Page 1 of Dare to Love

Prologue

LILIAN

“You’re shuttingup the shop early today,” Paisley, my best friend shouted at me from across the street, her blonde locks swaying in the slight wind as she reached for her shades as I fought to suppress the groan that I desperately wanted to expel from my throat. I flicked my wrist up and glanced at the time after I finished securing the shop’s door closed and took my key out, sliding it back into my pocket as the fluffy pink Pom Pom with a chocolate bar hung out the side.A quarter to the hour. So, yeah, she was correct a whole forty-five minutes earlier than normal.I had a valid reason though. I had hoped to escape her; my best friend. I turned on my heel and schooled my features as Paisley grinned widely, checking the street was clear before she skipped across to greet me. The eccentric mis-matched clothes she wore on her curvy form always made me want to beam at her confidence she exhibited. I just had to stay cool and collected today—well over this holiday. Then I could go back to being me—happy, smiley and the bouncy chocolatier owner that the residents and guests of Starlight Bay had grown to love. “Youweren’t trying to escape me, were you? I mean we’d agreed to meet at the end of the day. You know what day it is tomorrow and?—”

“I had something come up and I was going to message you—” I began to ramble out as Paisley raised her shades, blinking twice as she scrunched up her freckled nose and gave me the once over from top to toe.Shit I forgot my bag and light jacket.I instantly felt my cheeks start to heat under her gaze and my fair complexion would mean I was certain to look like I was a strawberry now. I nervously fidgeted on the spot placing all my weight between each foot before I sucked in a large breath and met her beckoning, bright green shimmering gaze of mischief. “Fine, you caught me out. I was hoping to escape the talk that I knew was coming with you.”

“Aiden even asked if I’d sprung it on you yet. Plus, I had a great conversation with your new apprentice, Cal.” Paisley excitedly uttered to me as I took in the bright red cherries on her skirt and pineapples caked across her T-shirt.At least she’d picked the same group of objects this time. I don’t know how she managed to hold her head high attending those lectures with college students especially that day last week when she went in wearing her hair in buns, a banana print top and bright fluorescent pink feathers on the trousers. I mean talking with her step-brother I can understand but my newly hired apprentice and helper in the chocolatier shop was news to my ears. He was surprising me with how quickly he was picking up all the skills he was learning from me just not how well he fitted in with the gossip and locals—especially the one and only Paisley. “I haven’teverbeen able to set you a dare for National Dare Day, Lilian. This is the year girl. You know how much I love it.” She squealed with joy as my ears ringed from the high-pitched tone. “It’s my favourite holiday… like ever.”

“I know but it’s the worst for me. How can you find setting dares fun?” I joked to her, leaning against the door of my chocolate shop, Lil’s Sweet Treats. “It’s why I always make sure I plan my vacation to visit my mom and my cousin. It’s the perfect timing.”

“Except this year it’s not.” Paisley chuckled to herself. “This year they’re going away and you are here with me which means?—”

“I’d considered just taking the forfeit. I mean what’s the worst that could happen?” I feigned to her, like it didn’t matter in the slightest. The thing was I know deep down Paisley took this dare dead seriously and she’d make sure I had something that would stick with not only me but the whole of Starlight Bay. In the past she’d made Alec dress up in a dinosaur outfit and be the star in the latest performance shown and Jenni be the sole person running the kissing booth whilst singing—trust me many people avoided that stand that year with how bad the pitch and tone of the singing was. The worst of it was everything was public and in plain sight—you couldn’t try and fake or state you’d undertaken the forfeit like the original founders did. It’s why this clause came into effect. I’d be then known as the girl who wouldn’t play ball and instead quivered at the thought of a little dare rather than the successful business woman who owned a chocolatier shop that had customers traveling from out of town to visit her. “Why not introduce National Dare Day back at Rosewood Pines, I’m sure Aiden would love to initiate a style of the day with the fire crew back there. You could make a visit and ensure everyone abides by the rules and doesn’t break any of them, instantly setting themselves up for a forfeit too.”

