Page 1 of Valentine's in Bayberry

Chapter One

Her dream had cometrue.

Carrie Byers stood in the middle of Totally Chocolate, a small shop on Main Street, Bayberry, Vermont, and smiled. She’d done it. Her heart pitter-pattered.

This was her big moment. She’d invested all of her hopes, dreams, and savings into making this a reality. Not to mention, her grandmother had believed in her so much she’d insisted on being a silent investor.

Carrie hadn’t wanted to take her grandmother’s money, but there was no changing the matriarch’s mind when she was determined. Carrie supposed that stubborn streak ran through the family. In truth, the money was needed. And it was accepted on one condition, that Carrie would pay her grandmother back as soon as possible—with interest.

During this quiet moment, Carrie looked around, appreciating all of the hard work that had gone into creating her vision. Without the help of friends and family, it wouldn’t have been possible. They were there for her through the good times and offered their support when problems arose.

She turned in a circle, taking in the brown, pink, and white decor. There were a dozen small round tables with white tops and matching chairs. It had been total luck that she’d found them online. They were used but still in good shape. A café in a nearby town was going out of business and liquidating everything. She’d also picked up the upright cooler unit now standing off to the side of the room for half of its retail value. It now held an array of decorated chocolate cakes.

At the back, display cases showed off chocolates from dipped strawberries to chocolate mints and everything in between. She’d worked hard to come up with an array of tempting treats. And she intended to keep adding new items, perhaps with a seasonal menu.

Behind the counter was an espresso machine to make frothy hot cocoa among other hot drinks. She’d even gotten heart-shaped marshmallows. And if that weren’t enough, there was a freezer with chocolate ice cream. When summer rolled around, she intended to offer chocolate shakes. This would be a chocolate-lovers one-stop destination.

It was opening day. Her heart did a happy little tap dance. Dreams really did come true. Her smile broadened. With a lot of determination and even more elbow grease, the shop was to open just in time for the biggest chocolate holiday—Valentine’s Day.

Thankfully, the weather had cooperated. Even though it was February, notorious for snowstorms, it was above freezing, and the sun was shining bright. That had to be a good omen.Right?

She’d been keeping the interior of the shop a secret from everyone but the workers who’d revitalized this space and her wonderful assistant, Alice Waterhouse. Okay. She might have given her parents a quick tour before they flew south for the winter, but that had been right after Christmas. So much had changed since then.

With her parents in Florida, Carrie had agreed to housesit for them until April. They’d offered to pay her, but she’d refused. After all, it was saving her money by not having to pay rent for a few months. And she needed all the money she could get to invest in her business. Every time she thought she had everything she’d need, there was another ingredient, chocolate mold, or dipping tool she needed. But she didn’t want to think about any of that now.

Today, she wanted to impress the residents of Bayberry when they saw how this place had come together. Not so long ago, it was a vacant storefront. On this day, it looked fresh and vibrant.

And now that the grand opening was mere moments away, she felt ill.Ugh!Did everyone feel this way at their own grand opening?

A big white sheet still covered the shop’s picture window. She was insistent on keeping everything under wraps until the grand opening at precisely eleven o’clock. She checked her smartwatch. There was exactly nine minutes until the curtain came down and the door was unlocked. The knot in her stomach tightened.

What if no one shows up? What if they hate the chocolate? What if I wasted my life savings on this place, and it is a total flop? What if I let my grandmother down?

She pressed a hand to her midsection, hoping to keep herself from being sick. She walked around the shop, stopping here and there to reposition a chair or rearrange the pink carnations in the center of each table. She’d considered roses or tulips, but they were beyond her budget. In the end, the carnations were cheery and welcoming.

“Would you stop?” Alice stood off to the side with an arched brow as well as a hand resting on her rounded hip. “I just adjusted those tables.”

Carrie frowned at her friend. “I’m just making sure everything is perfect.”

“It is perfect.” Alice had long dark hair that was pulled back in a ponytail. She was short in stature, but she never let anyone talk down to her. She was warm and friendly, but she could be feisty when she needed to be. “You just need to take a deep breath and believe that today is going to be amazing. The town is going to love this place. All you need to do is sit back and enjoy this day. Well, maybe not sit back. You’ll be too busy selling chocolate.”

Carrie’s thoughts turned to the small business loan she’d taken out and the money she owed her grandmother. “There’s definitely no time to sit back. We need a large crowd to hustle through that door, clamoring to get some chocolates for themselves, their friends, and families.”

“They will. You’ll see.” Alice gave her a reassuring smile. “It’s all going to go work out.”

“I know. I just feel like everything is riding on this grand opening.” It wasn’t just a feeling but a fact. She had one shot to get this right. If this business flopped, it would take her years to recover.

“When do you want to take down the curtain?” Alice’s voice drew Carrie’s nervous thoughts back to reality.

Her stomach lurched. Maybe she shouldn’t have had that last coffee. “Right before we open the door.”

Alice smiled. “You really want to torture them, don’t you?”

“Torture, who?”

Alice smiled at her. “All of the people outside waiting to be one of the first people through the door of Bayberry’s newest shop.”

“There are people outside?” How did she not know this?

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