We have a leak above our retail shop. Turns out the problem is bigger than originally believed and I have to get down there to soothe one of our longtime guests.”
“Good luck. If you’d like I can send a basket of Candied Apple goodies over in the morning for any of your displaced guests,” she said. The gesture would be a nice promo opportunity.
“That would be a nice touch. Thank you.”
“No problem. Just text me the number of baskets needed and the guest names.”
“Thanks,” he said. She nodded and took a step away from him, but he caught her arm in his hand.
She stopped and half turned toward him. Their eyes met and he closed the gap between them.
“I told myself this was a bad idea, but I can’t stop wondering what it would be like to kiss you,” he said.
She just leaned in the slightest bit, their lips met and a tingle spread down her neck through her body. His lips were firm but soft and parted against hers. She felt the warmth of his breath in her mouth and then the brush of his tongue over hers. She reached up, grabbing onto the lapels of his coat to steady herself.
She opened her eyes and shifted back from him. He just traced his finger over his mouth, then nodded. “Good evening.”
He walked away and she watched him leave. Blair’s comment from the night before ran through her mind. Iona had thought she understood what “complicated” meant, but she really hadn’t.
“Iona?”
She shook her head to clear it, forced a smile and looked over at Cici. “Sorry, what were you saying?” Iona asked.
Cici looked tired, as was to be expected since she had a two-week-old baby, but also glowy … was that even a word? But she did. Also Cici looked happy. Happier than Iona had ever seen her. She was getting ready to celebrate so much in her life.
“I was just inviting you to a dinner party on Saturday evening.”
“Should you be entertaining already?”
“Well, if you must know Hoop’s friend Alfonso is giving us an evening of cooking as an early wedding present and he said to invite our closest friends and that includes you.”
“Of course, I’ll be there.”
Cici blushed, nibbled her lower lip, cleared her throat and then finally just sighed. “Should I put you down as one or will you be bringing someone?”
This was exactly why she had wanted the matchmaking to work out. Everyone else in their circle was paired up. In the past she could have invited Theo along, but now he had a partner too. “Put me down for two. I’ll find someone to bring along.”
“I will, you know it’s fine if it’s just you. It really is going to just be our closest friends … in fact Xavier — you remember him? He works with Garrett on the force … he’s single and he’ll be there,” Cici said.
She shook her head. Xavier was still in love with his ex-wife. Anyone who’d spent ten minutes talking to him could easily see that. Xavier was a detective who worked with Hayley’s fiancé and had been divorced for a year. “You should invite his ex. He still loves her.”
“Really?”
“Yes. He did nothing but talk about her at the cook-out that Garrett and Hayley had at Labor Day weekend.”
“Interesting. I think he has two kids. Maybe I’ll suggest we make it family-friendly,” Cici said. “But that still leaves us stuck for someone for you.”
“I said I’d bring someone,” Iona said firmly. “And I will.”
“Okay,” Cici said, reaching across the small table and putting her hand on Iona’s. “I was hoping that things would have worked out with Nico.”
“Me too,” she said. Cici and Hoop had gone on her first date with the Greek millionaire.
“Are you two having fun without me?” Hayley said, coming from the back of the store and her candy kitchen.
“I thought you were in the kitchen concocting greatness,” Iona replied.
Hayley’s blonde hair had grown out since last January, when she’d shorn it all off, and it now brushed her shoulders. She had on a pair of leggings and a thick tunic sweater. “As a matter of fact, I had a genius idea for a new truffle that I have made some samples of. And I need your opinions.”
Hayley put a small plate on the table between the three of them. There were six truffles lined up in white, milk, and dark chocolate.
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