Page 17 of Meet Me at the Fudge Shop

“It’s not a pride thing at all.”

“I know, honey. I’m just teasing.” Mom drew a figure eight in the dust, then blew it off her finger onto the floor, which would need a good vacuum and scrubbing anyway. “We gave Cody the fishing company license and sold him equipment at a discount. That was our way of helping him get started, and this is our way of helping you. It’s not a whole lot, but enough for you to operate for two months, maybe three.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course I’m sure. We’re proud to see you guys carry on both of the family businesses, and we want to do all we can to make that happen. In fact, after book club today I’ll head over to Seb’s to pay your first month’s rent.”

It was so incredibly sweet that they believed in her. But how much of that confidence was based on the lie that they thought she’d graduated with the knowledge of running a business? “But what if I fail?”

“You won’t.”

Lily opened her mouth to say that she already had. But before she could confess, Mom hoisted a box of fudge gift cartons and carried it toward the back storeroom.

She hurried after her. “Mom, you shouldn’t be carrying that.”

“Nonsense. I’m having a good day.” Mom had already set the gift cartons down by the time Lily reached the room.

Her eyes landed on a boxy metal appliance that took up a nearly two-foot by two-foot space on the shelf and stood almost three feet high. A latched door with a metal chute stuck out of the front. “Is this an ice cream maker?” She eyed the digital buttons at the top of the unit.

Mom dusted off her hands. “Cool, right? I got it at an auction. They were closing an ice cream shop in Saginaw and no one else had bid on it—it was a steal. Thought it would come in handy for summer parties or weddings, plus I know how much you love to experiment with different flavors as a stress relief. Unfortunately, I’ve been struggling to get it to work. I’ve tried three batches, and it shuts off too soon.”

“Did you have Dad take a look?”

“No.” Flipping off the lights, Mom headed back to the front. “He knows his way around a boat, but ask him to fix a small appliance and he gets grumbly.”

Ha. So much truth in that statement. “What about Cody?”

“When would he have time? He’s the town’s only handyman, plus he’s fixing that boat so he can get the fishing company up and running again.” Mom took a broom leaning against the back wall and started sweeping up dust mites. Some swirled in the air. “Besides, with all the time he’s been spending with Mia, he’s too busy to be fixing an ice cream maker.”

Lily sprayed down the countertop and scrubbed it to a sterile sheen. “They do seem really happy.”

“I agree.” Mom paused. “Who knows. With all the new people moving to Jonathon Island, maybe you’ll find someone to makeyouhappy.”

Lily rolled her eyes. “Mom.”

“What? A mother can dream.” Looking up from the broom, she winked at Lily. “And pray.”

“Don’t waste your prayers on me—at least as far as love’s concerned.” After Declan, even after Tony, yeah. Romance was not at the top of her list of priorities. “Instead, pray I can make this fudge shop a success.”

She sensed Mom’s eyes on her. Lily turned. Mom’s lips were drawn into an uncharacteristic frown. “You’re okay with this? Reopening the fudge shop? Living on the island again? I hope you don’t feel like we’re pressuring you.”

“Not at all. It was my idea, remember?”

“Good.” She resumed her sweeping. “Because your dad and I made peace a long time ago about letting the fudge shop go. We had to. The economy had tanked, nobody was buying fudge—or anything but the essentials, for that matter. And then once we might have considered it, I got my diagnosis. But I’ll admit. This is exciting, to see your grandparents’ shop come back to life. To see my legacy living on, in you.”

“It’s what I always intended to do. The reason I went away to learn about candy making in the first place. I’m glad I have the chance to keep it going.” Even if it scared the pants off her. “This is a special place.”

“It really is. I remember the first time I stepped inside as a college student on vacation. The smell of the chocolate, the mesmerizing way your dad’s parents and aunt threw the fudge onto the marble slabs and used nothing but a wooden paddle and their brawn to make something spectacular out of so few ingredients. Well, I knew I had to get a job here.”

Lily could picture it—Grandpa William and Grandma Karen working alongside William’s sister, Felicia. The two older women had taken Mom under their wings and shown her everything they knew about fudge making. “And then you met Dad.”

“Rough and tough fisherman Randy Hart. He’d breeze in here after a day’s haul, looking for something sweet. His mom would yell at him to get out of her fudge shop stinking of fish, and I’d take pity on him and sneak him a bite of fudge from the back alley.” Mom leaned against the broom handle and sighed. “Pretty soon, that wasn’t all I snuck him.”

“Gross, Mom!” Lily pretended to gag, though the idea of her parents kissing actually brought a smile to her heart. “But see? It really is a special place. It’s literally my origin story. How could I not want to be here?” She lifted her rag and revealed a trail of clean white against the thick dust borders.

“You always did like it here. My little shadow, helping make batch after batch of fudge.”

“I made myself sick more than once when I ate every last drop of residue from the copper kettles.”

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