Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
O ne week later, and two things were clear.
Lily had a real shot at winning the fudge competition.
And she was terrified at the prospect.
Because winning meant the real work of running a fudge shop began. There would be no margin for error. No backup plan. No Declan there to talk her through it.
Unless he agreed to come work with her. But he’d said nothing about the future since their kiss, their words in the park. There they were, a whole decade later, their love still held under the secrecy of the moonlight.
But maybe she was overthinking it. He’d been working with her all week, glancing in her direction, occasionally trapping her in a kiss.
So, maybe that conversation would come after the festival, when they knew the final winner of the fudge shop competition. When they’d both agreed to finally tell their families about what they meant to each other.
Lily closed her eyes and blew out a breath. Right now, she needed to focus on getting everything prepped for the Main Street Festival. She and Declan would have separate booths from the time the festival began at ten until it ended at eight, and she’d been making fudge all week in preparation.
Lily hefted a stack of decorative boxes from the storeroom and carried them to the work counter in the kitchen where Mom was dutifully slicing and boxing the last of the decadent confections. She hadn’t wanted to ask her mother for help, but Mom had insisted.
“These are the last of them.” Lily set the boxes on the counter. “Are you sure that doesn’t hurt your hands too much?” She glanced at the clock. “I can always finish up alone. Declan doesn’t need the kitchen for another hour or so.”
“Nonsense. I’m doing fine. Besides, I miss being here.” Mom continued her methodical slicing and separating. She’d pinned her hair back with a clip, like she had so often when she’d worked the fudge shop.
The memory swirled in Lily’s heart, stirring up all the nostalgia and history. “There’s something about this kitchen, the way sugar and chocolate pervades the air. It’s like every breath is a treat.” Lily folded another box into shape and lined it with parchment paper.
“I never thought of it like that, but you’re right.
And it smells even better now with you here.
So many new scents mingled with the old.
Your creativity at work. It’s beautiful to witness.
” Mom held up a slice of the specialty fudge in front of her.
The pale cream base held dried rose petals and pistachios pressed into the top surface. “What did you call this fudge?”
“Saffron black cardamom.” They’d already spent a few hours boxing up the bergamot, lavender, toffee-chunk, and many other pounds of Lily’s unique offerings.
“It looks, smells—and yes, I’ll admit it—tastes amazing.”
“Mom!”
“What? You can’t expect me to slice all of this fudge and not take a tiny sampling. Or two. Or five.” Mom winked and got back to work. “Everyone else is going to love it too.”
“I sure hope so.” Lily had gone to a lot of extra expense. And, while it wasn’t a traditional fudge, its unique flavor profile would either make her a winner—or solidify her as the loser.
“The flowers really make it look special.” Mom placed the delicate fudge squares into one of the boxes Lily had prepared.
“I had those organic rose petals shipped from Pennsylvania.” She handed her mom a slice. “Declan usually helps me source ingredients, but these are top secret. They’re originally from Egypt.”
“Wow.” Mom examined the piece Lily had given her. “They’re gorgeous. Simply gorgeous.” Her mother blinked, still staring at the fudge for a moment longer before setting it into the box.
“You really do miss it, huh?” Lily reached out and placed a hand over Mom’s.
Mom’s eyes watered. “Quitting the shop was like losing a piece of my identity. But then, having you come back. Being able to be a fudge family again. Even though I can’t do the work, I’m seeing our legacy—seeing you—carry on that tradition. I can’t wait to see what you do with all of it.”
The weight of the shop—everything it meant. All the past and the future rolled over Lily, the weight of it nearly toppling her. “Maybe I should have made more of the regular fudge recipes.”
“What are you talking about? These are beautiful.”
“Yes, they’re beautiful—but do people want to eat flowers? What was I thinking?”
Mom stared at the box of fudge in front of her. “I thought you told me that customers had been flocking to your unique fudge ever since Sadie helped you tweak your marketing.”
“Well, yes, but they love the traditional flavors too—Declan’s still sold a lot. And that’s what worries me.”
“What’s that?”
“What if the people who come to the festival tomorrow are largely into traditional fudge? Then it won’t matter how well I’ve done before this. The festival could tip everything over the edge in Declan’s favor.”
Mom gave her a soft smile. “That’s business, sweetheart. You just don’t know what they’ll love, what they’ll go for. There’s risk. But you’re a risk taker, Lily Ann. You always have been.”
“But maybe I shouldn’t be.” Look where her “risk taking”—or flightiness, or whatever it was called—had led her before this.
