by Cindy Bell
“Ah, that’s our cinnamon blend. It pairs great with a maple candy.” Charlotte pointed out the candy to him before turning to pour him a mug of coffee.
“I’ll take one as well.” The slender man, with very little hair, and sharp eyes stepped up beside Phil. “I don’t like maple, though.”
“I understand, not everyone does. Are you a caramel man?” Charlotte smiled as she turned back with the mugs of coffee. “Try this one.” She pointed to a large, round candy. “It’s caramel mixed with crushed cashews, with a vanilla twist that cools the caramel flavor a bit.”
“Sounds delicious.” He flashed her a smile as he picked up the chocolate. “Thanks.”
“You’re very welcome.” Charlotte gazed at Phil as he looked around at the wooden toys on the shelves.
“Charlotte, I love visiting here. You have such a unique place. Don’t you think, Rick?” He glanced at his friend.
“Yes. I like it, Phil. You’re not looking for any investors, are you?” Rick turned his attention to Charlotte. “We could expand. Maybe open a few shops in a few different states. We could get your chocolates sold in grocery stores.” He took a sip of his coffee.
“Ah, that’s a very kind offer.” Charlotte raised an eyebrow as she smiled. “But Charlotte’s Chocolate Heaven is a community store. It’s meant to stay local.”
“That’s a shame.” Phil frowned. “You’re missing out on a great opportunity. Rick has made some extremely profitable investments.”
“Maybe, but having a small business in a quaint town offers its own opportunities.” Charlotte gestured to the sample tray. “There are plenty to try. You might want to take some with you on your travels.”
“How do you know I’m not from here?” Rick popped a candy in his mouth. “Oh, yeah, this is good.” He sighed.
“I know everyone in Blue River.” Charlotte laughed and waved a hand. “And none of them are you.”
“Good eye.” Rick winked at her. “Yes, I’m here with Phil to speak to someone about an investment. When I return home, I’d like to give some candy to my family, friends and business contacts. As gifts. Something from my travels. I’ll take forty large boxes.”
“Forty?” Charlotte smiled. “That’s a wonderful order, but I’m afraid we don’t have enough chocolates made to fill it. We make all of our candies fresh. Will you still be in town tomorrow?”
“Yes, I will.” Rick handed her his card. “Just call me when the order is ready.”
“Will do. Thank you so much.” Charlotte’s heart raced. Such a large order would be quite a task to fill, but it was well worth it for the income.
Ally headed for the small cottage where she had spent most of her life. It was where she had lived with her mother and grandmother before and after her mother passed away. Now, it was her own home, and she still loved the sight of it as she rounded the bend in the road. She parked in the driveway and paused at the door to unlock it. Inside, she could hear snorting, and a few soft meows. She smiled at the sounds and pushed the door open.
“Hello there.” Ally crouched down and laughed as Arnold lunged upward to lick her chin and cheek. Peaches wound her way through Ally's feet, and rubbed her cheek along Ally's hand. “It's good to see you, too. I know I took off in a hurry this morning. Let me get you some treats.”
As Ally scattered a few cat treats on the floor for Peaches, Arnold followed her to his favorite place, the kitchen. She pulled open his drawer, and he began to snort and squeal.
“Hang on, hang on.” Ally grinned, then tossed him some treats as well. After checking to make sure they both had enough water for the afternoon, she locked up the cottage and walked back to the van. She paused and swept her gaze over the trees that surrounded the cottage. The leaves had begun to change color. There was nothing about Blue River that she didn't love. Maybe it was a little slow-paced, and to get to any nightlife, it would be about an hour’s drive, but what it lacked in modern entertainment it more than made up for in beauty and charm.
As Ally drove down the road in the direction of the first delivery, she tried to imagine what Blue River would be like with a casino at its center. It wasn’t a pretty picture. She pulled up to a large house positioned at the end of a dead-end road. It had a great view of the river, and as the car parked in its wide driveway indicated, it also had quite a wealthy owner. She stepped out of the car and climbed stone steps to the front door. She had never been inside the house before, but she knew that it was owned by Gary Bob. He had inherited it from his father. It had been empty for many years and it was recently renovated. Clearly, Gary must have moved in.
