Page 23 of Meet Me at the Fudge Shop

And so what if he’d looked surprised to see her today.Yeah, that’s right, Slick. He might have shattered her heart and sent her running, but hello, she was back, heart intact and stronger this time.

Still pinched, just a little, that he’d sided with his family. Especially after knowing her plans for the shop. But she should have known he hadn’t changed, even after a decade and his fancy education. Rules versus renegade, that’s what her mom had always said about the two of them.

Oil and water and flames. Talk about reigniting the family feud.

Her friends joined her on the beach, Jack sitting at her feet. Sweet. She ran her hands over his ears.

“So, how was it?” Dani asked. “Seeing Declan again?”

Oh. Clearly they could still read her thoughts. “Perfect. I don’t know why he’s even here—he wore a suit. Who wears a suit on Jonathon Island?”

“Liam wore a suit when he got here—” Dani said.

Lily shot her a look. “Yeah, but Liam wasn’t from JI. You know what I mean. And he was wearing these stupid aviator sunglasses, and…”

“I thought he looked pretty good when I saw him in town,” Mia said.

Lily looked at her. “Seriously.”

“Aw, c’mon, Lily. Declan was never hard on the eyes. Dark hair, deep blue eyes, and it looked like he still works out. And once upon a time, you called him charming?—”

“Well, now he’s arrogant and sneaky.” She picked at the pebbles on the beach, found one and threw it into the water. “I can’t believe he suggested a contest.”

“Okay, what are the terms of this contest?” Dani said. “You make it sound like he stabbed you in the back. Unless it’s sheep herding, or a horse race, you can bake circles around Mr. Windy City?—”

“Slick.”

Dani laughed. “Right. Slick. Against Ms. Orlando cooking school graduate, and master chocolatier. I don’t see the issue.”

Lily winced at the mention of her supposed graduation. “He wants to share my shop.”

Mia raised an eyebrow. “Wait. Work in the same space?”

“Until the Main Street Festival. And whoever sells the most fudge during that time gets to keep the shop. Permanently.”

Mia and Dani eyed each other over Lily’s head. Smiled.

“Stop. I can see where you’re going with this. No way, no how are Declan and I going to be friends again. He’s the enemy.”

“Come on, Lily. It sounds like he’s trying to make the most of a difficult situation,” Mia said.

“Wouldn’t it be worse if Uncle Seb got back and decided that the council actually had therightto give the shop’s lease to the Kelleys? Then you’d have no shot at all.”

Lily sat up. “You really think that might happen?”

“You know the Kelleys. Especially Martha and Patrick. They’ll go to the mattresses for this shop.” Mia tugged her sweater close against the breeze off the lake. “I wouldn’t be surprised if they tried to get my dad to recuse himself.”

“Why would he?—”

“Because his daughter is going to marry a Hart.” She winked. “Hopefully.”

Dani bumped her shoulder, and Mia grinned.

Lily stared at her. “You’re saying it’s a conflict of interest for Seb to side with us.”

Mia shrugged. “You know they’d try it.”

“That’s hardly fair, given the fact they’re on the council.”

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