by Erika Kelly
Which meant, since Coco wasn’t a Santa Claus or Easter Bunny killer, she had to keep deflecting until Posie was old enough to figure things out on her own. Another breeze swooped down from the mountain, ruffling Posie’s silky, golden hair. The candles nearly flickered out.
“Okay, sweetheart.” Coco motioned for her mom to get Posie’s attention. Her classmates were getting antsy. “It’s time to blow out the candles.”
Stubborn as could be, Posie kept her eyes closed. “I’m wishing, Mommy.”
Coco smiled. Her daughter was adorable.
Even with grandma whispering in Posie’s ear, the little girl still shook her head vigorously. “Wait.”
At that exact moment, Jessie—a little boy from Posie’s preschool—lunged forward and blew out all five candles.
People gasped, as the boy’s mom grabbed him around the waist and hauled him off. Posie stood on the bench looking like her last hope in the world had just sputtered out.
“It’s okay.” Coco’s mom pulled a matchbook out of her bag and immediately set to lighting the candles again.
“No, Grandma. Stop.” Posie couldn’t have been more upset if Jessie had shoved her cake onto the ground.
“It’s okay. We got this. We’ll just do it again.” Always the fixer, Coco’s mom remained cheerful as she set the flaming match to each of the candles. “See? Look, they’re all lit up. Now, go ahead and blow them out.”
Expression mulish, Posie’s lips clamped shut.
The group gathered more tightly around her, everyone issuing encouraging words.
But Coco knew better. Pocketing her phone, she came to sit beside her daughter. “What’s the problem, sweetheart?”
“I already wished.”
“That’s okay,” Grandma said. “You just wish again.”
“I can’t.” Her daughter turned distraught. “I already wished the only wish I want, but stupid Jessie blew out the candles, so he gets it.”
“Honey, wishes don’t work like that.” Giving her mom a look that said, Please handle the guests, Coco scooped up her little girl and walked closer to the lake. Even this late in June, her mountain town was too chilly for sunbathers, but plenty of people came to walk their dogs or enjoy the bike path.
Sitting on a boulder, she settled her daughter on her lap. “I don’t know what Ethan told you about fairies and wishes.” And I sure wish I did. “But I do know for sure that wishes come from inside here.” She patted her daughter’s chest. “Which means that nobody can take them from you.”
Posie studied her, as if checking to see if she was being humored.
“Do you know why we blow out candles and make a wish?” Coco tucked a lock of hair behind her daughter’s ear.
“Yes. Ethan says the smoke carries wishes to the gods. And now my wish is going to Jessie’s god. Not mine.” She folded her arms across her chest to show her outrage.
Coco scrambled for a different angle. “Okay. What if I put brand new candles in the cake? Would that work?”
“Yes.” Bad mood lifted, Posie twisted around so they were nose to nose. “That would work, Mommy.”
Phew, crisis averted. “Perfect. Let’s do it.” Holding Posie close to her, Coco slid off the boulder. “We’ll do this, but you need to know something. Wishes come true when you want them so badly you’re willing to work your patootie off to make them happen. So, never mind Jessie or anyone who tries to take your wishes away from you. No one has that power over you.”
“That’s not what Ethan said.”
Well, if Ethan had decided to stay in touch, we could ask him about it. But, since he didn’t… we’ll take what he says with a grain of salt.
She set her daughter back on the bench and announced, “We need fresh candles.” She nodded to her mom. “Can you grab the box from my tote bag over there? Let’s try this again.”
Within minutes, fresh candles glowed on top of the chocolate cake covered in white frosting and glitter sugar. Her little girl inhaled enough air to conduct a deep dive to the bottom of the lake, and then, finally, blew out the candles.
“Yay!” Everyone broke into applause.
Coco stood up to cut the sheet cake, when her mom took the knife. “I got this, honey. Diane Peterson wants to talk to you.”
She scanned the group until her gaze landed on the elegant, older woman. “What about?”
“The Bowies hired her to get the Owl Hoot Resort and Spa’s wedding business off the ground. She’s looking to partner with businesses in town.”
