Page 70 of Valentine's in Bayberry

“I don’t throw myself at anyone. He was flirting with me, and then we kissed.”

“That’s a lie.” When she caught Alice’s surprised look, Carrie realized she was being dragged down to Brittany’s level. She pressed her lips together.

“I don’t lie. You’re just jealous.” Brittany tilted her chin upward.

Alice spoke up. “Carrie, you told me to remind you when it was time to leave.”

Carrie had no idea what Alice was talking about, but she welcomed any excuse not to have to deal with Brittany. “Thanks.” She turned back to Brittany. “Alice will help you with whatever you need.”

Carrie turned her back on Brittany’s gaping mouth and walked away. It wasn’t until she was in the kitchen and the door closed behind her that she took her first easy breath.

She was thankful to Alice for giving her an excuse to step out of the shop and get a breath of fresh air. And so, Carrie jotted a quick note to let Alice know that she’d be back in fifteen minutes. She grabbed her coat and slipped on her snow boots before heading out the back door.

Snow was falling in small, fine flakes. The air was crisp. She hunched her shoulders and snuggled deeper into her coat. When she reached her snow-covered car, she regretted her decision to leave. But it was too late to change her mind now. She unlocked her car and started it, hoping it would warm up quickly.

After clearing the snow from her car, she headed toward her parents’ house. The drive was slow as the road conditions were still not great.

As she neared the house, she noticed the mailbox. She’d been so upset about Jackson she hadn’t had time to think about her secret valentine.

She told herself it didn’t matter if there was a valentine in the mailbox. She wasn’t interested. But she knew that was a lie.

Had her secret valentine delivered her another one? Or had he given up? She wouldn’t blame him, since this wasn’t going to work out the way he’d planned. Because there was only one man she was interested—Jackson. But was she willing to risk their friendship in order to give them a real chance at a future?

She contemplated what that would mean as she parked the car in the driveway and walked back to the mailbox. There was only one envelope inside. She pulled it out. It was red, and her name was printed in big block letters on the front.

What did it say this time? Would it send her on another adventure? She resisted the urge to open it right there on the side of the road. And she might have done just that, except the wind picked that exact moment to blow snow right in her face.

She tightened her grip on the envelope and hurried up the driveway and climbed back into her car. Even though she’d just turned off the motor moments ago, the cold was already seeping into the interior. She started the engine and turned up the heater.

Not able to wait a moment longer, she slipped her finger beneath the envelope flap and ripped it open. Inside was avalentine’s card. It was cream-colored with a raised red heart. Across the top it read:Be mine…

When she opened it, she found a handwritten note in those block letters:

Tomorrow your questions will be answered. But until then, I have a surprise for you. Go to: 514 Main Street.

Your Secret Valentine

Carrie instantly recognized that address. She’d had to write it so many times in the past year. It was the address of the chocolate shop.

She was so confused. How could he have a surprise for her there without her knowing about it? Impossible.

Unless he had help. Would Alice have helped this secret valentine?

There was only one way to find out. She set aside the valentine and put the car in reverse.

The drive back to the shop was the longest of her life. If Alice had been this person’s accomplice, then she could tell her who it was—the identity of her secret valentine.

At last, she reached the shop and rushed in the back door. The only problem was that Alice was busy with a customer. In fact, the shop was so busy Carrie needed to assist her. There was no time to question Alice or to find her surprise.

But Carrie wasn’t complaining. This rush of business was more than she’d even dared to dream about. She felt quite blessed.

It wasn’t until they closed the shop at five o’clock that Carrie finally had a private moment to ask Alice about her Valentine’s surprise.

When Carrie locked the door, she turned to her friend. “Do you have something to tell me?”

Alice looked at her with widened eyes. “Uh... What are you talking about?”

Without a word, Carrie moved to the kitchen. Alice followed her. Carrie reached into her purse and pulled out the red envelope. “Does this trigger your memory?”

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