Chapter Ten #4
Valentine’s Day. Oh, no. His stomach twisted in a hard knot.
Was that this Friday? Why hadn’t he paid more attention to the date?
Or deleted the message before he’d handed a five-year-old his phone?
He had no idea what high-key impressed meant exactly, but he’d take whatever assistance Alex’s mother offered.
Especially since Darby Jane had put the plans in motion, and he only had four days to come up with something brilliant.
* * *
She couldn’t keep working this hard.
The sun had long since set when Isabel trudged through the front door of her house, weary to the bone.
Her feet and her lower back ached from rushing between her office and the factory floor, and her stomach grumbled, reminding her she’d skipped lunch to troubleshoot a production line issue with Jerry.
Under Irene’s watchful eye, they’d kept the supply chain humming right along.
But with nearly a hundred orders still left to fulfill in just three days, Isabel couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed.
As much as she loved making candy for Valentine’s Day, the added pressure of having to hit projected sales numbers made it the most stressful time of the year.
Would they be able to deliver everything on time and maintain their reputation for high-quality candy?
Her phone chimed, announcing an incoming text. She groaned, then slipped off her shoes and pulled her phone from her purse. She braced for more bad news as she read the message from Jerry.
I wanted to let you know that we just took a fresh batch of chocolate-covered peanut butter hearts off the line. Everything’s running smoothly. Have a great night.
“Thank You, Lord,” she whispered. At last. An encouraging update. She scrolled down to catch up on the rest of her unread texts. The group text thread with Wendy and two other girls they’d grown up with had three new messages. Somehow, she’d missed this conversation from a couple of days ago.
What’s up with your sister and that mysterious hot new guy?
Seriously, we couldn’t get over how great they looked together at Alpenglow.
Until your dad walked in and caught them holding hands. Yikes. He did not look happy.
Isabel, where has she been hiding him? He’s yummy. We need details!
“Oh, Jovi.” Sighing, Isabel jammed her phone back in her purse and set it on the floor. They’d just talked about this. Why didn’t Jovi get that her timing—and her choice of men—was lousy? And why had Dad gotten involved?
Not wading into the drama tonight. Too exhausting.
The savory aroma of fast food wafted from the crinkled paper bag in her grasp, making her mouth water. She couldn’t wait to devour the crispy fries, juicy cheeseburgers and creamy vanilla milkshake. After today, she’d earned it.
But as she entered the dimly lit kitchen, she gasped when she spotted Mason, leaning against the counter and greedily devouring the cake she had made earlier.
He didn’t even bother using a plate, just scooped up forkfuls directly from the pan.
The frosting container lay open next to him, and he was about to take another bite when he looked up and met her gaze.
Neither of them moved to embrace. A pang of regret throbbed in her chest. “You’re back. How was your trip?”
“Interview was great, but then my flight was delayed. It took me all night to get home. I came in early this morning, but you’d already left.”
Not the best time to mention she’d cried herself to sleep from sheer exhaustion.
And the fact that he went to Juneau to interview for a new job, despite her protests about moving.
She walked slowly toward the counter, her tote bag bumping against her leg.
“It’s almost Valentine’s Day. We’re short-staffed. ”
Mason’s eyes widened. Had he just remembered?
She slid her takeout onto the counter and set her bag on the floor at her feet.
“Is that your dinner?”
She nodded. “Is that yours?”
His mouth twitched with a smile. “Just my first course. Thanks for baking it, by the way.”
“You’re welcome. I had planned on chicken parm as well, but…that didn’t work out.”
She took a long sip of her thick creamy shake. No need to fuss at him for eating the cake. She was worn-out and honestly, he couldn’t be blamed for her disaster of a day.
But she still didn’t feel like sharing her food.
“You can have one of the cheeseburgers.” Isabel took two plates from the cabinet. “I’m feeling oddly possessive about the fries and the milkshake.”
“Only if you don’t want it.” He rubbed his hand slowly across the back of his neck. There was a glimpse of the Mason that she knew and loved. Strong and capable on the outside. But kind, considerate, and a heart as soft as melted caramel inside.
“I probably don’t need to eat two cheeseburgers.” She removed the food from the bag, divided the order between the plates and handed him one. His eyes pinged between her and the food.
“You said you didn’t want to share.”
She offered a half smile. “I can’t bring myself to eat all of the fries in front of you.”
His eyes sparkled with amusement. “Appreciate it.”
They carried their plates to the table. Mason got them both glasses of water and brought them over. Then she eased into the chair across from him.
Without waiting to ask the blessing, she quickly unwrapped the cheeseburger and took a generous bite. “Mmm. So good.”
The sesame bun, melted cheese, salty patty with the stack of lettuce, tomato and pickles plus the extra ketchup and mayo provided everything she needed to cope with her never-ending day. Wow, what was going on with her appetite? She hadn’t been this happy about a meal in ages.
“You know…I could help you,” he offered.
Isabel stopped midbite and stared at him. “With what?”
His smooth brow crinkled. “The Valentine’s Day orders. Didn’t you say you guys are shorthanded?”
Was he serious or just trying to appease her? “Don’t you have to work this week?”
Mason shrugged. “I’ve got plenty of paid time off.”
She winced at the unspoken reminder that they hadn’t taken a vacation other than their weekend away together in a long time.
His offer tempted her. She was grateful that Jovi had come home to help, but it had been a struggle to keep up with her sister’s sporadic schedule and handle all the issues that popped up at the candy company.
Mom and Dad hadn’t stepped away completely from day-to-day operations, but they weren’t exactly offering suggestions to address the waning sales either. Still, uncertainty swirled in her mind.
She set down her burger and studied his hopeful expression.
He seemed genuine, and he’d be a tremendous asset.
Efficient, hardworking, and more than willing to tackle a task he wasn’t proficient in.
She couldn’t overlook the unresolved issues simmering between them, though.
Especially their tense conversation when they’d been stranded in the gondola.
Their relationship had been strained for what felt like forever.
Was working together a solution? Or would it only stir up more strife?
But then she looked into his eyes, the earnestness shining through, and something inside her softened. This was Mason, after all. The man who had always been there for her, supporting her dreams and goals. Maybe she was being too hard on him.
“Isabel?” His voice broke through her thoughts.
“Are you really sure about this?” She couldn’t hide the hope in her voice.
Mason’s eyes filled with determination. “Absolutely. I’ll do whatever you need. Besides, we make a great team, remember?”
Their gazes held. Despite his reassurance, doubts gnawed at her.
Yeah. They had made a great team. But that was before.
Back when they were young and naive and used helping out at the candy company as a way to sneak off and find time alone, plus earn a little extra money.
Their deliveries had taken twice as long and earned suspicious glances from her mother when they’d finally returned the van.
She tamped down the memories and picked up her burger again. Maybe, just maybe, this was their chance to reconnect and mend what had been broken. “If you’re willing to use your vacation time, we could use the help. I could use your help.”
Ugh. She hated admitting that last part.
Relief washed over Mason’s face. He reached over and took her hand in his, caressing her skin with his calloused thumb. “I won’t let you down.”
Her pulse hummed, and she dropped her gaze to her plate. Did he mean that? She longed to savor the rare moment of peace they’d carved out, so she swallowed the question and then pulled away. After adding more ketchup to her plate, she nudged it toward him for his fries.
“So. Tell me more about Juneau.”