“I’m not going anywhere and don’t think about mentioning me going back to Rosewood Pines and missing the event. I think they do enough dangerous activities without wanting to endure something like National Dare Day anyway. They are heroes andtrain for the most intense of a situation—they’d probably pick a forfeit if it was to have some fun and laughter over the seriousness of their everyday lives. It’s just not going to happen, okay?” She stated, placing her hands on her curvy hips and straightening her spine as she stood in her red kitten heels. My feet ached just to look at the picture knowing she’d been walking and strutting her stuff wearing those contraptions all day without a single flinch. “I have everything mapped out. It’s the perfect plan—if I say so myself.”

“And when am I going to find out about this plan…” I asked her knowing there’s no point fighting the issue any longer. I might as well embrace what I can.

“Well…” She began as she flicked her gaze across to the street corner to the grumbling growl and frustration echoing from a deep masculine voice, pinpointing her gaze instantly to that direction and diverting her attention away from me.

“Paisley…” I asked her. “You were saying?” I questioned her as her smile widened and she glanced at me with a glimmer of mischief in her gaze.

Reid Belgrave was rounding the bend with his hair messed up, prim suit and briefcase in hand, a fear instantly creeping up my spine.

“Paisley, please tell me that you aren’t going to declare anything to do with that man for National Dare Day?” I confirmed in shock reaching for my chest hoping that I could continue to push the air into my lungs and that this was just my tired mind playing tricks on me. I took a step backwards, grateful for the door behind me taking my weight in this moment knowing otherwise I’d have been flat on my ass and Reid would have been over here straight away looking at some regulation I’d have broken to cheer his grumpy ass up. “Paisley…”

“I’ve got to go.” Paisley cheerily said as my eye twitched. “I need to check in with Reid about something. Until tomorrow.” She waved at me as I instantly wished the world would make me disappear.

I know Paisley loved to have fun with National Dare Day but really could she actually think of a dare involving the two of us pushing me straight out of my comfort zone and into a territory that I’d hate and despise.

I’ve got to be wrong, haven’t I? She’s my best friend after all and that takes precedence over a holiday, doesn’t it?

CHAPTER 1

Lilian

I groaned loudly,throwing my auburn hair up with pale blonde streaks into a messy bun before tying my brown apron with Lil’s Sweet Treats embroidered around my waist knowing that by the time the shop opened it’ll have to be changed ready for when the customers arrived and then deep cleaned and soaked from the layers of chocolate that I’ll be covered in. I couldn’t create pure creative perfection without being able to thrive and explore in my workspace. The business I’d created was as much about the process and failures as the successes at the end of the day. I wouldn’t have my specialist double white and dark cups of hot chocolate otherwise to show for it. The stark contrast of the sweetness and bitter chocolate chips, mixed with luxurious cream and of course the snap of the perfect tempered fine chocolate. When you combined it all together with the delicious rich hot chocolate it made it hard for not only the people who lived in Starlight Bay to pop in but also the neighbouring areas.

Most picked up a selection of handcrafted chocolates and filled a box up at the same time or even a slice of the triplelayered and flavoured cake that complimented our signature drink with style. It amazed me how someone could manage it all though and not have to take some home and save for later. Personally, I ended up with tummy ache on more than one occasion from over consuming but it was just too good to deny and stop.

The early start to the day creating and restocking the shop normally flew by as the hours blurred into one but today, I couldn’t help but be anxious and watch the clock. I’d not slept well with the thought of knowing it was officially National Dare Day and the day I’d learn my fate. It hadn’t mattered that I’d considered hiding out or away from Starlight Bay—I could have said my Mom’s plans had changed—Paisley had recorded down at the town hall the official record that I’d be part of the holidays this season along with a line of other eager people from the community. It made me wonder what possessed all these people to participate in such an occasion—when it hit me—the prize shared between the person who created the dare and undertook it. This year it was a marketing package with Sleek Strategies and Heidi Lowerstoft—the company’s CEO herself who were known for their ability to deliver and excel in the production of online content. It could be a huge boost for any local business or the small town itself. It was why I knew I couldn’t escape the plan she had created now even if I wanted to as I’d be left with the forfeit for non-compliance and ruin her chances of winning. It was her dream but it meant I was totally screwed. End of.

