Page 29 of Meet Me at the Fudge Shop

He took it, a quirk to his brow. Oh, yes. He wanted to ask. She could tell.

“It’s need-to-know.” She crossed her arms. “And you don’t need to know.” She’d get that stuff on her own, thank you very much.

“Whatever you say.”

Declan went back to his computer and typed something in. Lily rounded the counter and stood behind him.

“Do you need something?” he asked.

“Just making sure you aren’t resorting to sabotage.”

“I don’t need to resort to sabotage to beat you.”

“Mm-hmm. I’ll just watch what you order.” She leaned against the counter while he pulled up several websites, entering their supply order and making notes on the page beside his computer.

Shoot. He smelled good. A little too good.

She’d have to bring a nose plug to work tomorrow.

Finally, he turned the screen toward her. “See? Whatever you think, I’m not out to destroy you. At least by cheating.” He whispered that last part. “Does everything look okay?”

She reviewed the list. Of course, it was all perfect. Precise. So very Declan. “Yes. Thank—” But nope. She wouldn’t thank him.

“What was that?” He cupped a hand to his ear. “I believe the words you are looking for arethank you.”

Was he teasing her? Or just being a downright jerk?

It didn’t matter. She refused to let him get to her.

Lily smiled. Kept her voice sweet. “I will say thank you when you hand over the keys to my fudge shop.”

“I don’t have a key?—”

“Which you will. Because I can fudge circles around you, Slick, and you know it.” She added a wink, picked up her backpack, and walked into the back kitchen.

And refused to acknowledge that maybe, just a little, she was shaking.

* * *

Declan refused to let Isaac be right.

Lily wasnotgoing to get her claws back into him. She wasn’t.

He wouldn’t allow it.

Setting his head back against the exterior wall of the fudge shop, Declan groaned as he waited for the ferry freight delivery that was supposed to arrive any moment. He’d spent the last half a week drafting his business plan, strategizing a marketing plan, and pulling all the original Kelley’s Classic Fudge recipes together. Now it was late Saturday afternoon, and this was the first time he’d been still in days.

And of course, where did his thoughts automatically land?

On Lily Hart. And the fact that she’d barely said a word to him, which had only made him, stupidly, uber-aware of whenever she walked into the room.

Felt a little like a game, who would look up first.

Clearly not her. Oh, the woman was cold. But he knew that, didn’t he?

Shoot. Probably he couldn’t blame her becausehe’dbeen the one to tell her to grow up. Which she should, thanks, but…yeah, that hadn’t come out quite like he’d meant it.

And then he’d actuallyteasedher. Like, what? They might be friends? Sheesh, even he wanted to bang his head against the wall because it was like a red flag to a bull.

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