Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
H opefully Declan would get Lily’s text to meet up here at the fudge shop, because they needed to talk—and she didn’t want to wait until tomorrow to assure him that his grandma’s house would remain hers.
She’d tried snagging him at the park, but he and his family had been embroiled in what looked like a serious conversation—Frank especially looked none too happy—so Lily and her family had returned to breaking down her booth and then back to the fudge shop to make sure there wasn’t anything else that needed doing.
Correction: her fudge shop.
She’d really done it.
She’d won .
A thrill traveled up her spine as she tucked an ice cream container into the kitchen freezer.
Thankfully, other than the hole in the ceiling and some damaged cabinets under the countertops, the kitchen looked repairable.
Dad and Cody had gotten the fans here quickly enough and the heat of the day had helped to dry out the water on the floor.
The door swung open, and her brother and parents came in, each carrying more pieces from the booth. They’d been in the middle of breaking it all down when Dani had called them to the park.
“You can just prop the canopy up in the storeroom.” Lily closed the freezer.
Cody nodded. “We’ll put it with the table.” He and Dad went through the side kitchen door toward the hallway.
Mom set a stack of empty ice cream vats on the counter next to the sink. “Do you want me to wash these now?”
Lily looked at the clock. “It’s getting late, and it’s been a long day. I can do them tomorrow.”
“You don’t want this mess to sit until morning.”
“It’ll be okay. I still can’t believe it’s finally over.”
“You deserve this—you’re the exact right person to carry on the Hart tradition,” Mom said.
“Lily? Tradition?” Cody laughed as he and Dad came back in.
“You know what your mother means,” Dad grunted. But for once, even he was smiling.
Mom laughed. “Yes, not the literal tradition—though, of course, you can always crack out those recipes too.” Winking, Mom lifted the lever on the faucet.
Nothing happened.
“The plumbing—I forgot, Declan turned the water off because of the leak.”
Cody examined the hole in the ceiling from below. “We’ll need to get in and fix up the pipes, make sure there’s no residual moisture that will mold. Dad, you want to help with that next week?”
“Sure. I can round up a few of the guys to help. Mac is dying for something to do with his free time. Retirement has him bored stiff.”
“I’d love to have the work done quickly so I can open up ASAP and enjoy the rest of the season,” Lily said.
Though the thought of opening the shop without Declan at the other end of the counter caused a pinch in her throat.
“You could use the front tables to make fudge. It’ll be a little noisy while the guys work, but I don’t think you need to miss out on sales in the meantime.” Mom leaned against the sink. “Though maybe you should plan a bit of a remodel. Then a grand re-opening.”
“I don’t want to make a big fuss about it.”
“It is a big fuss—you’re carrying on the family business. You get to marry the old with the new. Make it exactly what you want it to be.”
Cody lifted a shoulder. “Besides, if you have to do repairs anyway, you may as well put in a few design elements to bring the shop into the new century.”
Mom held up her hands. “Wait a minute—we’re not talking industrial modern, are we?”
“You said whatever Lily wants it to be.” Cody grinned.
“And Lily does not want that.” Lily cut Cody a look. “Whatever I do needs to be in alignment with all the charm of Jonathon Island.” She crossed the room and poked her brother in the arm. “Ignore your son, Mom. He only knows fishing-chic.”
Cody pushed her away. “Hilarious.”
“Okay, good.” Mom placed a hand over her heart. “Just making sure.”
She and her family laughed—even Dad—and there was only one thing that would make this moment better.
Declan.
Hopefully, he’d arrive soon. If he hadn’t gotten her text, she might need to go in search of him. His face had seemed to say he was okay with not winning—at least, she’d hoped that was it. But then, she’d also seen Frank step in and she couldn’t imagine that was going to be a pleasant conversation.
She just hoped it wasn’t so bad Declan would be driven off the island. Back to Chicago. But he’d assured her that after the contest was over, they could make decisions about their future—together.
It would finally be them against the world.
Lily hoisted the last bucket of ice cream and stowed it in the freezer. “I’m just going to do a few more things here, and then I’ll head home.”
Mom grabbed her sweater and purse, and Dad ushered her out the door.
Cody turned to her. “You’re meeting Declan, right?”
“And if I am?” She lifted her chin.
“Hey, I know I tease you—which is my right as your pesky little brother—but I just want you to be happy, Sis.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and squeezed. “If he makes you happy and he treats you well, then it’s all right with me.”
