Page 57 of Valentine's in Bayberry

A big smile spread across Sadie’s face. “I might know something about it.”

Carrie couldn’t deny there was a thread of excitement that zinged through her body. What could she say? She loved gifts. She had fond memories of Christmas mornings. She recalled finding a pile of presents under the Christmas tree. It might not have ended up being as much as it looked when all of the wrapping was removed, but it didn’t make it any less exciting.

When her friend didn’t move to get the surprise, Carrie asked, “Aren’t you going to get it?”

As though Carrie hadn’t said anything, Sadie said, “When I first heard about your secret valentine and how he’d dropped presents at the coffeeshop and then the candle store, I didn’t think I’d get in on the action. But color me surprised when I was called upon to help.”

Carrie was running low on patience. “Sadie...”

“Boy, he must really like you.” Sadie grinned at her. She was having way too much fun with this.

“Could I just have the gift?” Carrie restrained her growing frustration.

Sadie’s gaze moved to Jackson. “I’m surprised to see you accompanying Carrie to pick up her Valentine’s gift.”

Carrie glanced over at him. She was also surprised he would want anything to do with her secret valentine, especially after that kiss. But apparently he’d taken her words to heart. And now she was starting to regret them.

But she could only deal with one problem at a time. She turned back to Sadie. “Could I please have the gift?”

“Certainly.” Sadie moved to the desk where she’d been working when they’d first arrived. She grabbed a flat cardboard box. When she returned to them, she laid it on the counter. “Here you go.”

Carrie’s gaze immediately moved to the shipping label. But to her great disappointment, it only had Sadie’s name on it. The box was approximately two by three feet, give or take some. It was two inches deep. She had no idea what was inside.

When she went to open it, she was impeded by a well-glued flap. Try as she might, she couldn’t loosen the flap. All she was able to do was to pull off itty-bitty pieces of cardboard. And her anticipation was growing to know what was inside.

“Can I help?” Jackson asked.

Carrie stepped aside. “Yes, please.”

In no time, Jackson had the box open. He made it look so easy. It must be nice, but she didn’t have time to ask how he’d done that so quickly and efficiently.

When he moved to the side, she stepped up to the box. She lifted the flap and peered inside. All she saw was packing material.

When she reached inside to pull out the contents, it wouldn’t budge. Whatever it was had been well-packed.

“Let me.” Jackson grasped the one end of the box while she tugged on the contents. Eventually, the packing gave way, and the object slid out. It appeared to be some sort of wall hanging.

After she unwrapped the bubble wrap and removed the cardboard corner caps, she turned the print around so she could look at it. It was a newspaper article. It included a picture of Carrie as well as interior and exterior shots of Totally Chocolate.

The headline read:Lifelong resident becomes entrepreneur!

Carrie’s mouth gaped. There was an entire article about her and her business. This was nothing like the small write-up she’d received for the grand opening. Then again, this wasn’t a real newspaper. It was a canvas print. But someone sure had gone to a lot of trouble.

“This is amazing.” Tears rushed to her eyes. She blinked them away. “Who would do something like this? It looks like a real newspaper page.”

“That’s because it is.” Sadie reached beneath the counter and produced a newspaper.

Carrie’s gaze scanned the paper. There on the front page was the same article that was on the wall hanging. She didn’t understand. The newspaper and the wall hanging were exactly the same, even down to the byline where Sadie’s name was printed.

“I don’t understand,” Carrie said. “How? Why?”

Sadie smiled at her. “Your secret valentine arranged for it all. I have to say that I feel awful that I didn’t have the idea first.”

She knew that this wall hanging was going to be something that she would cherish for a very long time. It was so thoughtful.

It was then that she thought of Jackson. He’d been unusually quiet. When she turned to him, he was standing there with a look on his face she couldn’t quite decipher.

“Do you like it?” she asked.

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