Chapter 13 #3
“Why does that matter?” Brandon took another bite of his ice cream.
“I just don’t want it between us anymore. Maybe my family will be able to deal with the news of our relationship better if we win.”
“And if you don’t win? Won’t that just make them even less inclined to accept the two of you?”
Declan blew out a breath. “Maybe.”
“Seems to me that maybe there is no perfect time.”
“Oh, just go eat your ice cream and leave me in peace.”
Laughing, Brandon saluted and walked off without buying any fudge.
Before Declan could call after him, several customers approached his booth and there was a constant stream of traffic the rest of the afternoon. A few hours before sunset, Uncle Patrick came by, leaving Olive and her fourteen-year-old brother, Scott, manning the booth for the Bar & Grill.
“You’ll be closing your tills at eight,” he said.
Tills—Declan’s and Lily’s. And then it would all be over.
“Jim Michaelson from the bank has volunteered to tally everything up so there’s no room for error.
He’ll hand those numbers over to Dani, who’s already got your accounting totals from the prior sales to date. ”
“Sounds good.”
The next hour saw a handful of new customers, but for the most part, things were winding down.
Even so, there was a certain satisfaction in it all, despite the soreness in Declan’s feet and the ache in his neck from bending over the table, taking people’s money.
It was so different from being stuck behind a desk, in boardrooms, in meeting after pointless meeting.
There was legacy and good work and family here. And, for at least a little while, he’d been a part of it. He’d been accepted back into the fold. Forgiven.
And he could rest in the fact that he’d done everything he could to make the Kelley fudge shop a success. To save Grandma’s house.
Hopefully his family would see that, if Lily won.
A bullhorn crackled. “Hello, everyone!” Dani Sullivan stood at the far end of the row of vendor booths.
“Thank you so much for coming out today, but it’s time to say our goodbyes.
Please make your final purchases, and then join us down at the park for the exciting announcement of our Fudge Wars winner! ”
A murmur went up from the crowd. A few stragglers rushed Lily’s booth, cleaning out the few pounds of fudge remaining on her table and a few ice cream cones too.
Declan started packing away fudge samples and taking down the sign he’d designed weeks ago for this day.
Gray-haired Mr. Michaelson stopped by, opened his register, and pressed his thin lips together as he counted Declan’s money.
Then he asked to see Declan’s credit card sales.
While he did that, Declan finished clearing off his booth and slipped over to help Lily with hers.
Cody and Mr. and Mrs. Hart were already there.
As Declan approached, Lily chatted with her family, her hands flying as she spoke.
“And then this man came up and gave me his card and said he’d love to talk with me about franchise opportunities—for the ice cream, of all things—and I said—” She stopped talking as she caught sight of Declan, blinking. “Oh. Hi.”
He stuck his hands in his pockets. “Hey.”
Her family stared at him—Cody, who was breaking down her awning, seemed to be enjoying the awkwardness, if the grin on his face was any indication.
Declan risked a glance back at his own parents. Yep. They too were looking this way, at Lily and Declan.
He should just haul her into his arms and kiss her—show everyone what she meant to him.
He took a step forward, but then Mr. Hart put a hand out, stopping him. “Looks like your mother could use some help over there.” His voice was steely. Protective.
And Declan couldn’t blame the guy. He’d broken Lily’s heart so many years ago. But this time was different.
“Dad—”
“Declan!”
And man, if Mom didn’t have the most rotten timing.
He glanced her way, and she waved him over. “I need your help with this!” she called, pointing to her own awning. “It’ll hurt your father’s back.”
Never mind Isaac, sitting right there, legs propped up on a cooler while he scrolled on his phone.
Clearly, this was a ploy to keep him away from the Harts.
The Harts—at least one of which didn’t seem to want him here either.
Declan had known it would be tough, getting their families on board, but perhaps he needed to think through the best way to explain things to them all. Logically. Sometime other than this emotionally charged one, when the fate of the fudge shop hung between them.
Huffing out a breath, he flashed what he hoped was an apologetic smile at Lily. “I need to go. But I’ll see you at the announcement?”
She tugged on a lavender curl, nodded—some sort of uncertainty in her eyes. “See you there.”
He headed for his mom’s booth. Started helping to break it down, to put things back the way they’d been. Then the lampposts flickered on, and Dani gave a five-minute warning for the announcement, so Declan and his whole family left the partially disassembled booths and headed down to the park.
A small crowd had gathered there near the playground and kids’ bounce houses—mostly friends and neighbors who cared about the fate of the fudge shop.
Setting her bullhorn on a picnic table, Dani stood on the bench. “Would Declan Kelley and Lily Hart please join me up front and center?”
