Page 67 of Valentine's in Bayberry

It wasn’t until lunchtime that Alice stepped into the kitchen, and Carrie took a break. “I’m sorry I haven’t been out front, helping you. How is it going?”

“Business has been steady.”

Steady?That wasn’t a description for record-breaking sales. Carrie was deflated. “But it’s not our biggest day?”

“Did I forget to mention that part?” Alice sent her a big smile. “Business has been steadily picking up to the point that I need your help.”

Carrie breathed a sigh of relief. At least something was working out for her. “That’s the kind of news I like to hear. Just let me wash up and change my apron, and I’ll be right out.”

She was thankful for this very busy day, in more ways than one. Because the busier she was, the less time she had to think about how her last conversation with Jackson had ended.

Chapter Twenty

Now wasn’t the timeto stop.

It was the time to double down.

Jackson wasn’t giving up on Carrie.Not a chance.He knew right now he had to be the strong one. He had to believe that what they shared was special—worth fighting for.

Being a businessman, he knew what it was like to prepare for an important meeting. He needed a specific objective, a compelling line of reasoning, and a vision of the end product. Although none of his business meetings had been this important, they did provide him with the experience to make his next appeal to Carrie the most compelling.

He’d made a plan. He’d paid attention to the details. He’d gone over it time and time again, searching for anything that might have been overlooked.

He tried to find answers for any questions that Carrie might throw his way. He didn’t want her to catch him off-guard because he needed her to believe in the vision he would present her.

He had one more thing to do. He drove across town and parallel parked in front of an old but stately house. When he got out, he noticed the sidewalks hadn’t been cleared.

Spotting a shovel propped up on the front porch, he tramped through the snow and onto the porch. He shoveled off the porch and then the front steps.

He was halfway down the front walk when the front door opened, and Carrie’s grandmother stepped onto the porch. “Jackson, is that you?”

“Yes, ma’am.” He took a much-needed break. The snow might look light and fluffy, but it was wet and heavy.

She pressed her hands to her hips. “What are you doing out here shoveling my walk?”

“I came to talk to you.”

“Well, come inside where it’s warm.”

“Yes, ma’am. I will. I just need to finish shoveling.”

She paused as though deciding if she should argue with him or not. Then she said, “Well, hurry up. It’s cold out here. I’ll put on some coffee to warm you up.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He got back to work.

A half hour later, he made his way inside the home. He shrugged off his coat and left his boots by the door. His hands were so cold he blew on them, trying to warm them.

“Back here,” Carrie’s grandmother called.

He followed her voice back to the kitchen. He’d been in this house many times as a kid. Carrie would visit her grandparents often, and if he was with her, he’d tag along. Her grandmother was the warm and welcoming type. She’d insisted that he call her Gran just like Carrie did. She also made the best spaghetti with the biggest meatballs.

“Have a seat.” She gestured to the kitchen table with a yellow tablecloth with little blue flowers.

Once he was seated, she poured them each a cup of coffee. He took his black, while she’d added three teaspoons of sugar and enough milk that by his way of thinking, it barely resembled coffee any longer.

“So, what brings you out on this snowy morning?” Gran asked as she slowly stirred her coffee. “And don’t tell me that you just got the urge to shovel snow.”

As she arched a brow and sent him an expectant look, he felt like a kid again. She had always been a pro at ferreting out the truth, like the time Carrie had skipped school because Brittany had threatened to beat Carrie up in junior high. He’d totally forgotten about that moment. And the fight had been over him. He’d felt so guilty he’d skipped school with Carrie.

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