Page 36 of Meet Me at the Fudge Shop

“Listen, a whole decade has passed, and you’re a different person now.”

Was she, though? Yes. No.

She walked closer to the gazebo now. It was even more beautiful than Lily remembered, with softly lit bulbs wrapped around the posts and hanging from the ceiling. A spread of drinks and appetizers topped two six-foot tables lining the edges of the brick pathway that led to the three steps of the octagonal structure.

Dani stood on the steps with Liam and another man whose back was to Lily. She glanced at her watch and placed her hand on Liam’s broad shoulder.

“I’ve gotta go,” Lily said. “The meeting is going to start soon.”

“Lil?”

“Yeah?”

“Youcando this. I believe it. Your parents believe it. But all of that means nothing if you don’t believe it.”

Aw, Sadie. “Thanks,” she managed to eke out past her clogged throat. “Love you.”

“Love you back.”

Lily hung up and stuffed her phone into her cross-body purse. Her eyes scanned the crowd, and wow. There were a lot of new faces. A lot of serious faces, belonging to people who held drinks and clear plates with cute bite-sized appetizers. A few wore fancy dresses, a couple men in suits. Clearly the newbies.

She did recognize several people, though. Fifty-something widower Doug Manning—of Doug’s Market fame—adjusted his thick glasses and perused the veggie tray, maybe avoiding the dessert table to keep his athletic figure strong. And she spotted Island House Inn owner Caleb Kennedy, who had been a few years ahead of Lily in school.

She spotted Mia and Cody holding hands, talking with someone she didn’t know, and then her gaze landed on…oh no. There, by the hors d’oeuvres, stood the Kelley clan. Jill and Patrick and Martha and Frank.

Somehow, Lily had managed to avoid them all since that first day in the fudge shop with Patrick. But right now, they were all—save Jill, whose eyes held some sort of pity—glaring at her. Especially Martha.

Lily’s stomach turned over on itself. If tonight’s gathering wasn’t a Main Street Festival information session in addition to a get-to-know-you and welcome for new business owners, she’d be fleeing to the shop kitchen about now to see if she could get Mom’s old ice cream maker working and whip up a pint of raspberry chip.

“Lily! Over here!” Dani, waving her over.

Lily’s gut loosened as she hurried toward her friend—but tightened again when the mystery man in front of Dani turned.

Declan.

He wore a suit, of course, unlike the other flannel-clad locals, and that only made him—shoot—stunningly handsome. His dark suit cut perfectly across his shoulders, and the silvery-blue of his tie electrified his eyes. He held some sort of sparkling drink in a flute, looking every bit like the fancy, la-de-da businessman from Chicago.

As if he owned the air on the entire island.

Run.

Lily pressed her hands against her many-colored skirt, the fabric of which was much more wrinkled than she’d remembered. That’s what happened when you grabbed something at the last minute from the back of the closet.

Dani took the steps down to hug Lily. “I’m so glad you made it. How’s your knee?”

“Doing fine.” Lily glanced around. “Um, I didn’t know it was going to be such a formal event tonight. I feel way underdressed.”

“Girl, look at me.” Waving her hands up and down her body—where she wore a red blouse and black slacks that looked more comfortable than stylish—Dani cocked an eyebrow. “I think these newbies don’t yet understand how casual we are here.”

Liam laughed. “You’ll whip them into shape soon enough, babe.” Indeed, Liam wore khakis, a golf shirt, and Dockers. So, still preppy, but he’d lost the New York vibe.

Dani grinned. “It worked on you.”

Somehow the four of them had ended up in a circle. Lily’s bare arm brushed against the soft fabric of Declan’s jacket, and of course, the man smelled good too. Cardamom, she thought, and, hmm. Cardamom. That would made a lovely addition to her holiday fudge menu.

What—no. She absolutely wouldnotbe adding anything to the menu inspired by Declan Kelley.

“I want to grab something to eat before the meeting starts,” Dani said, her gaze flitting quickly to Lily and Declan.

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