Failing out of business school. Losing her job.
“Maybe this was a mistake. I could have just stuck with peanut butter fudge, cookies and cream—the stuff that’s guaranteed to sell. ”
“But then you wouldn’t be true to who you are, and can I just say it? You are amazing.” Mom rounded the counter and gave her a hug. “Win or lose, I’m proud to call you mine.”
A tear streaked down Lily’s cheek. “Aw, Mom. Thank you.”
“I mean it. But I still think you’ll win, and I’m not going to lie. Seeing the look on Martha Kelley’s face when you do will not make me overly sad.”
Lily pulled away, giving Mom a knowing look. “I thought you said the feud was silly.”
“Did I?” Mom winked, moved back to her fudge slicer, and resumed her duties. “I’m just kidding. I do think it’s silly—especially since my daughter has fallen for a Kelley.”
Lily froze. “Wha?—”
“There’s no need to deny it,” Mom said, slicing as if she hadn’t just rocked Lily’s world with that statement. “I knew from day one that it was a possibility.”
Lily slumped onto a barstool near the counter, the unassembled boxes to her left. “I didn’t mean to. I assure you, I tried very hard not to.”
Mom’s laughter warmed the space. “How does someone try not to fall in love?”
“I reminded myself of all the ways it could never work. I mean, we don’t even know what will happen with the fudge shop.”
“You can always hire him when you win.” Mom lidded the full box. “Hand me another empty.”
When you win . Mom really did think she could do it.
She passed Mom a box. “I thought of that, actually. Seeing if he’d work here with me. But I don’t know if he would, not with a great job waiting for him in Chicago.”
“Didn’t you tell me he wasn’t sure they’d hold it for him?”
“As of last week, his boss still wants him back. And I can’t help but wonder if that’s what’s meant for him. Will a fudge shop really keep him happy when he’s always been ambitious for more?”
Would she keep him happy?
“He’s a grown man, Lily. He can make his own decisions.”
“Maybe.” She blew out a breath. “He says he wouldn’t resent me if he doesn’t win, but how could he not? The only reason he really did all this in the first place was to save his grandma’s house. How would he not be upset if I won and took that from him?”
“So rent it back to her. Better yet, just give it to her.” Mom looked up at her. “Even if you weren’t head over heels for a Kelley, you’re too kind-hearted to kick an old woman out of her home anyway.”
The words smacked Lily in the chest. “Of course I always felt terrible at the idea, and kind of assumed I wouldn’t win. But I can’t afford to live anywhere else, and I don’t want to stay with you and Dad forever—no offense.”
“Sure, sure.” Mom winked. Then she waved the slicer in the air. “Why not have Cody help you fix up the storage room overhead? There’s plumbing up there already, and it would take some work, but surely you could find a way to convert it to a decent living space.”
Lily blinked. It was the perfect solution—if she did actually win. “Mom, you’re a genius!”
“I have my moments.” Mom pretended to bow. “So are you going to tell Declan? Maybe it would relieve some of his tension.”
Lily placed another sheet of parchment paper into her box and started a second row of fudge. “Maybe I will. Or maybe I’ll surprise him with it if I win. Soften the blow of defeat.” She grinned.
“That’s a nice idea too.”
Hmm. A nice idea indeed.
They worked in silence for another half hour. Finally, Mom added another lid. “I think that’s all of them. Those are winners, right there.” Mom held up her hand for a high five and Lily gave it a pat. Interlocked their fingers.
“Thanks again, Mom.” Lily gave Mom’s hands the gentlest of squeezes, aware of the tenderness.
Mom released her hand and gave her another hug. “What’s next?”
“You can head home. I’m just going to get all these placed into those large boxes and stage them for easy transport in the morning.”
“I can help you finish up. Dad’s grilling tonight, so I don’t need to be home just yet.”
“If you’re sure.”
They stacked the boxes and then set them against the back wall of the kitchen, ready for the hand-cart in the morning.
“That’s the last box.” Lily straightened, stretching her back. “Dinnertime.”
Mom looked around the shop. “Where are Declan’s boxes?”
“Remember? He’s coming in soon to finish making his batches and package everything up.”
“Right. You sure you don’t want to stay and help?”
Lily shook her head. “No, his parents insisted on helping him.”
“Those pesky parents.” Mom tsked, a smile on her face. “Always in the way.”
“Stop.” Looping an arm through Mom’s, she tugged her toward the alley door. “I couldn’t have done it without you today.”
“You’re much more capable than you give yourself credit for.”