Page 7 of Maple Sugar Mix-Up
According to the weather report, the roads were supposed to be pretty bad, so I decided to leave early and get ready in Nana’s Cottage, which happened to be right off Mill Street. It was a little, detached townhome where she had lived most of her life.
She wrote every single one of her books there, and all of the ones she and my mother had co-written, plus four more that we had all written together. My mother and I still used it for co-writing; we called it our little writer’s retreat. A lot of best-selling books had come out those doors.
I could still see Nana bustling around, insisting on lavish meals, or making maple candy in the old-fashioned kitchen, while the three of us hashed out book ideas.
The thought of her face – on what ended up being her final birthday – when I presented her gift, still made me smile and tear up a little. I had no idea how that simple gift would change all of our lives…
Once I was ready, I called Beth to make sure she and Vicki were settled in and to say goodnight.
With that, I put on a warm jacket and walked through some lightly-falling snow to the Mill Street Coffee Shop.
Chapter Three
Ashton
My nerves calmed as soon as I walked into the coffee shop; this was familiar territory for me; books everywhere, the air thick with baked goods and roasting coffee, and the quiet din of pages rustling, mugs clinking, keyboards clacking, and the soft drone of unintelligible conversation.
Yes, this was my kind of place.
I may have brought in enough money to live fast and decadently, but I kept most of it in the bank and used it to ensure a secure lifestyle for us. I made sure Beth was the best-paid nanny around and that Vicki never wanted for warm, well-fitting clothes. We took expensive vacations once a year and our TV was probably bigger than it needed to be… Otherwise, I did my best to stay down-to-earth and live the way I had been raised.
When it was my turn, I went up to the counter and said I was here to meet some guy named Jace. The barista pointed me his way and I headed over to a small tablet wo in the back corner. Nice and private.
An, admittedly handsome, alpha stood and extended a hand. “Jace,” he said.
“I’m Ashton.”
We shook and he gestured for me to sit. I did and silence immediately fell.
“Your maple candy was delicious,” I said at last.
He flashed me a shy smile. “Thanks. My grandmother used to make it.”
I was about to ask him why the ivy shapes, when Chelsea, a barista I knew, came over with water and menus.
“I’ll be back soon to take your orders,” she said.
“Thanks, Chelsea,” I said in surprise. “When did you start doing tableside service?”
“It’s special, just for you,” she said with a wink.
“You’ve been here before?” Jace asked, looking uncomfortable.
I nodded, still looking after Chelsea, puzzled. Suddenly, it all sank in. “Didyouarrange that?”
An adorable flush crept across his cheeks. “Yeah… I uh… well I know this isn’t the fanciest date and when I said I was meeting someone… they offered so…” He cleared his throat and started studying his menu.
Well, that was unexpectedly sweet.
“It might not be fancy, but I like it,” I confessed.
“You do?” Jace asked in surprise.
I shrugged. “Some of the other dates at the auction seemed a bit… ostentatious?”
He flashed me a cute, awkward smile and nodded in agreement.
When the time came to order, we surprised each other by ordering the exact same coffee. After my sandwich order was placed, Jace ordered the other one I had been considering.
