Page 18 of Love Story

I smirked.“I can do careful.”

He chuckled, hauling me in for a quick bro-hug.When I stepped back, I realized I had sawdust clinging to my jacket.“Hazard of being best friends with a woodworker,” I muttered, brushing it off.

Ryan grinned and climbed into his truck, giving me a casual wave as he pulled out of the lot.

I dumped my purchases in the back of my truck and climbed in, thinking about what I’d say when I got to Harmony Chocolates.If Haider was struggling, there was no way I was letting him deal with it alone.

The scent of chocolate hit me the second I stepped through the door.Rich and warm, it wrapped around me like a comforting hug.Harmony Chocolates was quieter than usual, and the faint hum of the display coolers was the only sound in the shop.

Behind the counter, Crocus was restocking a tray of delicately iced white chocolate squares, each one tiny and perfect, handled with the utmost care in his gloved hands.His focus was intense, but when he noticed me, he smiled.

“Hey,” I said, nodding to him.

“Hey, Sam,” he replied, his voice calm and steady.“You looking for Haider?”

I held up the bottle of syrup I’d brought.“I have this.”

Crocus’s smile widened just a little.“He’s in the kitchen.Staring.”

We exchanged glances and shared a nod.That meant Haider was in one of his thinking moods, caught up in whatever project was churning through his mind.

“Thanks,” I said, stepping past the counter and into the back.

The kitchen was almost too warm, with hints of chocolate and sugar.It was immaculate, with stainless steel surfaces gleaming under bright overhead lights.And there, in the middle of it all, was Haider.

He stood still, staring at nothing, his hands tucked under his armpits.His green apron was crisp and spotless, the Harmony Chocolates logo neatly embroidered on the chest.His dark curls were pushed under a hat, but a few strands had escaped, framing the deep frown on his face.

“Haider,” I said, leaning against the doorframe.

He didn’t move at first, too wrapped up in whatever thoughts were swirling in his head.I cleared my throat, tapping the syrup bottle to get his attention.

“Earth to Haider,” I said, keeping my tone light.

He blinked, focused on me, and his frown eased.“Sam,” he said, as if surprised anyone was in here with him.“Hey.”

“Got your syrup,” I said, stepping further into the kitchen and setting the bottle on the counter.

He sighed, the sound heavy, and I could see the weight in his shoulders, the way he looked down at the syrup as if it might hold the answer to all his problems.Something was wrong, and I wasn’t leaving until I figured out what.

Haider ran a hand over the counter’s edge.“It’s these ingredients,” he said, nodding toward two small containers sitting side by side—one labeledsumacand the othersmoked sea salt.

I raised an eyebrow.“What about them?”

He gestured vaguely, his hands moving as if shaping the air would help him explain.“I’ve been working on this new recipe—sumac caramel with a smoked sea salt finish.It’s all the rage in the city right now, but I’m not sure if it works here.”

I leaned against the counter, folding my arms.“What do you mean?Like it’s too fancy for Caldwell Crossing?”

“No, not fancy.”He frowned, tapping the containers lightly.“It’s the reaction.Sumac has this tartness, almost lemony but earthy too, and when you combine that with the smokiness of the salt, it creates this… unexpected contrast.It hits your tongue in layers, like sweet, tangy, smoky, and then—bam—it all blends.”

“Sounds good,” I said, shrugging.“What’s the problem?”

He lowered his voice as if he didn’t want the town to hear.“The problem is, I don’t know if people here will like it,” he admitted, growing more animated.“In the city, they eat this kind of thing up—unexpected pairings, bold flavors.But here?”He threw his hands up.“Do people in Caldwell Crossing even want their caramel to be anything other than sweet and buttery?I mean, you remember what Byron said.”

I stiffened.“We said we’d never mention his name again.”

“But he was all ‘try something new, Haider, make better candy, Haider, that’s not how we do it in the city, Haider.’”

“His opinion never mattered.”

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