I’d concocted so many ideas of what Paisley could have derived for my dare but none of which seemed suitable—either they were too extreme on one scale or too simple. Whatever it was though she’d put her heart and soul into planning it.

The bell sounded above the door as I peeked my head around the corner from where I created all the magic in the back room of the shop and noticed Paisley with a set of files in her handsdecorated in giant hearts clutched to her chest as she walked straight in my direction. With a quick glance at the time, I realize it’s only five minutes until we open and I’m no way near ready for the day ahead. I’d still not even started on the milk chocolate caramel apple creams yet or the new filled meringue nests.

“One minute,” I uttered to her, holding up my chocolate covered hand and shaking my head in disbelief at my lack of organisation skills. I’m always meticulously particular with my timings to ensure I’m ready for the open and now today I’m going to have to balance between the two. I mean meringue alone is so temperamental, never mind the tempering of the chocolate bases, if I open the door too early it’ll fall flat and if I leave too long it’ll be overdone and crisp. “I need to clean my hands and then I’ll be right out?—”

“Need a hand?” Paisley asks as her gaze took in the state of my workspace out back, her mouth hanging wide open as she took a glance at the time. I could tell what she was thinking without even uttering a word—I was in a complete mess and it was totally outside the standard obsessive control and order she saw on the daily from me. “I know Saturdays are my day off but it seems that there’s an emergency at hand here today. I can help out on the register and give you chance to?—”

“It’s this damn National Dare Day,” I replied to her throwing my hands in the air as I shook my head. “I’ve not slept a wink thanks to your name dropping of Reid Belgrave.” I snapped out to her as she bit down on her lip. It was as if she was fighting to hide the chuckle from coming out. To be honest that wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest—Paisley was all but bold and confident in all actions and never apologized for being her. It was why the two of us clicked so well when she first moved here from Rosewood Pines a few years back even though I always had the daily reminder of her roots with the thanks to either her step-brother Aiden checking in on her or his girl Blaire. Inmy eyes Paisley was the strongest woman I knew having been through more trauma than anyone should ever deal with in her younger years but instead of becoming a mouse and shying away from reality she bloomed as this straight talking confident lion prowling and taking down anyone in her path. “This invokes a huge fear in me.” I stated in a whisper finally as I swapped out my apron and threw my old one in the laundry basket to take home with me later. The amount of towels and aprons I go through in this place never seems to amaze me. “I’d appreciate the help but just tell me what the hell my dare is and pull the band aid off.”

“Well…” Paisley excitedly said bouncing on her tiptoes in another pair of this time lavish bright aqua heels with mermaid scales hand painted across them. My poor feet instantly ached at the thought of being trapped in those torture devices all day. “I dare you Lilian Raeflower to fake date Reid Belgrave for the next two weeks and no one in Starlight Bay can expect it’s not the real thing. If they do, then you have to undertake the following forfeit of hosting a tour of Starlight Bay wearing a baby costume and explaining random wrong facts about the area.” She now chuckled loudly at my slackened jaw as she stood in the doorway separating the shop from the kitchen area just as the bell to the shop alerted me to a customer.

I stepped slowly toward her thinking of the grumpy, annoying lawyer who oozed an air of sex appeal that no one could deny and a shiver passed down my spine. I sucked in a deep breath before my gaze met hers, the tapping on the countertop going straight through me as I noticed it was still a minute technically until the day started.

“You’re telling me… that I have to fake date with Reid Belgrave or take that ridiculous forfeit.” I seethed out. “How the hell did you think that I would even get him to agree to it? I mean…” I closed the gap toward her, indicating with my hand tostand to the side and let me pass. “Reid Belgrave… really. He’d never agree to that in a million years.” I said in amazement.

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