The Chocolate Comeback (Love at the Chocolate Shop Book 7)

by Roxanne Snopek

  Embarrassed by the scene Mark had caused.

  Distracted by DeeDee’s pretty bra.

  “A fashion show for a special needs support program,” Clifford said. “We’d be happy to contribute.”

  He had an easy smile and the comfortable physique of a man who enjoyed his food without apology.

  “Any excuse to show off our wine.” Emerson, the leaner of the two, but just as friendly, began pulling out several bottles. “We’ll need to taste a few to make sure you get the right one.”

  Mark watched closely. “Yay! Can I taste, too?”

  Isaac’s instant reaction was to say no. To his knowledge, his brother had never been exposed to alcohol and with him already tired and hungry, Isaac couldn’t see this going well. He opened his mouth to explain that Mark wouldn’t care for it, but DeeDee stilled him with a hand to his arm.

  “Are you over twenty-one?” Clifford asked.

  Mark nodded vigorously. “I’m twenty-four.”

  “Then of course you can.” Emerson pulled out an elegantly labeled bottle and poured a splash for each of them. “This off-dry Riesling has delicious citrus notes.”

  Mark took one mouthful, coughed, and put his glass on the counter. “Too sour.”

  “Different strokes for different folks.” Unfazed, Emerson lifted a bottle of fizzy-flavored water. “Would you like to try this instead?”

  The sweet beverage more to his liking, Mark sipped and swirled along with the rest of them, and Isaac began to relax. He’d never have imagined himself sharing such an ordinary pleasure with his brother.

  The convivial atmosphere and easy acceptance of Mark gave Isaac a buzz that had nothing to do with the tiny samples of wine. Perhaps it was the joy of being outside in the sunshine after a season of too much time indoors.

  “Thank you so much,” DeeDee said, pressing their hands in turn after they’d agreed to donate several cases of sparkling white and rosé to the fashion show.

  “Can’t say no to a pretty face,” one said. He winked at Isaac. “I’m sure you know all about that.”

  “Oh.” Isaac looked at DeeDee. “It’s not…”

  “Emerson sees romance everywhere.” Clifford laughed and clapped him on the back. “You do make a handsome couple though, I have to say. Nice to meet you, Mark,” he added. “Looking forward to seeing you strut your stuff.”

  Wait. What?

  The bell above the door tinkled as they exited the store. Once on the sidewalk again, DeeDee did a little skip.

  “One down!” Her eyes twinkled. “Aren’t they the sweetest old guys? This’ll be so great for the show.”

  “Cynthia will be happy,” he said. “What did they mean about Mark strutting his stuff?”

  Deirdre smiled. “He’s going to be one of the models. A couple of Mark’s friends are participating, including the girl from the bakery. She’s nice. Isn’t she, Mark?”

  Isaac stopped. “Did I miss a memo? Mark, a model?”

  “Sara Maria,” Mark said. “She makes pies. I like pies. I want to be boyfriend and girlfriend with her.”

  Whoa. Picturing Mark on stage was bad enough. But a girlfriend? Where had that come from?

  He looked at Deirdre, who was smiling even more broadly now.

  “A lot can happen in a day or two,” she said airily. “I was going to tell you.”

  Isaac pulled out his cell phone and handed it to Mark. “Play your game for a few minutes while I talk to Deirdre. Okay, buddy?”

  *

  DeeDee shouldered open the door to Copper Mountain Chocolates, hoping Sage would be as agreeable as the men from Two Old Goats had been.

  And more agreeable than Isaac. His big-brother protectiveness was heartwarming—to a point. He needed to lighten up. Mark would be on stage for two minutes, tops. The attention would do him good. Same thing with his budding friendship with Sara Maria. An intellectual disability didn’t preclude a crush, apparently. It was sweet.

  “Remember this place?” she asked Mark.

  “Yeah.” Mark’s eyes were wide as saucers, taking in the beautiful window displays. “Can we buy some, Isaac? Please?”

  “We’ll see,” Isaac said. He still looked pissy about his brother wanting to be in the “close-show,” as Mark referred to it.

  “Remember the treat we’re having after our walk?” DeeDee said, ignoring Isaac.

