Page 7 of A Chance for Candace

“Good morning, Miss Sweigart. Did you sleep well?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Good. We certainly want our guests to feel welcome. Now, if you walk down the boardwalk on this side of the street, you’ll see the diner. Tell Hollie you are staying at the hotel and she’ll give you a little discount.”

Candace made her way to the eatery and had some eggs and freshly baked bread. They didn’t have much on the menu, not like in Chicago. Hollie explained that until the town recovered from the drought and as more people moved in, they’d add more.

“I understand. I plan to open a chocolate shop here.” Candace was so proud of the fact she was going to be a business woman. Thanks to her mentor. Not only did he give her all his family receipts, but she found more money stuffed in behind the papers. In the end, Theo had wanted to make sure she was well taken care of. The man had died a saint. Between her savings and his secret money, she’d be able to start her business without charging an arm and a leg for sweets.

What if she wouldn’t be able to get the ingredients she needed? At least she thought to stash cans of cocoa along. They were stuffed in between her clothes in her trunk, but she knew without cocoa, it would be impossible to make the sweets the way Theodore had intended for them to taste.

She knew Last Chance would become obsessed with the sweets, just like everyone in Chicago had. It was the one thing she knew without a doubt. It was time to take a look at the property she bought and start making a list of what all she’d need.

Candace left the eatery, getting directions to her new building and stopping in front of it. She stared for a few moments, delighted and frightened at the same time. Would she be able to pull this off? She turned completely around to check out the other places of business to see how busy this town really was.

It was nothing like Chicago, but she was well aware of that from the start. This place would give her a new way to build Theodore’s legacy without revealing who the creator of the chocolates were. Which meant she’d have to take the credit. But that was what Theodore had intended and she was going to see it through. No matter how scared she was right now. Taking in a deep breath, she walked the few steps to the store front, then placed her kid boots on the wooden porch. She was about to reach her arm up to the ledge where the key was supposed to be when she caught a movement through the glass.

Was someone inside? Candace didn’t have time to be afraid now. No one was going to take away this opportunity! She remembered passing the courthouse where the sheriff’s office had to be. If need be, she’d fetch the law.

Another movement inside had her staring hard through the glass. She moved across the porch to the full picture window and saw a man walking across the floor. His back was to her and she recognized the suit.

It was the man on the stage! She never saw his face because he wore that wide hat over it feigning sleep.

Until now.

When he turned and those dark brown eyes stared at her with surprise, her jaw dropped and her mouth fell open. How much of a coincidence was it that Jessie Logan showed up in Last Chance, Nebraska in her storefront?

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