Page 20 of Meet Me at the Fudge Shop

Wait—what?Herfudge shop?

Mom had said the Harts weren’t planning to reopen their fudge shop because of Nancy’s arthritis. That their lease had expired last week.

But now, Lily was here.

Uh-oh.

Before he could follow her and get some answers, the fudge shop’s front door opened, and Uncle Patrick walked in with a folder of papers.

“Oh, good, you were able to get inside. I just brought you the paperwork. You forgot it at the meeting.” Patrick set the folder on the counter beside the register, then looked around. “A bit musty, a lot dirty, but I think you can whip it into shape.” His eyes gleamed and he absently rubbed his thumb along the edge of the antique watch Great-Grandpa Casey Kelley had left to him. “My granddad would be proud. He always envisioned us having the premier fudge shop on the island. Now, we’ll have the only one. And in the best location too.”

The door to the kitchen banged back open and Lily charged through. “I thought I told you to—” At the sight of Patrick, she stopped short. “Why is my fudge shop being overrun by Kelleys today? I’m not open yet, sir, so if you want fudge, you’re just going to have to wait a week.”

Patrick’s smile faded at the sight of Lily. “What—what are you doing here?” He took a step back.

“I don’t mean to be rude, but I think it’s best that you both go. I have a lot of work to do.”

They simply stood there. Then Uncle Patrick said, “I’m not sure what you’re doing here, Ms. Hart, but the town council has officially leased this Main Street storefront to Declan.”

A moment of silence and then she laughed.

Laughed.

“Don’t be ridiculous. This is my family’s fudge shop. We’ve had a lease from the Jonathons for seventy-four years that says it belongs to the Hart family. So…” She shrugged.

Ouch. He couldn’t really blame her for being defensive. The Kelley name convicted him as much as their own past.

Uncle Patrick shook his head. “Sorry, sweetheart, but several months ago, your mother indicated to Seb that she wouldn’t be renewing her lease for the next five-year term, and it expired last month.” He picked up the folder.

Lily stared at him, then swiped it out of his hand, wrenching the top flap back. “That’s a lie. She’s the one who brought me here this morning.” Her eyes scanned the top document, then she flipped to the next. “This isn’t right?—”

“Perhaps she doesn’t remember having the conversation with Seb, but Martha overheard it.”

“Oh yes, let’s break a seventy-four-year promise on your mother’sword.” She slapped the folder back onto the counter. “How convenient.”

“Hey,” Declan snapped. “My mom doesn’t lie.” She might be a lot of things, including a gossip queen, but a straight-up liar wasn’t one of them.

Lily held up a hand. “The point is, she’s wrong. My mother had no intention of giving up the lease. And from the paperwork, it’s onlylapsed.Which isn’t a thing anymore because I’m back, my mother is headed over to pay the rent today, and I’m reopening the shop. Case closed.”

Uncle Patrick’s expression tightened. “Ms. Hart, regardless of your mother’s intentions, the bottom line is that the lease did indeed lapse, leaving it open for a viable business to use—and let’s face it, your mother hasn’t been using it for viable business for years.”

“Not true. She’s been using it to cater.”

“Yes, but she can do that out of her own home. She doesn’t need prime downtown real estate to do so. And given that it’s the town council’s job to ensure such locations are used well, and the fact the lease was up, we exercised that right to vote in the first applicant we received.”

“Whatever. Aren’t there like two Kelleys on the council, including Declan’s own mother? Seems a bit unfair to me. Besides, this ismyfamily’s fudge shop. You can’t just steal it away.”

“No one is stealing anything,” Declan said, glancing at Uncle Patrick with anI’ll handle this, thankslook. Last thing he wanted was new shots fired on the old feud that had managed to stay mostly dormant, at least for the last decade.

Since he left town.

Now, he schooled his voice. “But the fact is that the lease did lapse. By all accounts, your mother was ready to let it go. We obtained the lease legally, Lily.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Please. You know that business around here is pretty lax. I’m sure my mom intended to re-sign the lease once Seb returned from his trip. It’s only July seventh. According to your paperwork, it expired on June thirtieth. That’s a week out from it being renewed. What’s the big deal?”

Declan swallowed. Problem was, she was right. Even if it wasn’t signed, he’d have to evict her. And that could take months.

So much for his short turnaround.

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