  “Oh!” Mark clapped his hands. “Chocolate! My favorite.”

  Everything he liked was his favorite.

  “I’ll talk to my friend first. That okay, Markie?”

  DeeDee waited to be certain Mark understood before approaching the counter.

  The smell inside the shop made her mouth water. It was getting harder and harder to resist temptation.

  She glanced at Isaac, catching him looking at her, his expression shuttered. Some people needed to be pushed. But had she gone too far? Then he blinked once, slowly, and the chill left his dark eyes. He tipped his head ever so slightly, as if perplexed but willing to live with the uncertainty.

  Willing to trust her.

  Something soft and warm fizzed inside her. Like the homely cat at the shelter, Isaac didn’t trust easily.

  “Welcome to Copper Mountain Chocolates.”

  A young woman DeeDee didn’t recognize looked up from where she was stirring the copper pot filled with Sage’s decadent hot cocoa. The Carrigan family resemblance, plus the mound beneath the woman’s apron, made DeeDee guess this was the niece Cynthia had mentioned, the one who’d quit college to work for Sage while she waited for her baby to be born.

  The one for whom Sage had been trying to plan a baby shower for. The shower Cynthia was going to help with before the miscarriage derailed everything.

  “You’re just in time to sample a fresh batch of champagne truffles.”

  DeeDee smiled. The girl was young enough that they’d have missed each other entirely in high school. “I wish. I don’t know how you work here and manage to stay so skinny. You must be Portia.”

  “I am.” Portia blushed, glancing down at her baby bump. “You call this skinny?”

  “You’ve got good lines, nice bone structure. I bet once Junior is out, you’ll be back to rocking it. I’m DeeDee. Is your boss here?”

  “Aunt Sage is in the back,” Portia said. “Should I know you?”

  DeeDee didn’t know whether to be relieved or sad that the young woman had no idea who she was. “I grew up here, but I’ve been gone for a while. You probably know my sister, Maddie.”

  “Maddie Cash.” Instantly, Portia’s demeanor softened. “Of course. You’re her twin. I’m a twin, too. Nice to finally meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you. You’re even prettier than everyone says.”

  DeeDee’s face warmed. She doubted that was all people said about her. But it was nice of Portia to be polite.

  “I wanted to talk to your aunt about a fundraiser I think she’ll want to be involved in.”

  “That’s great,” Portia said. “We’re trying to get Sage to market her products properly, but she’s the worst self-promoter. Let me get her for you. While you’re waiting, why don’t you try the truffles?”

  “I’m sure my friend Mark will be happy to try them,” DeeDee said with a smile.

  Portia lifted a sample with the tongs and dropped it into Mark’s hand. “You’ll love this.”

  “One piece only, please,” Isaac said, watching Mark carefully.

  They took their samples and sat down at one of the small tables to wait for her. Mark’s cheeks puckered inward as he savored his treat, an expression of bliss on his face.

  DeeDee leaned against the counter, tapping her toes on the tile floor. She eyed the small sample plate of cut-up truffles. They were very small. Perhaps just one.

  She was reaching for the smallest piece she could find when Sage pushed through the door backward, a tray of fresh product balanced on her shoulder.

  DeeDee jumped back, dropped the piece of candy, and managed to knock the whole plate onto the floor
, sending bits of champagne truffle across the pristine floor.

  “You made a messy-mess,” Mark said.

  “I did.” DeeDee gave Sage an apologetic grin. “Sorry. But you saved me from myself. Got a broom?”

  Sage wore a lovely pale shade of lipstick that complimented her fair complexion and red-gold hair. The entire shop seemed designed to complement her coloring. She was in her element, a pearl glowing against a black velvet backdrop.

  How lovely to have found your place in the world so perfectly, DeeDee thought.

  “What is it with you and Maddie and my chocolate?” Sage set the tray on the glass topped display case and slid open the door. “She went almost an entire month without eating her very favorite chocolate-covered Himalayan salted caramels, thanks to a ridiculous New Year’s resolution. If you’ve given up chocolate for Lent, I do not want to hear about it.”

  Was she imagining the faint note of animosity? Sage had been friendly earlier when she’d been here with Cynthia.

