Page 96 of Meet Me at the Fudge Shop

“Wait, what’s that mean? You did other stuff to sabotage her?” Then, as if the lightbulbs clicked on, the chain of events of the past weeks clicked into place. “Did you steal Lily’s recipe cards? Her receipts?”

Isaac shrugged. “The Mercer thing was tricky. Not so easy to replace Lily’s fudge with something awful, but she never knew the difference since I knew her stupid ‘secret’ ingredient.” He brushed past him, on the way to the kitchen.

Declan just stood there. Oh, he’d been an idiot. He marched into the kitchen.

Isaac held his hands up. “Back up.”

Nope. Declan grabbed the front of his brother’s shirt and pressed him against the wall. “How dare you.” The words came out thin and narrow.

Isaac tried to pull away. “Let go of me.”

“You’re a punk, you know that?” Fury burned in Declan’s veins. This? This is what pride and hate had driven his family to.

“Why? Because I’m actually willing to do something to save Grandma’s house and our family business?”

“Grandma’s house was already saved!”

“What are you talking about?”

“Lily was going to give it to Grandma if she won. Because she’s mature enough to see past this ridiculous family feud. But you?—”

“Declan!” his mother’s voice.

He glanced at the door as his mom stood in the frame, wearing a stricken expression. His dad walked in, took one look?—

“What’s going on in here?” Dad roared.

“Let go of your brother,” Mom gasped, dropping her purse on the counter.

Declan held tight. “Tell them what you did.”

Isaac shook his head and Declan wanted to wipe the smug look off his face.

“Tell them!”

“Let him go,” Frank’s voice bellowed. He stepped forward and took a grip of Declan’s jacket.

Declan released his brother, holding his hands up.

Isaac stepped away and smoothed out his shirt. “He’s out of control. Completely lost it because of Lily Hart.”

“Is someone going to tell us what’s going on?” Mom asked.

“Isaac caused the water damage at the fudge shop.”

His dad turned on Declan. “What are you talking about? That’s ridiculous—everyone knows that shop’s had plumbing issues. You told us about one just last week.”

“And that gave him the idea to ruin her fudge with a leak. He all but admitted it to me.”

Dad turned to Isaac. “Is Declan right? Did you do it?”

Isaac lifted a shoulder, opened the fridge. “It isn’t a big deal. It’s the Harts.”

Declan turned to his parents. “Is this what you want? Does that make you happy that you’ve fostered so much hate for people you don’t even really know—all because, what? Because Grandpa had a falling out with his best friend? Is that okay with you?”

“It isn’t okay.” Dad lifted the paper. “We’ll deal with this.”

“Deal with it how?” Declan asked. “By ignoring it? Lily should be declared the winner.”

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