“Yes?” A gorgeous woman, maybe a year or two older than Ally, opened the front door. Her long, chocolate brown hair reached her waist, and her bright eyes were enhanced by layers of eye make-up to make them even more dazzling. She wore a tight, short dress that suited her figure quite well, but seemed a bit out of place in the less fashionable Blue River.
“Hi, I have a chocolate delivery.” Ally smiled as she held out a box of white chocolates. “For Jasmine?”
“Yes, I’m Jasmine.” She smiled as she reached for the box of chocolates. “These must be from my darling husband.”
“How sweet.” Ally smiled. She had never met Jasmine before, only heard of her. “There’s no card with this one.”
“That’s Gary for you, he never thinks about things like that.” She rolled her eyes. “He may be a bit absent-minded, but I still love him.”
“It’s so nice to meet you.” Ally’s eyes widened. “Welcome to Blue River, Jasmine.”
“Really?” She stared at Ally, her lips parted.
“Really what?” Ally smiled.
“It’s just that you’re the first person to actually welcome me. A few have been polite, and then insulted me, but most have just been outright rude.” Jasmine shifted the box of chocolates from one hand to the other. “But you seem to really mean it.”
“Of course, I do. I’m sorry if people have been rude to you. Most people that live here are very kind, but they can be a little protective of their own.” Ally hesitated as she wondered how much more she should say.
“Ah yes. Linda and the kids.” Jasmine took a deep breath, then pushed it all out between her teeth. “It’s a tough situation, that’s for sure. Linda and the kids are very angry with us. I have never even met them. But Gary is very good to me. We have a wonderful marriage, and even though many people find it hard to believe, we are very much in love.”
“I’m sure that with time people will see that. Until then, feel free to come by the shop anytime. My grandmother and I will be happy to have you.”
“Thank you so much.” Jasmine met her eyes. “I can’t tell you how nice it is to meet someone as friendly as you. I was beginning to think that Blue River would be the worst place I’ve ever lived.”
“Have you lived in many places?” Ally studied her. She spoke with a faint accent that Ally couldn’t quite place.
“Just two. This is my third. Hopefully we won’t be here long.” Jasmine glanced past Ally towards the quiet street. “No offense, but this is not the place for me.”
“It is slow-paced, but it has its charm.” Ally slipped her hand into her purse and pulled out a business card. “This has my cell number on it, too, feel free to call me anytime.”
“Thanks again.” Jasmine looked at the business card, then looked back up at her. “Ally Sweet. Seems appropriate.”
“It is.” Ally grinned, then turned and headed down the steps. She had a few more deliveries to make.
Charlotte headed to the back of the shop to start on making the chocolates for the large order. As she savored the aroma of the melting chocolate, she smiled to herself. Creating chocolate candies had been an act of comfort to her ever since she’d first started the hobby in her home kitchen so very long ago, and it had continued to be the most relaxing and fulfilling activity she engaged in. She was so caught up in the process that she didn’t notice when Ally stepped in through the kitchen door.
“Yes, we’re going to need them.” Charlotte turned around to smile at her. “We just received a large order from an acquaintance of Phil Lalor. He is a businessman, an investor. He’s not from around here.”
“How nice.” Ally grinned. “Let me wash up and I’ll help you.” She headed for the double sink. “You won’t believe who I delivered chocolate to.”
“I won’t?” Charlotte turned to face her as a small smile played across her lips. “Let me guess, a celebrity?”
“Maybe.” Ally tipped her head from side to side, then pulled on an apron. “To Mrs. Bing, Mrs. Cale, and Mrs. White, she probably would be pretty famous.”
“Oh? Now I’m really curious.” Charlotte grinned as she stepped to the side to let Ally take over the batch of chocolates.