  But everyone knew that Me-Me-DeeDee had been less than supportive of Cynthia in the past. Cynthia, whom everyone loved, and for good reason.

  Then again, there were dark smudges beneath Sage’s eyes that suggested she hadn’t slept long enough recently. Easter was, as Cynthia said, a busy time for a chocolatier.

  “Sage, you remember Mark Litton, your biggest fan, and his brother, Isaac.” She turned to Isaac. “You and Mark can wait for me outside, if you want.”

  Isaac sat back in the chair and stretched out his legs. “We’re good.”

  “I like it here, DeeDee,” Mark said. “It’s my favorite place.”

  “Mark’s most impressed with the fact that you make everything here yourself,” DeeDee said.

  Mark gazed at Sage with adoration. “Are you magic?”

  Sage laughed. “No. But it seems magical, doesn’t it?”

  She shoved the tray into the display case and closed the glass door. Then she took the broom and quickly swept up the mess DeeDee had made.

  “How’s Cynthia doing?”

  DeeDee updated her. “Her latest ultrasound showed a healthy baby, so we’re hoping for the best. But she’s on bedrest for at least another month, so I’ve taken over running the fashion show.”

  “That’s a lot for you to take on,” Sage said. “I hope you can handle it. No one deserves a happy ending more than Cynthia.”

  Her point, DeeDee understood, was to stake her claim as Cynthia’s friend and remind DeeDee that any repetitions of sisterly misconduct would not be tolerated.

  She was uncomfortably aware of Isaac listening to their conversation.

  “Just so you know, Sage, I’m well aware of my shortcomings.” She swallowed. “I won’t let her down again.”

  Sage busied herself setting the new delicacies in the display case. Her long braid fell over her shoulder as she bent to put away the broom and dustpan. When she finished, she straightened up, looked at DeeDee another minute, then sighed.

  “Sorry. I’m tired and cranky. I shouldn’t have put that on you. What can I get you?”

  DeeDee heaved a sigh of relief. “A dozen champagne truffles, ten minutes of your time, and an open mind.”

  “I’m intrigued.” She went to the case containing the special truffles. With a pair of tongs, she took out twelve and placed them in one of her signature copper-colored boxes.

  The dark chocolate surface of the truffles glistened, each one with a tiny flourish on top, unique but uniform, handmade and as exquisite to look at as they tasted.

  DeeDee paid for her purchase and handed the package to Isaac. “Why don’t you guys wait for me outside? I won’t be long.”

  Isaac turned his face and lowered his voice. “Ex-nay on the awclat-chay. He’s already had plenty.”

  “Is that my ’prise, DeeDee?” Mark bounced in his chair.

  “One piece,” she said firmly. “Surely you can live with that, Isaac.”

  Considering the improvements she’d already made to Mark’s diet, Isaac was being ridiculous. Mark was far more flexible than big brother gave him credit for.

  “Now,” Sage said, leading her to a table. “What did you want to talk about?”

  “Cynthia won’t ask, so I’m asking for her. You know about the fundraiser fashion show she’s organizing for Building Tomorrow. We need some elegant nibble for the tables. Clifford and Emerson are donating sparkling wine, but we need something more. Copper Mountain Chocolates would be perfect. It’s a great opportunity to further your brand and support a good cause at the same time.”

  “You sound like Krista, my marketing guru.” Sage sighed. “All I want to do is make chocolate and bring joy to my customers. But everyone else wants me to go to the next level. I can barely keep up with this level. I wish I could, DeeDee, but between eggs, bunnies, special orders, gift baskets, and spring displays, all I can think about is grabbing a few hours of sleep. When the kids let me. I promised Dawson that as soon as Easter’s done, I’m taking a break.” Her face fell. She glanced toward the counter and lowered her voice. “And I still have a certain important event to organize.”

  “I’m offering a trade.” DeeDee also glanced at Portia, who was busy with a couple of tourists. She leaned closer to Sage. “You contribute chocolate for the tables. And I’ll handle the… special event.”

  Sage cupped one hand around her mouth and whispered, “You are talking about Portia’s baby shower, right? I meant to ask Cynthia but, obviously, that’s out of the question now. You’d do that?”

  “I’m good at parties, remember?” She gave Sage a wry look.

