Page 25 of Sweet Summertide

“Like you said, he has every right to be. I was about to do something truly awful had he not stopped me first. We were alone, in the forest, and he asked me to stop playing him. I actually agreed. Not that it mattered since we got arrested anyway.” Holly buckled her seatbelt and collapsed it the grey fabric bucket seat. “I still don’t know how the trespassing charges got dropped.”

Millie shrugged and put the car into drive. “Where to?”

“The creamery.”

They headed straight to the shop and got to work, since she was now a day behind her plans. Inside, Holly took hold of a box of merchandise that had been delivered during her time in lock-up and dropped it in the storage room at the back of her shop. Millie picked up another and followed behind Holly.

“I was so shocked to see you today. You were supposed to be in the city with America, picking out furniture.” Holly took the box from Millie and stacked the item on top of the first one.

“She got called into work on an assignment, and we rescheduled our shopping trip for later this week.”

“Does this mean you’re mine for the day? Or what’s left of it,” Holly said with the sun casting Main Street in bronze hues. “Right now, I can use all the help I can get.”

“How long until you open?” Millie said and brought another box to the storage room.

“I’m hoping I can open for the Fourth of July weekend, but that will depend on getting the health inspector out here in time. It seems like a long time, but my to-do list only keeps growing. No matter how many things I cross off, there’s more to do thenext day. Take all of this merch for instance, I have nowhere to display any of it yet, but I have to store it somewhere for the time being.”

Holly placed the last box inside the storage area next to her office and walked back out into her half-done space. The dark green walls and exquisite gilded mouldings looked perfect and were the only thing in the shop that was finished. Her mural was nearly complete, but for the detail work that she hadn’t had time to attack yet. In one corner near the front window, she had piled shopping bags full of faux peonies and ivy vines that she planned to hang on the rear wall as a selfie spot. Light fixtures were waiting to be hung, and the floor tile still hadn’t been installed. Truth be told, progress had been slow going since she changed her focus from working to winning. She was just glad she had done that bulk of her purchases before her mother cut her off.

With her hands on her hips, Holly took a deep breath and raspberried her lips as she blew the air from her lungs. “Hey, Millie,” she sang her friend’s name. “What do you know about laying tile?”

Millie’s face lit up and her cheeks filled with joy causing Holly to be hopeful that Millie knew a great deal about flooring installation. “I thought you’d never ask.”

Holly clapped her hands together. “Do you think we can finish this project tonight? That way I can start moving the tables and décor in here.”

“We won’t know until we try.”

“I appreciate the enthusiasm, Millie.”

The girls wasted no time gathering loose items and taking them all to the storage room. Holly filled the office and storage closet to the brim. The larger items, like display cases and bistro sets, would fit nowhere inside, but the sidewalk out front was clean and vacant. She only hoped no one would mind having to walk around her stuff for a few hours.

They moved the smaller pieces of furniture with no issue, until they got to the beast of a display case. “I can’t lift this,” Millie said while straining to move the glass and stone counter. “We’re not ever going to get to laying the floor if we don’t get this thing out of here.”

“Know anyone who could help?” Holly asked and scanned the sidewalk outside for anyone that looked strong enough to assist them. Carol, the older woman she met during girls’ night at America’s was making her way across the cobblestone road, and a small lady, pushing a baby stroller, came down the other direction.

“Hey, Carol!” Holly flagged her over. “You know anyone who can help us move some of this big stuff?”

Carol looked inside the doors and shook her head like she was thinking. “I could see if Pa and some guys from the Foundry could come help, though it’ll probably be a few hours before they can sneak away.”

A few hours? Holly was uninterested in waiting that long. She looked at Millie over her shoulder. “Maybe we can slide it with something.”

“Thanks anyway, Carol. I think we’ll try something else,” Millie said. “We’re on a mission to get these floors done.”

“Alfonso help,” a voice said from behind Carol in the doorway. He stood in the double wide space with his arms extending outward to each jamb.

“Looks like you’re covered,” Carol said. “Best of luck, girls.” She patted Alfonso on the shoulder before turning to leave. With a basket of baked-goods hanging on her arm, Carol continued on her way.

A smirk as wide as Alfonso’s stance was the siren call to Millie’s eyes. “How did you know we need help?” Millie said and, standing on her tiptoes, kissed Alfonso’s cheek. “I’m sorry for how I acted at the station earlier. I was just irritated at this one.”She pointed at Holly who put her hands up in surrender. Holly knew there was no point in arguing with Millie anymore. “Aren’t you supposed to be cooking dinner at the Foundry or helping Teddy?”

“The guests requested cold dinner. All food prepared. Theodor needed bro-power.”

Holly joined the pair by the front door. “If you’re helping Teddy, then why are you over here and not with your bro over there?”

As he stumbled through an explanation spoken in half Italian and English, and maybe some French thrown in too, he dug into his pants pockets. “Un momento.” He patted his torso and landed on his chest pocket. “Ah. Note for Holly.”

Holly took the scrap of folded brown paper. The outward facing fold was addressed toBHHfromSaint. “It’s from Teddy. I’m not reading it.” She shoved it back at Alfonso, who stepped away like she was holding the plague in her fingertips. “Fine.” She unfolded the paper and scanned the beautiful cursive script.Now, you’re just showing off, she thought.

“What’s it say?” Millie asked and pumped her brows.

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