Page 21 of Scoop Me Up
“Thanks again for dinner,” Sam said quietly.
“Congratulations on your win.”
“Daddy,” Ellie yelled again.
I laughed and tipped my head in her direction. “Guess I’d better go take care of that story.”
Sam nodded, still quiet. A beat passed, silence stretching between us, my heart thumping fiercely and my stomach doing somersaults. What waswrongwith me?
“Good night,” Sam murmured finally. “I can let myself out. You go read that story.”
“Good night,” I echoed, and headed down the hall toward Ellie. The click of the front door shutting behind me rang in my ears, leaving me feeling weirdly empty. I read Ellie her story and tucked her into bed, kissing her on the forehead before turning out the light. “Night, Bug.”
She yawned. “Night.”
I headed back to the living room and sat on the couch, the house feeling huge and the aloneness nearly suffocating me. As I pulled my phone out to scroll mindlessly for a few minutes, I caught sight of a text I’d missed during dinner, from Ellie’s mom.
Jennifer: Bad news—John and I broke up. Good news—I’m headed home. I’ll be back tomorrow.
I stared at the text for a second or two. Somehow, it made me feel even more alone, knowing my ex-wife was coming back into town early. I didn’t think it would be a good idea for me to stick around in her house while she was there. It felt too close to moving back in together and I didn’t want to give Ellie the wrong idea. The split had been mutual and amicable, but definitely a final decision, and the last thing we wanted was for Ellie to get her hopes up that we’d get back together.
I tapped out a quick, sympathetic response before heading to bed in the guest room, my chest aching.
Chapter 9
Sam
I paced the sidewalk, nerves jangling even though excitement buzzed through me at the same time. I was about to spend the day visiting different potential locations for the ice cream shop. Even though Maplewood was a small town, there were some decent options for rent, both in the main town square and farther out. Miles, the owner of Rogers Real Estate and the Realtor for our small town, had made a comprehensive list for me, including locations in the nearby towns of Dairy and Milton. I had a lot to consider.
After a few minutes of my anxious pacing, Cooper fell into step next to me, bumping my shoulder with his. “Relax. It’s going to be great.”
I stopped pacing and nodded, swallowing hard, trying to steady myself. “I’m glad you’re here.”
“I’m glad I offered to join you, then.”
Miles arrived a little before ten that morning, looking cheerful and carrying three cups of coffee, one for each of us, from Special Blend. “Are you ready for today?” He passed me one of the cups and handed Cooper the other.
“Yeah,” I said before sipping the coffee. The smooth flavor was perfect and the heat warmed me from the inside. “Nervous, but ready.”
Miles put a hand on my shoulder. “Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of you.”
Cooper chuckled and shook his head—always ready with a dirty joke—and I was relieved he didn’t say what was certainly on his mind, which would’ve been something about how he’d be happy to takegoodcareof Miles.
We were already several blocks away from the town square, but in an area where there were still commercial storefronts here and there along the street. Miles led the way until we arrived at an empty storefront, a large space that had previously held a boutique clothing store.
I frowned as he unlocked the front door. “This one?”
“This could be a great space for an ice cream shop. It’s big—plenty of room for your equipment and lots of space for customers to hang out. Give it a chance before you decide.”
I wandered around the shop, but it didn’t feel right. It was practically cavernous and there were few windows. Miles walked with me, pointing out the features, pitching it enthusiastically, but I knew it didn’t feel like a place to set down roots.
“Coop?” I tried.
Cooper shook his head. “Did youseethe carpeting in the bathrooms? Absolutely not.”
I grimaced, but he was right. Having carpets in the bathroomswasgross.
After a few more minutes, I turned to Miles. “I don’t think so.”
