Page 67 of Meet Me at the Fudge Shop

“It is. But if I win, I’m still going back to Chicago. I’ll hire someone to run the place here.”

“What about Lily? Why not hire her?”

It was the same idea he’d had—and thrown away—earlier this week. “She definitely wouldn’t want to work with Mom and Dad with me gone.”

“You’re not thinking, man.” Brandon reached over and smacked Declan’s head.

“Hey!” He rubbed the spot. It hadn’t exactly hurt, but still. “What was that for? What am I not thinking about?”

“The fact that nobody ismakingyou go back to Chicago. Your parents would love it if you stayed. And if you stayed, you and Lily could work together. Really put the family feud behind you.”

“I’m not sure she’d work in a Kelley shop. That might be too much for her.”

“You’ll never know if you don’t ask.” Brandon reached over to smack him again, but Declan strong-armed him back. Brandon laughed. “And you’ll never know if she is feeling the same way if you don’t just man up and kiss her.”

ChapterTen

Normally, church uplifted Lily. Reminded her that God was bigger than her problems.

But not today.

It wasn’t Pastor Arnie’s fault. He’d given a riveting sermon on the parable of the talents—the parts she’d heard, anyway. Her brain had crowded out the other parts, unable to settle, to quiet.

Even now, after service had ended, as she stood with her parents, who were talking with Cody and Mia at one end of their wooden pew, Lily should be finding pleasure in her day off. She and Declan had mutually agreed they would close the shop on Sundays, at least until one of them won and could afford to hire someone to work limited Sunday hours. Because nobody could work seven days a week without burning out.

Of course, it didn’t seem to matter how many days a week Declan Kelley worked. He always came out on top, as judged even in church by the crowd of people surrounding him. He stood like some anointed prophet on the other side of the small sanctuary, near the stained-glass window of Jesus with the lost lamb. Someone slapped Declan on the back, and he grinned that thousand-watt smile of his. Laughed.

Lily huffed, and Mom turned toward her. “You okay?” She looked pretty today in a flowing skirt and blue sleeveless blouse, her hair down around her shoulders.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just thinking about going into the shop later and experimenting some more. Gotta find the perfect recipe.”

“Everyone knows you make amazing fudge. That reviewer didn’t know what he was talking about.”

Except, hehadknown. Lily had yet to tell Mom the real reason he’d spit out his fudge. She’d let everyone assume it was because his tastebuds just weren’t quite refined enough.

Only she knew the wretched truth.

But how had her fudge turned out so terribly? She knew fudge. It practically flowed in her veins.

Apparently, her over-salted veins.

“Thanks, Mom,” she said. “But there’s a bit more to it than that.”

Cody and Mia left, likely to grab her kids from the children’s classrooms in the building next door. Dad turned from them, faced Lily. A gruff man with skin a bit brown and leathery from all his years in the sun, today his sharp gaze was softened by the powder blue polo he wore. “Listen to your mother, Lily.”

Lily’s eyes widened at her father, who didn’t speak unless he had something to really say. “Yes, sir.”

“I mean it.” He took a step closer, kissed her on the temple—a rare display of affection. “You can’t let that boy get you down.”

That boy.That’s all Declan had ever been to Dad. He’d never known him like Lily had. Had never needed to know anything more than that Declan was a Kelley. But he hadn’t seen how Declan had helped Lily. How he’d lent her his professional expertise, even though it wouldn’t benefit him—might even hurt his chances at winning.

I think this family feud has gone on long enough.

“It’s not Declan. Dad?—”

But her father held up his hand. “You’re a Hart and that means you’re going to succeed.” Turning, he found Frank and Martha Kelley, who now stood by their son. As if expecting it, Frank met Dad’s stare—and both of them glared.

“Oh, for goodness’ sake.” Mom grabbed Dad’s arm. “We’re at church, Randall.”

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