Page 47 of Meet Me at the Fudge Shop

Warned him? About what?

Whatever it was, it lit something in Declan. “Shut up, Isaac. What are you doing here, anyway?”

“Mom sent me over to make sure things were going well for you.” Isaac pulled a stick of gum from his hoodie pocket, unwrapped it, and stuck the gum in his mouth. “Apparently, yes.” He gave a wink.

Oh, now she felt gross. She walked to the sink to finish wiping off the chocolate. What in the world had just happened…or almost happened? What would Declan have done if Isaac hadn’t shown up?

What wouldLilyhave done?

Maybe she should be grateful his kid brother showed up.

Declan grabbed Isaac by the shoulders and started to push him through the door. “Let’s go.”

“But—”

“Now.”

“Sheesh, big brother. Fine. Just remember what I said. Don’t let her get her claws into you.” The door swung open, and Declan hauled Isaac through—but not before Lily heard the rest of what he had to say. “You made that mistake once before, and Grandma paid the price.”

Grandma paid the price.

She shook her head, refusing to listen. But shoot, Isaac was right.

And then Declan’s retort rose, angry, from outside, through the open window. “I know, bro. I know.”

Yeah, they both knew.

Declan stuck his head back in, taking off the apron. “I’m just going to take care of this little pest problem, all right? Be right back to finish our lesson.”

She gave him a thin smile.

But nope. They’d had enough lessons. She’d learned all she needed to.

* * *

She’d put a blue line of tape down the middle of the shop.

He’d spotted it yesterday when he’d returned after his short visit to the diner to tell his mother that really, he didn’t need a babysitter.

But maybe she did deserve an update, rather than what Isaac might tell her.

Yeah, that would be great—the entire Kelley clan rallying to reignite the Hart-Kelley war. And he and Lily caught in the middle again.

Except, no worries there—she wasn’t talking to him. Again.

“Thank you so much for coming in.” Declan wrapped up yet another order of Kelley’s Classic Fudge—yes,plainchocolate—and handed it to a forty-something woman and her two preteen daughters, who were showing each other something on their phones, glancing up at Declan, and giggling. “I highly recommend enjoying that with a cup of coffee or some hot chocolate. Because you can never have too much chocolate, am I right?”

The woman’s eyes brightened. “We’ll definitely do that. Can’t wait to try it. The sample was delicious.”

Yes, making fudge had been anything but simple. But selling it? That was where he shined.

“That recipe’s been in the family for generations. When you’re ready for your coffee fix, hit up Good Day Coffee just down the road. My Aunt Jill runs the place, and if you tell her I sent you over, she’ll give you a discount.”

“Oh, perfect.” The woman shifted a shopping bag from one arm to the other. “We’ll head over there now. Come on, girls.” She waved at Declan and, with a final look and smile behind her, ushered her daughters out the front with a merry jingle of the bell Lily had put up last week.

A cough barked from Declan’s left. His eyes skated across the counter—to the other side of the blue tape—and found Lily arranging her platter of full-size samples, not for the first time. Lips pursed, she refused to make eye contact with him.

Funny, that hadn’t been her response yesterday when?—

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