  “This is an important one.” Sage’s shoulders drooped. “I wish she’d tell me what’s going on. Keeping secrets is hard. I almost spilled the beans myself yesterday about a customer who sent chocolates to our ‘least likely to get a Valentine’ Marietta resident.” Instantly, she squeezed her eyes shut. “Pretend you didn’t hear that.”

  “No way.” Seeing the normally composed Sage flustered warmed DeeDee’s heart. “Carol Bingley? Mrs. Hatcher?” Then she gasped. “His Honor the crab! That’s it, isn’t it?”

  Someone sent chocolates to miserable, reclusive Judge Kingsley? Just walking past his neglected mansion sent shivers up her spine.

  “You didn’t hear that from me.” Sage made a lock-and-key motion at her lips. “And his mystery admirer stays in the vault. But see what I mean? Secrets are awful. We need to show you-know-who that we love and support her, no matter what her situation. No questions asked.”

  “I can do that, Sage. I promise. Tell me what you want.”

  Sage bit her lip, thinking. “The most important thing is that… the guest of honor… is celebrated like a queen. It would be awesome having someone like you running point. You’d be able to focus on the logistics instead of chatting, since you aren’t really…”

  Sage stopped. Her creamy complexion turned pink.

  DeeDee understood perfectly. The warmth of a moment ago disappeared, but it wasn’t Sage’s fault. DeeDee wasn’t part of the social scene here anymore, never had been, really. Friends wouldn’t distract her, so she was the perfect one to do the fetching and carrying.

  DeeDee pushed down the hurt and pasted on her best, camera-ready smile. It wasn’t personal. She wasn’t doing this for herself; she was doing this for Cynthia.

  “So, do we have a deal?” she said.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “You indulge him too much.” Isaac frowned as Deirdre set out a plate of what he guessed was some kind of baked good in preparation for Mark’s return from his morning at the care home. The day program, he believed, still had value for Mark, especially now that Mark had other activities to look forward to as well. Variety was important. It helped develop flexibility and adaptability, qualities Mark struggled with.

  DeeDee used the time to prepare those activities, and Isaac was especially impressed with her latest plan. Logan Stafford had invited her to bring Mark to Chad’s woodworking shop, where they were trying out an inform
al drop-in program. Sharp tools and special needs didn’t seem like a good combination to him, but Mark had come home from his first time there thrilled to bits.

  “I’ll have you know,” she said, rearranging the lumps until they were just so, “that these cookies are made with whole grains, high in fiber, full of natural dried fruits, and sweetened with a touch of honey. I made them myself, so I know they’re good for him. Unlike the store-bought stuff you’ve been giving him.”

  They were cookies. Could have fooled him. “You baked?”

  “What did you think that smell was, air freshener? Yes, Ike, I baked.”

  It annoyed him to no end that she insisted on using the nickname, but he refused to let her see. It would just encourage her.

  Plus, he couldn’t ignore the tiny bit of warmth implied by the familiarity. People didn’t speak in such a way to someone they feared or mistrusted. She’d given him a pass to the kind of special in-circle he associated with family or friends.

  Which made no sense.

  “Methinks the lady doth protest too much.”

  Deirdre rolled her eyes. “So I’m a beginner. We all start somewhere. It’s not rocket science. They taste better than they look. Here. Try one.”

  She held a chunk up to his mouth.

  She was close enough that he could see the striations in her irises. Blue, gold, little strands of green, too. Was that her natural eye color, or did she wear colored contacts?

  He could smell her too. Something lighter than usual but still spicy. Underneath, there was the warm smell of shower-fresh clean skin, even this late in the day.

  Instantly, the image of DeeDee standing naked under a spray of water filled his mind. Her caramel-streaked hair running in a dark rivulet down her bare back, her arms lifted, her head thrown back, eyes closed in ecstasy as the cascade rushed over her.

  “Good, huh?”

  He swallowed the mouthful. It went down, so it must have been edible, but the aftertaste of vanilla was all he could identify.

  “It’ll do,” he said.

  “They’re delicious and you know it.” She opened the refrigerator and poured a glass of milk. “After, I’ve lined up a fun activity for Mark. I was hoping you’d join us.”