Page 57 of Meet Me at the Fudge Shop

Yes, thefudge. The whole reason that kissing him was a terrible, painfully wonderful, disastrous idea.

The stupid fudge.

* * *

It had been three days.

Three days of preparing for the reporter’s visit tomorrow. Of making fudge and selling to customers and fielding questions from his family.

Three days since the wedding. Since Lily had worn that sunny yellow dress that fitted and flowed off her curves with a gauzy ease. Since she’d pinned her hair up in a loose twist, a few strands sweeping her bare shoulders that had teased Declan all day long.

Three days since he’d almost kissed her.

Again.

And he could probably blame her confession about feeling like a failure—it had gutted him to hear her talk about herself like that.

But ifthiswas how she did business, then maybe he could see why the administrative parts of school hadn’t been her favorite.

Declan leaned against the door to the small office in the back of the fudge shop, watching as Lily dug through her purse and added two more receipts to a stack in a manilla folder. Beside that sat the receipt spike she used at the register, a few receipts still piled on. “Please don’t tell me that’s your accounting system.”

Lily jumped, her hand knocking the file folder to the ground and sending the entire stack of receipts into the air like a New York City ticker-tape parade. “No!” She dove to scoop up the receipts. Thank goodness she’d gotten her stitches out yesterday or she’d be right back at the clinic. “Why’d you have to sneak up on me like that?”

“Sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you. But your system—or lack thereof—scaredme.” He squatted, reaching past her to grab a wayward receipt from under the ancient executive desk and adding it to the fresh pile she’d started. “Lily, you can’t keep your books like this.”

She rocked back on her heels, putting space between them. “It works for me.”

“Does it?”

“Yes.” She tilted her chin in defiance.

So stubborn. “Do you want my help?” The words were out before he could think better of them, because what would his parents say? What would Isaac—who’d been by twice in the last few days to spy on him—say? And he didn’t want to think about the reaction of the Kelley clan at large.

Harts versus Kelleys all over again, and them caught in the middle.

Then again, why did Declan care so much? His family’s feelings on the subject of Lily had nothing to do with whether or not he’d actually win their competition and get to keep Grandma’s house. Judging by the number of receipts scattered on the floor, by the way he’d seen customers react to her latest fudge flavors, Lily was already winning.

Which meant he probably needed a backup plan. In the meantime, “Let me help you get organized.”

Not that he was giving up. He still had some marketing tricks up his sleeve, parts of his business plan to execute. But as much as he wanted to win, he also didn’t want to see Lily fail. Not anymore. He held out his hand to her.

“Why?” After a moment of intense study, she allowed him to help her stand.

“Consider it repayment for showing me how to make fudge.” That wasn’t really the reason, but it was the one she’d accept. “Now, we need to get these into order by date.” He didn’t wait for her to say yes. Just took the stack and began sorting them on the worn brown desktop.

“I can do that.”

“So can I.” He spied an accounting software box lying next to Lily’s open bright pink laptop. His lips quirked.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

She swiped a receipt from his hand. “No, tell me. What are you laughing at me for now?”

“I’m not laughing atyou.” The pointed look on her face sent him backpedaling. “Okay, maybe a little, but it’s because you’re so cute. Most software is sold digitally. You just download it offline. The office programs are for…” Would he insult her if he told her that the physical software was mostly intended for old folks and those who were less than tech savvy? Shoot, maybe. “Never mind.”

Aw, man, she was frowning. “The ad said installing and using it was so easy, a five-year-old with a lemonade stand could use it.” She put the receipt she’d taken from Declan back in the folder. “I’ve never been at the top of my class, but I graduated high school just fine.”

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