Chapter Eighteen #2
“And then when I find out that my parents are considering competing offers, I’m heartbroken.
Because I can’t imagine some global entity or something running Evergreen Candy Company.
They might be experts in developing the products, but it won’t be a small-town, family-run operation anymore.
” Jovi slumped back in her chair. “They’ll want to be uber competitive and they’ll likely cut staff positions or even move operations out of Alaska altogether to save money.
So not the vision I have, and not what Isabel wants either. ”
Danielle nodded. “Maybe the Lord has something else in mind, my friend.”
“Maybe.” Jovi took a sip of her coffee. If only she knew how to figure out what that was. She desperately needed His help to soothe her angst.
“The last time we hung out, you said you only agreed to be here for thirteen weeks. Where are we in the timeline of your commitment?”
“I have three weeks left, unless I reup for another thirteen. And funny you should mention that.” Jovi frowned. “Remember I was talking to Michael?”
Danielle’s expression turned serious. “Tell me that’s not still going on.”
“Don’t worry. We’re not going to be communicating any longer. A woman slid into my DMs and told me that Michael is the father of her child.”
“No.” Danielle’s reaction was so fierce that it drew curious stares from customers sitting at the next table. “You have got to be kidding me.”
“Not kidding.” Jovi picked at the cardboard sleeve on her cup. “I was shocked.”
“Did you say anything to him?”
“At first I didn’t know what to do. I thought maybe—”
“Jovi.” Danielle shot her a warning look. “Tell me you didn’t just let this go.”
Jovi held up her palm. “Hear me out. I took screenshots of the woman’s messages, but I wasn’t sure how to respond. Our relationship is over. But then he kept texting me and asking my opinion on his next post, and I…got caught up in this fantasy that we’d get back together.”
Danielle grimaced. “That’s why I’m worried. Please, just block the man.”
“I’m getting to that part. So I texted him, attached the screenshots and told him I couldn’t move past that kind of deception.”
“Yes.” Danielle pumped the air with her fist. “That’s better. Did he respond?”
“He admitted that he did have a child, and when I asked him why he hadn’t bothered to tell me, he said he didn’t feel like I needed to know.”
“Oh, brother.” Danielle rolled her eyes. “That’s disappointing on many levels. I mean, why would you not tell your fiancée that you had a child? Do you think that’s the real reason he called off the wedding?”
Jovi shrugged. “Possibly. I think the woman found him, and when she let him know that he was a dad, he panicked. So, needless to say, we will no longer be talking about his next post or reconnecting or any of it.”
“Now you need to block him.”
“Done.”
“Good.” Danielle’s smile faded. “I’m so sorry you had to endure all that.”
“Me too. I think it’s time for me to put relationships on the back burner.”
“Aww, not forever, I hope. I know you want to have a husband and maybe kids someday. Don’t let Michael ruin this for you.”
“Sadly, this isn’t the first time a man has betrayed me.
Before I met Michael, I dated a doctor who failed to mention that he had a wife.
I’m just terrible at choosing men, Danielle, and I’m tired of getting hurt.
It’s so, so painful. And Burke’s betrayal about the recipes is just salt in the wound. ”
“There are still good men out there.”
“Eh.” Jovi shook her head. “I’m starting to wonder if you and Isabel married the last two.”
Danielle smiled over the lid on her cup. “That’s sweet of you to say. Mason’s a good guy, and I’m really thankful for my husband. You’ll find someone if it’s meant to be. God knows the desires of your heart.”
“At this point, He’s the only one who can make it happen,” Jovi said.
The coffee shop’s door opened, bringing a blast of cold air in, along with Walker. He worked his way toward her table. “Good morning, ladies.”
“Hi, Walker.” Jovi smiled at the older gentleman. “It’s nice to see you.”
He pulled off his green knitted beanie and squished it between his beefy hands. “Sorry to interrupt, but I was wondering how your grandmother’s doing.”
“She’s all right. Thanks for asking. They had a nasty stomach flu run through her facility after the holidays, so I haven’t seen her as much as I’d like. But I’m hoping to get to see her soon.”
Walker nodded, then fumbled in his pocket until he retrieved a tissue. “Well, I know she has trouble with memories, but we’ve known each other a long time, so please tell her that Walker said hello.”
“I’ll do that,” she said. “Thanks again for thinking of her.”
He turned to go, then clutched the edge of a table nearby, and slowly turned back. “Say, Jovi, have you found anything yet?”
Jovi hesitated. She didn’t want to tell him about Burke’s discovery in his aunt and uncle’s shed. “Nope. Not yet.”
