Page 31 of Sweet Summertide

His smirk softened into an emotionless expression as though he deflated.

“I’m sorry, Teddy?—”

“Don’t.” He stepped around her and walked out without so much as a secondary glance.

Was she blowing something that could be magical, good even? “Wait, what are you doing here anyway?” She chased after him.

“I catered the desserts.” Teddy walked towards the kitchen, his shoulders slumped forward a little and his steps lazy.

Holly halted her pursuit and reminded herself to stop going places with Millie. Somehow, Teddy was everywhere Millie was, and if Holly continued on her path to the kitchen, she suspected she would find a certain Italian chef lingering around too. “Everyone knows everyone.” With no one to confide in at present, Holly slipped out the front door and made for her shop.There was no point in heading back to Millie’s to crash, there was too much to get done.

CHAPTER 16

Theodor woke up,slumped over the cold metal table in his shop’s kitchen. Since the open house, he hadn’t left his store but to take a shower and change his clothing. He had roasted a small batch of cocoa beans earlier in the week, as a test, but he was in crunch time to get his inventory ready for opening day. A week to go until the Chamber would do their walkthrough meant he had no time to waste.

With the storefront approaching the finishing phase of construction, he placed his focus on the part of the process he loved best: chocolate. There was something so relaxing about working the cocoa with his hands, nurturing the rich liquid and creating something beautiful and delicious. The method he employed was half science, half art, and both aspects challenged him in ways that excited him. Practicing law could never provide the same feeling.

His enthusiasm couldn’t be explained in mere words, he had to show it, which was one obstacle in the way of winning his parents’ approval. If they never saw him in action, they would never fully understand his passion for chocolate. Theodor was sure that his father would approve of this chosen path in life if only he could drop the notion of Theodor following in hisjudicial footsteps, though that eventuality was unlikely. Luckily, his mother would approve of just about anything so long as he was successful and had a beautiful woman on his arm.

Getting the woman wasn’t the challenge, keeping her was, and the woman he wanted didn’t seem to want anything but to win her little prize. He, on the other hand, was uninterested in seeking out anyone else. From the moment she had played with him on the train, he knew she was someone he wanted to be in his life. If it weren’t for the lure of the grant money making her behave in such a devious manner, he suspected they would be sharing a third or even fourth date by now.

Across the street, a steady stream of workers carrying furniture and boxes came in and out of the creamery. Holly was likely making her ice-creams now, as he was making his chocolates. He didn’t know much about her craft, and she probably didn’t know much about his, but learning each other’s profession could make for an interesting date, if they ever stopped being enemies.

He lamented that their burgeoning relationship had been tainted by competition. He knew he could forgive her ambition at his expense, but he didn’t know whether she could ever lower the walls she had erected around her heart long before he met her. For a couple of brief moments, he had seen through the cracks in her defenses. The question pin-balling in his mind was if he had enough energy to keep trying, to wait for her to knock her bulwarks down. That time might come someday, but not yet.

While she was over there formulating her victory, he was preparing for his own. He had roasted his beans to perfection, created the base chocolate, unsweetened, raw, and ready to be worked into lovely products. Fresh ingredients were a must, though some things like the candied orange peel and raspberry filling had to be made earlier in the week, he sourced whathe could locally until he had time to create his own specialty additions.

Theodor selected his moulds and prepared the layers of each variety he planned to offer at his tasting. It was important to have a good showing, since gourmet chocolates are somewhat of an expensive delicacy, and he hoped to change occasional foot traffic to a more everyday pleasure the same way folks spend eight dollars on a ten-cent cup of coffee without batting an eye.

First impressions were everything, and he had received plenty of positive feedback at the open house with a lot of interest coming his way. It helped that Alfonso was there acting like a personal hype-man and got the guests to sample the selections he brought.

While the chocolate was setting up, Theodor prepared for his event on the sidewalk outside. He started with the shade-tents and tables. Like a street market, he created unique stations where people could experience different sides of his business. The tasting table featured samples. The second area was for beverages: sparkling and fruit infused water. But he was most excited for the last area where he would show his skills and artistry with some quick tips and a display of how he creates his sweets.

While taping a paper cloth to the underside of one of his folding tables, Holly skipped down her side of the street and stole his attention. It was hard to miss her in a white sundress. A yellow bow at the back of her head bounced with each step and teased his imagination. He caught her gaze for a split second before she turned her face to the activity outside her own shop.

He stood. “What the heck is she up to?” he said to no one. His tents weren’t the only ones going up. Two shade structures jutted out from her front windows and out into the road, covering the parking spots. His hands went to his hips as he watched men setting up bistro tables and chairs in the shade.Another crew ran cables and extension cords to the other shaded area.

Whatever her aim, he suspected subterfuge. She entered her front door and looked over her shoulder at him with a smirk and a wave of her fingers.

“Blake Holly Hollis,” he shouted and marched across the street, dodging a woman bumbling along the cobblestones on her bike. “What are you doing?”

“Enjoying this beautiful weather,” she said with a shimmy. “What are you doing? Here to spy on my shop?”

Since she accused, he took the chance to look around. It was as though he was in a secret garden, just like she had told him she wanted her shop to look. “You knew I was having my tasting event today. So, what are you doing out here?”

“What, like two shops can’t hold events on the same day? I got my event approved over a week ago, did you?” Holly said and he wanted to wipe the smug grin off her face.

“Of course, I did. That’s not the point. I don’t think you understand, I need today to be successful.”

“Why can’t we both have a successful event today? People come for my ice cream, and see your chocolates, and vice versa. It’s a win-win. I thought this would be a good thing.”

“It’s a Holly show, and you know it.”

“Listen, Teddy, as much as I would love to stand here and listen to you, I have a lot of work to do to prepare for today. I mean you no harm.” She crossed her finger over her heart. “I swear it.”

Stunned silence was a real thing, though he hadn’t exactly experienced the feeling to this extent before, he truly was locked in place. How could he trust what she was saying after everything that happened? Was she still being mischievous or really playing nice? He honestly didn’t know, and he didn’t have time to figure it out now. “I hope you’re telling the truth. Butknow that bridges, once burned down, won’t be rebuilt easily.” He forced his feet to move away from her before sounding even more pathetic. “I hope you do well today.”

“Believe it or not. I hope you succeed too. But I still need those fifty-thousand dollars, and I’m willing to do what it takes to get it.” She placed a hand on his forearm and turned his face to hers. “This is how it has to be.”

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