Page 57 of The Huckleberry Bookshop

She wanted more. She also wanted to spend time with Chad in his fabulous home, curled up for days, poking about, getting to know him. Seeing exactly what was growing in that garden of his, and having fun cooking together.

But he was still closed up, hiding whatever it was he had in his heart. And, sadly, it wasn’t going to open up just because she wanted it to.

Speak of the devil. When she turned from delivering a cappuccino to a customer, Chad was standing in the bookshop’s doorway.

He looked different than he had earlier. Resolved, somehow, in a way that sent a shiver of anticipation zigzagging through her spine.

And yet that alpha energy he carried was more peaceful than usual, as though he’d made a decision about something that had been weighing on him.

Holding his gaze, she moved back behind the counter to make a decaf tea latte for her cousin Hannah, who was browsing through the children’s books with her two boys.

“Tina,” Chad said, giving her a nod.

She rolled her eyes in exasperation.

The day he called her by her real name was the day she’d forgive him and let it all go. The day she’d kiss him like she meant it.

Good thing that would never happen.

He tipped his chin in her direction. “Two thousand and eighty-nine.”

She sprinkled cinnamon sugar on top of the finished latte’s foamed milk, waving Hannah over. She took a sip of her own coffee while considering the new subscriber number. It had gone way up, with the views and comments on their first cooking video numbering the thousands. It was a smash hit. At least by her standards.

Chad wandered through the shop, and she watched him while she helped customers, curious where he’d pause. Philosophy? Sports? Crime fiction? Would he sit in one of the chairs in the back section with a couple of hockey books to see if he was mentioned in any of them? If so, he should choose the big blue hardcover first.

“Hey, hot stuff!” Meddy called out to him. “Everything is 15 percent off tonight.”

“Thanks, Meddy.”

Her sister beamed, no doubt feeling the power of his unwavering gaze—the one where it felt like there was nobody else he’d rather be talking to. Nobody else that mattered in that moment.

“Love the shirt, by the way.”

“Couldn’t resist.” Chad glanced down at his navy blue Armadillo Day sweatshirt, one Athena knew was part of the fundraising efforts Brant and April Wylder had undertaken in order to build the town its first official animal shelter.

His eyes shifted, locking on Athena’s as he blasted her with a full-beam smile that rocked her. “You like it?”

It was tucked into his belted jeans and the fabric bulged out in the front as though he’d stuffed something down inside—a major style faux pas and very anti-Chad. His midriff wiggled and the ugliest little head popped out of the neck hole, licking Chad’s chin.

“Is that a puppy?”

“That Brant guy asked me to hold him while he managed a Great Dane. I think he’s trying to get Landon to—”

“No pets in the store.”

“What about Clem?” He pointed to the cat’s basket, now moved to a short shelf of travel books. The poor feline wasn’t so sure about the invasion of people tonight, and had slipped out, hopefully to return later.

“He’s the landlord,” Athena replied. “Doesn’t count.”

Chad chuckled.

“Aw, this cute little sad puppy has to stay,” Meddy said, going over to pet the dog’s shaved head. It shivered in anticipation of meeting someone new, then ducked back into Chad’s sweatshirt before she could make contact. Hannah’s boys, Thomas and Wade, swarmed the hockey player, eager to see the puppy, but it remained hidden.

“He seems pretty shy,” Chad explained to them. “Had a rough life. Brant said he was so matted he had to fully shave him, and had to stitch him up along his hip, too.”

“We have customers, Meddy,” Athena muttered, walking past with a huckleberry tart and latte for a customer sitting at the window overlooking Main Street. “And Travis would like another beer and Donna needs another glass of white.” She gestured to the table where the town’s former mayor and his wife were sitting, chatting with friends and enjoying the liquor license acquired for the store’s grand opening.

“See you at next weekend’s game,” Meddy said, waving to Chad as she skipped behind the counter.

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