“Well, don’t give up hope, sugar. Your grandmother kept track of everything. Photographs, postcards, newspaper clippings, things you and your sister accomplished at school.” He chuckled, then patted her shoulder. “She had it all stashed away.”
Yes, but where?
“You ladies have a nice day.” Walker moved slowly toward the coffee shop’s counter.
“Take care, Walker,” Danielle said. When he’d moved out of earshot, Danielle leaned closer. “That was odd. What’s he talking about?”
Jovi sighed. “Burke and I met with Walker, and he told us that my grandmother took Lois’s recipes and started the candy company.
He says she was upset because Mac and Lois fell in love and she wanted Mac for herself.
I didn’t believe him. Besides, I don’t want to confront my grandmother.
Mainly because I don’t want to believe it’s true, and it seems cruel to dredge up her past now. ”
“I wish I could help you,” Danielle said. “Are you looking for a specific candy recipe?”
“The salted caramel chew was something she made when I was a kid. She said it was special, a treat she made just for friends and family. I thought it was amazing, and I’m still hoping to recreate it so we can sell it.
So far my one and only attempt was lousy.
Recipe development is not for the faint of heart. ”
“I know what you mean,” Danielle said. “I have to read a recipe line by line, and even then, sometimes what I’m making doesn’t turn out all that well.”
Jovi wrinkled her nose. “Same.”
“Sometimes I’m convinced that recipe developers leave stuff out on purpose just to make us mad.”
Jovi drummed her fingertips on the table. “I really want to find that recipe. But I’m running out of time and places to look.”
Danielle offered a gentle smile. “This might not be what you want to hear, but might I suggest that God is never out of time. He isn’t late, and we can count on Him to provide what we need exactly when we need it.”
Tears pricked Jovi’s eyes. She blinked them back. “Thank you for the sweet reminder. I so need Him to show up. And soon.”
Danielle’s sound wisdom offered comfort and encouragement, yet doubt still threatened Jovi’s peace. Her plan to find the recipe and stop the sale of the company with the iconic salted caramel chew seemed so hopelessly out of reach. Had all of her hard work been for nothing?
* * *
“Here. It’s my latest attempt, and in my opinion, far better than the first batch.
” Jovi slid the platter of salted caramel chews across Mason and Isabel’s table.
They sat side by side in their cozy kitchen.
Mason had one arm slung around the back of Isabel’s chair.
Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes weary.
Growing two babies at once must be exhausting.
Jovi peeled back the plastic wrap, then stood behind her chair on the opposite side of the table. “Please, Mason, be brave.”
“I’m sure they’re great.” He smiled and plucked one from the platter, then took a generous bite, chewing slowly. Jovi dug her fingernails into her palms, anticipation humming through her veins. She knew Mason would be kind but honest with his feedback. He chewed slowly, nodding.
Oh, nodding was good. Okay. He swallowed.
“Well? What do you think?”
He set the remainder down on a napkin then he took a sip of his water.
Jovi and Isabel exchanged worried looks.
“Please don’t keep me waiting.”
Mason held up one finger, then took another long sip of his water.
Oh, no. “What’s wrong?” She gripped the back of the kitchen chair.
Had she accidentally added too much salt?
In the middle of making this batch, she’d spotted Burke and Darby Jane walking by her cabin, towing their sleds.
Kids had gathered at a hill nearby, so they must’ve been on their way to join the fun.
Regret had pierced her as she watched until they had walked out of sight.
Then she’d been so distracted by what might have been between her and Burke that she’d second-guessed how much salt she’d already added.
“It’s all right.” He eyed the half-finished candy. “I wouldn’t order a dozen or anything. But they are certainly unique.”
“Definitely not five-star worthy, right? Or, like you said, something you’d want to order a batch of.” Jovi picked up a chew and analyzed it like a chemist in a lab pored over results from an experiment. “There’s still something missing.”
“I like the caramel flavor,” Mason said, infusing his voice with optimism. “It’s not too overpowering. The salt on top has a nice texture.”
“It should. It costs a fortune per ounce,” Isabel chimed in.
She wasn’t wrong. Jovi sighed and sat down. Defeated. “Who knew little flakes of salt could be so expensive?”
“Have you tried one?” Isabel asked.
“Oh, yes. Plenty. But I’m not an objective judge. If it doesn’t taste the way I remember Grammie’s tasting, then I’m disappointed.”
Would she ever get over feeling that way? Had Grammie’s chews been that tasty, or was she clinging to nostalgic memories?