Page 31 of The Coffee Bar on Camellia Court

He nodded, flashing her his grin. "Been thinking about one of your shakes all afternoon."

Alex did love her Decadent Dark Chocolate shakes. They were pretty remarkable, if she did say so herself. She made her own dark chocolate base using maple syrup instead of sugar and an extra-creamy homestyle vanilla ice cream from a local vendor. She served her shakes in pre-chilled Mason jars with the rims dipped in the chocolate sauce, and then she drizzled more of the sauce inside each jar before pouring in the blended shake. Topped with whipped cream and two homemade pirouettes, she finished it off with more chocolate drizzle. Decadent, indeed.

Juno glanced at the clock on the wall. Almost five. "Dinner's in two hours. Don't go ruining your appetite now."

"I would never," he said, his smile reaching his eyes. He rubbed his stomach. "I promise to show up at your door ravenous."

She rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress a smile as she opened the ice cream bin and started dropping scoops into the blender cup. Something had shifted between them, an ease she hadn't felt in his presence in years. Maybe ever.

"Did you get over to the B&B today?" She asked over her shoulder. What she really wanted to know was if he'd talked to Ward yet. Alex seemed in a pretty good mood, all things considered, and she had a feeling that if he hadn't yet done so, he'd still be looking shame-faced. In fact, he probably wouldn't have shown up here.

"Nah. When I called Ward after I got home this morning, he said they were ahead of schedule and told me to take the day off." Alex watched her hands as she prepared the Mason jar. "Said the ladies had everything in hand, and were already talking about kicking him out, too." He chuckled. "In fact, he all but warned me to make myself scarce if I knew what was good for me."

Juno chuckled. "Yeah, Hazel and Penny, when they get their heads together, can be something to contend with." She waited, not wanting to ask if he'd told Ward about his relapse—now was not the time and place—and when Alex met her gaze and nodded, it felt like he was reading her mind.

"Ward snagged a couple of lemonades and met me down on the dock earlier this afternoon." His tone was conversational, but the look in his eyes was solemn as he said, "I caught him up on things."

Juno nodded in acknowledgement, then slid the shake onto the counter in front of him. "Enjoy."

Poppy emerged from the back room with a tray of freshly baked cookies, her eyes lighting up when she spotted Alex. "Alex! I didn't know you were here. How's your ankle doing?"

"Better every day. Thanks for asking."

Juno hid a smile as she collected her tablet and the folder of paperwork she'd been working out of. Poppy's crush on Alex was painfully obvious, but to his credit, he kept things friendly and appropriate.

"So, Poppy," Alex said as Juno tucked the items into a drawer under the counter, then moved to the sink to wash the shake machine paraphernalia. "You seeing anyone these days?"

The young woman's cheeks flushed pink. "No, not at the moment."

"You know, I work with a guy about your age. Ryan. Good guy, hard worker. I think you two might hit it off."

Juno almost dropped the stainless steel tumbler. Was Alex Frampton playing matchmaker?

Poppy, ever the good sport, leaned against the counter. "You should bring him in sometime. I'd love to meet him."

Alex nodded, taking a long sip of his milkshake. "I just might do that."

When Poppy moved to help a customer who'd just walked in, Juno stepped closer to Alex. "Are you actually playing cupid now?"

"Just looking out for Poppy," he said, then lowered his voice, speaking comically from one side of his mouth. "And making sure she knows I'm not available."

The implication behind those words made Juno's heart skip, even though he'd said them in such a lighthearted way. She nodded, biting back her smile. "Good for you. She's a great young woman, and some guy out there will be lucky to get her attention."

"Let's hope I haven't just thrown Ryan to the wolves. Or the wolf." He play-wiped his brow. "She's… intentional with her affections, isn't she? I'd say he'd be lucky to get her attention if he's prepared for the level of attention she gives."

Juno snorted. "Wow. Such insight," she teased.

"I know," he shot back, blowing on his knuckles then rubbing them against his shirt. "Pretty keen for a big lug, aren't I?" He wiggled his eyebrows at her.

Before she could respond, Alex's phone rang. The instant change in his demeanor when he checked the screen sent a frisson of concern racing up her spine. A smile of unadulterated pleasure that quickly turned to what she could only assume was panic. She watched as he pressed the phone to his chest, looked at the screen again, turned it facedown on the counter, then acted like he was going to shove the device back into his pocket.

"Are you going to answer that?" she asked drolly?

Alex glanced at her in surprise, almost as if he'd forgotten she was there, then looked down at the still-ringing phone. "Uh… yeah. Yes." He nearly dropped it trying to hit the button before it went to voicemail. "Hey. Hi. It's Alex."

Juno's brows shot up. Breathy. He soundedbreathy! Like a nervous schoolgirl. Or like a man hearing from someone he really, really wanted to hear from. Who on earth would elicit that kind of response from Alex Frampton?

Juno busied herself wiping down the shake machine, trying not to eavesdrop but unable to completely tune out his side of the conversation.

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