“Jasmine, Gary’s wife.” She raised her eyebrows.
“The kid?” Charlotte laughed.
“She’s my age.” Ally narrowed her eyes.
“Exactly.” Charlotte winked at her.
“Nice.” Ally laughed then began to pour chocolate into molds. “That reminds me, Gary said something strange when he was in here today. He seemed surprised that you were spending time with Jeff, he said he might know him.”
“That may be so. Jeff makes friends easily.” Charlotte shrugged. “I don’t know if he knows that Gary is back in Blue River, but when I see him I’ll ask him if he knows him.”
“Gary seemed pretty upset that the information about the casino was public knowledge. I guess, he expected it to be kept under wraps. At least for the moment.” Ally began to fill another set of molds.
“That would have been wise of him. I’m sure people are already passing out petitions and mounting campaigns against the possibility.” Charlotte sighed as she picked up a stack of boxes and carried them over to the counter.
“What do you think about it, Mee-Maw?” Ally began to fill yet another mold.
“I think progress happens.” Charlotte offered a wistful smile. “I’ve already seen this town change so much.”
“Really?” Ally gazed at her. “It seems to me that everything is just about the same as it was when I was little.”
“That may be the case, but I’ve been part of this town a lot longer than you.” Charlotte glanced through the large window that overlooked the street outside. “I’ve seen shops come and go, people come and go. I’ve seen the town’s personality itself change. The one constant thing is progress. We can’t really fight it. All we can do is hope to shape it.”
“Shape it?” Ally picked up one of the filled molds and carried it to one of the refrigerators. “How?”
“By infusing anything and everything that becomes a part of Blue River, with the heart of the town itself. A welcoming, creative town.” Charlotte nodded as she crossed her arms. “Yes, that sounds about right.”
“How can we infuse a large casino with the heart of the town if it takes out half of it, though?” Ally frowned as she picked up the next set of molds. “Aren’t you a little bit worried that it will take over and drive out most of the locals?”
“Not at all.” Charlotte looked back to the window again, and narrowed her eyes. “If there’s one thing I know about Blue River, it’s that its people are proud, determined, and quite stubborn. They aren’t going anywhere. If that casino is going to be built, it will have to be built around them.”
Chapter 3
A few hours later, Ally began the routine of closing up the shop.
“Mee-Maw, go ahead to the cottage if you’d like. I’m looking forward to our show and dinner. I won’t be far behind you.” Ally gave her grandmother a kiss on the cheek.
“Okay, I can spend some extra time with Arnold.” Charlotte began to gather her things.
“I’ll be there soon.” Ally smiled, then headed back to the front of the shop to shut down the register. She had just opened it when the front door of the shop swung open. She winced as she realized that she’d forgotten to lock the door before she began the shutdown process. As a woman strolled inside, she found herself a little flustered.
“Mrs. Duluth, how are you this evening?” She couldn’t imagine asking her to come back during normal business hours. Ally had been so eager to vote for the first female on the Blue River Town Planning and Zoning Commission. Shortly after being elected to the board Mrs. Duluth had become the chairman.
“Well, thank you.” Mrs. Duluth scanned the wooden toys on the shelves. “It’s been so long since I stopped in here, I’ve been meaning to and I just never seem to have the chance. I was walking past and was surprised to see that you were still open.”
“So glad you came in.” Ally walked around the side of the counter to greet her. “Would you like a cup of coffee? I could make a fresh pot.”
“Oh, no thanks, too late in the day for me to have any coffee. Look at this.” Mrs. Duluth picked up a small truck carved by Ally’s boyfriend, Luke. “It’s so quaint.” She set it back down, then picked up a wooden doll. “This place is like the soul of Blue River. Such a unique and beautiful family owned business.”
“Thank you.” Ally smiled as she watched the woman continue to peruse the shelves. “Are you interested in anything in particular?”
“Actually, now that you mention it, I would love some chocolates to take home with me.” Mrs. Duluth turned her attention to the shelves behind the counter. “Did you sell out today?”