Yeah, this was it.
Declan shuffled up front and stood on the ground to Dani’s left. Lily emerged from the crowd and stood on Dani’s right, her face a jumble of emotions. Her eyes flicked first to Declan, then to the ground. Then she rubbed at a spot of chocolate on her leather leggings.
Declan held back a smile.
Yeah. Whatever happened, he wanted this woman in his life.
“Thanks again for coming out today,” Dani said. “This was an excellent way to kick off the first of many Jonathon Island events, and to show our community that we’re still here!”
Cheers lifted from the crowd. Liam, who stood nearby, whistled loudly.
Declan blew out a breath.
“Okay, I know that this past month has been an exciting time for our chocolatiers. Is that what I call you? Fudge-tiers?” Dani asked.
She looked from Lily to Declan before continuing.
“Whatever you’re called, we’ve all enjoyed the fruits of your labors.
I can’t imagine a tastier competition. But now, we face the final verdict.
Which one of these two have won the right to own and operate the Jonathon Island fudge shop?
The final tallies and winner have been provided to us by our local banker, Mr. Jim Michaelson.
” She pulled an envelope from her back pocket and waved it in the air.
“I’m so nervous for you both. Okay. I know, you’re nervous too, right?
Lily looked unnaturally pale. Declan wanted to reach across, comfort her.
But there in the front row stood his parents. Grandma, her hand clutching the edge of her sweater.
Declan’s stomach twisted.
“Drumroll, please,” Dani continued.
The crowd whistled and hollered and began patting hands against legs to create an appropriate sound effect. Dani struggled to get the envelope open.
Declan looked over at Lily, who tried to give him a smile, but it fell flat.
Dani slid the card from the envelope. “Here we have it. The winner of the Fudge Wars competition and recipient of the fudge shop on Main and the house on Poppy Place…Oh, my goodness—Lily Hart! Congratulations!”
Lily’s hands flew to her mouth.
Whistles. Applause. Declan clapped. Lily’s gaze met his, so many questions in them. He hoped in his own she found the answers.
He was proud of her. He loved her. She’d worked hard, and she deserved every bit of praise to go with it.
Cody, Nancy, and Randy, along with several other friends, swarmed her, and she disappeared behind a swath of hugs.
Dad stepped into view in front of Declan, a steely glare carved deep into the lines of his face.
Seeing the joy on Lily’s face, seeing her rightly secure her family’s fudge shop…he just wished it hadn’t come at the price of letting down his family. Losing Grandma’s house.
“This can’t be,” Dad said, stepping closer. His jaw flexed and his fists balled until he lifted one, with his finger pointed. “She must have cheated somehow. Did you give her an edge? Don’t think I didn’t notice the way you held her hand this morning. How’d she trick you again?”
Declan’s mouth fell open. “Seriously, Dad? Lily earned this all on her own. Our relationship has nothing to do with it.”
“Oh, it’s a relationship now, is it?”
“You two are making a scene,” Mom hissed from behind Dad. There was a deep crease in her brow. “But really, Declan, how could you have fallen for a Hart again ? We warned you about this. And we all know what happened last time. I didn’t think you’d be so foolish.”
“This has nothing to do with that.” His eyes flicked toward Grandma’s retreating back. Apparently this was all too much for her, because Brandon was leading her away, his arm wrapped around her, supporting her.
Aw, Grandma.
Declan’s hand gripped the back of his neck.
“I can’t believe, with all your fancy degrees, that you lost,” Dad ground out. “Clearly, you weren’t on your game.”
Isaac took the spot next to Dad, red splotches across his face visible in the light cast from the park’s lamplight. “How did she win? She wasn’t even selling fudge.”
“She couldn’t—it was destroyed.”
“Wait—those receipts weren’t for fudge?” Dad said.
“The rules were specific,” Mom said. “It was whoever sells the most fudge .”
“You’re right. They were.” Dad lifted his head, swiveling to look around. “Where’s Patrick?”
“Don’t do that.” Declan tried to step in front of Dad, but Dad shouldered his way around him.
Then he stopped, turned, and poked Declan in the chest. “Don’t do what? Save the family legacy? Do what you weren’t able to do?”
Ouch. While the words were technically true, hearing them like this…
Words stuck in Declan’s throat.
“I do think someone needs to mention the rules,” Mom said. “It’s unfortunate what happened with her fudge—I get that. But rules are rules. I think the numbers need to be examined in light of that.”
It didn’t take a single one of Declan’s business skills to calculate out the winner. Without today’s ice cream sales, he’d have Lily beat.
And he was right back at the beginning, wasn’t he? Family versus Lily.
Rules versus rebel.
“What’s it going to be, son?”