“He does, on both counts. Let’s just hope his family is as okay with it as you are.”
“If they aren’t, that’s their own fault.” He ruffled her hair before stepping away. “And if he hurts you, you know where to find me.” He winked.
Lily laughed. “Yeah. Mia’s house.”
He grinned. “Speaking of, Mia should have the kids down, and we’re going to watch a movie. Would you mind if I took some leftover ice cream?”
“Knock yourself out.”
“Thanks, sis.” Grabbing a container of chocolate mint ice cream, Cody slipped out the door, and Lily headed for the storeroom to put away a handful of items she’d used today.
A few minutes later, she heard voices in the lobby. She froze. Had Declan brought his family here, now? Before they’d had a chance to speak privately? Surely not.
She slipped into the hallway and down toward the lobby, where she found Dani, Tara, and Patrick Kelley.
Tara wore a stricken expression, and Dani took a breath, swallowed. Patrick just stood there, arms crossed over his broad chest, a sort of glimmer in his eyes.
Lily stilled, a sick roil curling in her stomach. “Um, what’s going on?”
“I don’t know how to say this,” Dani said.
Nothing good ever started out that way. No one ever said I don’t know how to say this, but you’ve won the lottery. I don’t know how to say this, but you’re the lost heir to a throne. I don’t know how to say this, but you’ve been promoted to master chocolatier.
“Lily, I’m so very sorry,” Dani said.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” Lily asked.
Patrick cleared his throat, but Dani held up her hand to him. “No. Let me.” She wrung her hands together. “It was brought to the council’s attention that the original rules agreed to for the fudge shop competition stated that the winner would be the person who sold the most fudge .”
“Fudge,” Patrick said. “Not ice cream.”
Oh, thanks for that. Like she hadn’t understood the words herself.
Lily didn’t need to open her books back up to know that Declan would have her beat. He’d had a good stream of buyers for the entire festival, and without her ice cream sales…
“I didn’t win?” The full weight of the truth caused Lily to sag back against the display case.
She’d lost her family’s shop.
Gone.
The door opened and Declan and his parents walked in. His jaw was drawn tight, and his lips were pressed into a thin line.
Lily moved her attention back to Dani. “That’s ridiculous. This is my family’s fudge shop. There never should have been a competition in the first place.”
“But there was,” Tara said, sympathy in her expression and voice. “Everyone agreed to it.”
Lily’s eyes met Declan’s, and her feet stupidly took her closer. So close, she could smell his aftershave and see the flecks in his blue eyes. And that made it hurt so much more. “Aren’t you going to tell them how unfair this is?” The question came out a whisper, a raw scrape.
“I…” His lips flat-lined, and he glanced over his shoulder at Patrick, who watched them both with a shrewdness that made Lily want to disappear. “The rules…” He closed his mouth, swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing up then down.
She got the eeriest case of déjà vu—sure, maybe she wasn’t standing on his parents’ front porch in the rain surrounded by wet trees, but it was still him once again standing by while his parents dismantled her world.
Unbelievable.
“I can’t do this right now.” Lily turned on her heel, rounded the counter, and smacked the kitchen door open with her palm. Hopefully it would swing back and hit Declan in the nose, because oh yes, he was following her.
“Come on, Lily. Let’s talk about this.”
“Why bother?” She reached for her bag on the counter. She needed space, room to breathe, to think.
“Because we’re in a relationship.”
Lily headed for the alley door. “Are we?”
“So you’re just going to run away again?”
Halting, she spun and strode across the kitchen, her finger lifted in the air. “Don’t you dare say that to me. You’re the one who wouldn’t speak up for me out there.”
“I’m in a weird spot.” He pushed both hands through his hair. “And the rules were clear.”
“Yeah, and very convenient for you—the guy who told me to sell ice cream today in the first place. What I think is, you’re weak. Underneath all that polished exterior is a man who can’t think for himself.”
“Hey—!”
“No, you hey. You’ve let them push you around all your life, afraid to go against the family.” She finger-quoted her words. “And I get it. I do. But I’m not going to play the game anymore. I’m done being your dirty little secret. Your mistake.”
He reached for her elbow. She twisted away, not caring now that tears burned her eyes.
A sodden piece of ceiling plopped at her feet from above. She glanced up, where the leaky pipe was now partially exposed. “You know it’s awfully suspicious that your fudge was miraculously saved and mine was ruined—and your brother was the last one in here last night.”
His eyes widened. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I think it’s pretty obvious.”