“No, we just don’t leave them on the shelf overnight. We try to make sure we only have fresh chocolates available. The leftovers from today are in the refrigerator. But I do have some fresh boxes I just put together in the back that I haven’t put away, yet. Would you like one of those?” Ally walked towards the kitchen door.
“Oh dear, I came in just as you are closing, didn’t I?” Mrs. Duluth shook her head. “I’m so sorry. I can always come back tomorrow.”
“It’s fine.” Ally paused in the doorway of the kitchen. “Would you like to come back and take a look around the kitchen?”
“Could I?” Her eyes widened. “I’d love to.”
“Absolutely.” Ally held the door open for her. She walked her through the kitchen and showed her the process of creating different candies.
“Thanks for the tour.” She smiled as Ally selected a box of chocolates for her. “I don’t want to keep you any longer. How much do I owe you?” She slid her hand into her purse.
“Oh no, not a dime.” Ally held the box out to her. “It’s my pleasure to be able to share these with you.”
“Seriously?” Mrs. Duluth met her eyes. “I don’t mind paying.”
“I know you don’t. Consider them a gift for serving the community.” Ally smiled.
“Thank you for this. Please, call me Harriet.” She laughed as she accepted the box.
“Harriet.” Ally offered her hand. “I’m Ally. It’s nice to formally meet you.”
“Ally, it’s nice to meet you.” She shook her hand and smiled. “Thanks for your support.”
“You absolutely have it. I am looking forward to seeing what changes you have in store for the upcoming year.” Ally walked with her back towards the front door. “I’m sure that you have a lot on your plate.”
“I do.” Harriet sighed. “I want more than anything to protect this town, Ally. It’s been so good to me since I moved here, and I hope that I can return the favor by ensuring that it remains headed in the right direction.” She lowered her voice as she reached the front door. “I guess you’ve heard about this casino?”
“Oh yes, all about it.” Ally winced. “It’s a hot topic over morning coffee here.”
“I’m sure it is. I am doing everything I can to stop the development of our green spaces, and the bulldozing of our treasured shops.” Harriet pursed her lips. “It’s not easy to convince others though when wads of cash are being flashed right before their eyes.”
“I imagine it’s not.” Ally shook her head. “I know you’ll do everything you can.”
“Yes, I will.” Harriet stepped out through the door, then glanced back over her shoulder. “Thanks again, Ally. I hope I can count on your presence at the town hall this Sunday evening.”
“Sure, I’ll be there.” Ally’s cheeks flushed with a touch of guilt. She didn’t even know that there was a meeting, and certainly hadn’t planned to attend it. But after meeting Harriet in person, she was certain that she would attend. She watched as Harriet walked away. She had recently lost her husband and was a businesswoman before she moved to Blue River and joined the board, and Ally often thought about the sidestep she’d taken in her life. She could have continued on with her successful business, instead she decided to give it all up and move to Blue River. Apparently, after her husband had passed away, she had been looking for a change and wanted to move to a small town and serve the community. Ally finished closing up the shop, then locked the door on her way out.
As Ally headed back to the cottage she had grown up in, her mind spun with all of the new developments of the day. A casino and a visit from Harriet? She had a lot to sort out, and a talk with her cat Peaches, would be the perfect way to do just that. She drove up the driveway eager to tell her grandmother about the visit from Harriet Duluth.
As Ally pulled open the door, she heard small feet scamper towards her. She smiled, and crouched down to greet a pot-bellied pig, and an orange cat. She felt a surge of gratitude for her home.
“Hi Arnold, hi Peaches.” Ally gave them both a quick pet. “Mee-Maw? Are you here?”
“In the kitchen, hon. I’m starting some dinner for us.” Charlotte called out from the kitchen.
Ally smiled again. There were times when she still missed sharing the small cottage with her grandmother. Since she had moved into Freely Lakes, a senior community about twenty minutes away, it had been an adjustment. But she’d also seen her grandmother blossom, become more social, and more daring in many ways.