studied the ice cream sundaes she’d constructed for them with the scrutiny of a true artist.

“Why do they look so much better in the photo?” Madison asked, holding up the laptop and the Pinterest page she’d found and bookmarked. She’d taken up a handful of new hobbies lately, vowing to be adventurous if it killed her. It was adorable, really.

“You’re asking me? The person who loves any and all ice cream creations? I think they look wonderful,” Clementine said, hoping to move the process along and dig into that gorgeous dessert alongside the gorgeous chef. “You just happen to be a perfectionist in all things. You also rock an apron. It’s like ice cream porn for me.”

“Perfectionism is overrated,” Madison said with a sultry smile and added a big dollop of whipped cream that destroyed the picture-perfect aesthetic. “Working on moving out of that tendency. Keeping the apron, though.” She winked.

“Do you know how impressed I am with you right now?” Clementine grinned, pushing herself into a sitting position and placing her book on the end table. Madison carried over the sundaes and took the spot next to Clementine on the couch.

“Voilà. Made with love.”

They shared a soft kiss that lingered, and Clem dug in. “Oh, my, I like the strawberry addition.”

“I thought you might.”

Clementine savored the rich hot fudge, turning her spoon over to be sure she got all of it. “What?” she asked as Madison eyed her.

“You make ice cream eating sexy. Who does that?”

Clementine knew she was blushing but didn’t stop. Couldn’t. It was too delicious. “Stop undressing me with your eyes mid ice-cream eating.”

“You don’t know that’s what I was doing.”

“Do so.” Clementine pointed at Maddie with her spoon, circling it. “I know that look.”

“Fine, but you eating a hot-fudge sundae topless is not an awful idea. Just throwing that out there.”

Clementine undid one button on her top for good measure.

Madison laughed and shook her head. “Such a tease.”

“What shall we do tonight?”

“I need to take a final walk through the vineyard before we lose the sun altogether. Make sure the new hoses aren’t oversaturating the soil. Then maybe later we can rent a movie?”

“Sold. Can I walk with you?” Clementine asked with a soft smile.

“I’d love it.”

Hand in hand they walked through the vines of Tangle Valley as the sun faded into a glorious pink on its way to bed. It startled Clementine how normal it all felt, how comfortable, yet