Page 94 of Meet Me at the Fudge Shop

A sodden piece of ceiling plopped at her feet from above. She glanced up, where the leaky pipe was now partially exposed. “You know it’s awfully suspicious that your fudge was miraculously saved and mine was ruined—and your brother was the last one in here last night.”

His eyes widened. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I think it’s pretty obvious.”

“I know Isaac has his problems, but he wouldn’t sabotage you like that. That’s crazy.”

She held up her hands. “Of course I’m the crazy one.”

“I didn’t sayyouwere crazy—just the idea. Isaac may be a jerk sometimes, but he’s family.”

And there it was again. “Yep. Family.” She stepped away from him. “I gotta go figure out what to do with my life now that my shop has been stolen from me for the second time.” Lily turned again toward the door.

“Lil, stop. You don’t have to go. Stay here. I’ll hire you—I don’t care what my family says. You can run the shop.”

And he could have punched her with less pain to her chest. “What? Are you kidding me?”

“Then marry me. You’d be a Kelley and then?—”

“That’s your solution? To propose? You think that will solve all of our problems?”

Before she could move away, Declan was in front of her again. “It would unite us. Our families wouldn’t have a choice but to accept us then. It just makes sense. And you’re not a mistake. I love you, Lily.”

The words she’d longed to hear from him her whole life. But not like this. “Really? It doesn’t feel like it. It feels like you’re compromising to save face in front of your family. Trying to make everyone happy. Taking the easy way out.”

“That’s not what’s happening here. I’d already intended to tell you I loved you. I was fully ready to support you running the shop, regardless of what it meant for my family—or Grandma.”

She lifted her chin. “First of all, I wasn’t going to kick your grandma out. I fully intended to let her keep the house. Was going to have Cody help me remodel the upstairs into a livable space. It was going to be a surprise.”

His eyes widened.

“Yeah. See, one of us had a plan. Surprise, surprise. But it doesn’t matter now. Now that your family is deemed the winner—under questionable circumstances, I might add—your answer is to sweep those circumstances under the rug. I’m sorry, but how can you really think that I’d marry you like this?” A sob worked its way up Lily’s throat. “I don’t always want to play second fiddle. That’s been me my whole life. I’m sick of it. And I want someone to choose me for once.”

“Lily, come on…”

“No, Declan. The ironic thing is that I thoughtyouwere that someone. That you were a man of integrity, a man I could respect to do the right thing, no matter what. But it turns out the man I fell for was just another fantasy. The real thing was just a disappointment in disguise.” She tipped her nose to him. “I thought you were more, but turns out that all you are is a Kelley, through and through.” And now tears dripped off her chin. “And Harts do not marry Kelleys.”

Then she pushed out of the door and into the night.

* * *

He may have won the fudge shop for his family, but he’d lost Lily.

For good this time.

And Harts do not marry Kelleys.

Declan winced at the memory of Lily’s words, still banging around in his head. He’d spent the last hour mopping the fudge shop kitchen floor—which was probably pointless, since he’d need to find someone to fix up the pipes and there would only end up being drywall dust and other debris here soon.

Or maybe he didn’t need to do anything at all. He was due back in Chicago. He still had his job. And sure, when things had changed between him and Lily, he’d been planning to give his notice, but that was before she’d ripped his heart open with her accusations.

What I think is, you’re weak. Underneath all that polished exterior is a man who can’t think for himself.

Hello, he could think for himself. He wasn’t weak.

Except, a review of the past few hours—and really, the last few weeks—said differently.

Maybe, if he had stood up to his parents so many years ago…

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