“That would be amazing.” Coco had tried a number of marketing angles to get her chocolate shop to the next level, but nothing had taken off quite the way she’d hoped.
“It would be. From what I understand, this first wedding is a high-profile couple.”
“Oh, awesome. The timing couldn’t be better.” She’d gotten a small spike in sales after providing her chocolates for Academy Award swag bags, but now, a little over two months later, they’d fallen away.
“You’ve had some pretty major successes in your four years in business. You’re awfully hard on yourself.”
“I’m a single mother.” And, since Ethan, she’d come to accept she’d always be one. After he’d moved away, she’d made the decision to hold off on dating until Posie was much older. Her daughter had attached so deeply to him that his move had been devastating. How could he do that? Just leave and never talk to Posie again? It was cruel. “I have to think about her college and my own retirement.”
“Cake.” Posie swiped some frosting with a finger and stuck it in her mouth.
“You’re getting cake, silly girl.” Her mom sank the knife in and cut one long row. She leaned closer to Coco. “You know we’re always here for you, right? You’re never alone in this.”
“I do.” Love bloomed in her chest, spreading sunshiney warmth through her body. She kissed her mom’s cheek, getting a whiff of the most familiar scent in the world. Joss Montalbano, a former Eighties supermodel, had worn the same perfume for decades. Created by a designer exclusively for her, it had a spicy, peppery scent with a floral heart and a woody base. “I don’t know what I’d have done without you and Dad helping me. But I’ve still got to build my own career.”
“Well, this might be the big break you’ve been hoping for.”
It had taken a couple of marketing efforts to figure out success didn’t hinge on one big moment. Her business would grow because she pursued all kinds of ideas. Like establishing Calamity’s first Chocolate Festival. Since the Bowies were looking for ways to draw tourists, they’d given her use of the resort’s ballroom for the three-day event. She was so excited—the response to her invitations had been phenomenal—she had well over one hundred chocolatiers from around the world. Who knew the idea of the Wild West setting would be such a draw internationally?
Adding a steady stream of business from weddings would be phenomenal. “You’ve got this?” she asked her mom.
“Of course. Go talk to Diane before she takes off.”
Coco headed for the artsy woman with short, silver hair. “Hey, Diane. Thanks for coming to Posie’s birthday party.”
With a jangle of thin gold bracelets, the woman leaned in for a hug. “I wouldn’t miss it.” She and Coco’s mom worked together on all kinds of philanthropic projects. They’d been good friends for years.
“My mom said you wanted to talk to me?”
She grinned like she was holding backstage passes to a Rolling Stones concert. “I do. Did she tell you I’m giving the Bowies a hand with their wedding business?”
Coco nodded. “I didn’t think you wanted a full-time job.”
“Oh, I don’t. I’m only getting it started. In fact, I’m already looking for an assistant who’ll eventually replace me. Anyhow, after pursuing every angle I could think of—bridal magazines, tourism websites--anything to drive attention to a wedding business in a remote mountain town, I finally got the grand idea to stalk social media influencers. I found the perfect couple and, be
lieve it or not, they happen to know the Bowies. Imagine that? We’re going to sponsor their destination wedding here.”
“That’s a really good idea.”
“Thank goodness I spent a little extra on a terrific website designer. I really think it’s what sold the bride. Well, that and the fact they’re going to have the ceremony on a glacier. In return, the bride will talk up our resort and post photographs for the next six months, and the groom will add Calamity as a destination on his travel app.”
“I love it. That’s such great thinking.” Coco had given away a lot of chocolate in her early days, but it had never translated into sales. She’d learned quickly that most influencers just wanted free things. She would love to be included in Diane’s plans, but she really didn’t want to donate her chocolate. Still, she’d at least hear Diane out. “How can I help?”
“We’d like to put your chocolate in the guest swag bags.”
Ugh. That’s what I figured. But how could she say no when she wanted Diane to consider her for future—paying—jobs. “How many guests are we talking about?”
“I don’t know yet. They’re flying in tonight for a meeting at the resort tomorrow. But we’re going to pay you for it. I’m not asking you to donate anything. This is on us.”
“That’s incredibly generous. Are you sure? I mean, if you’re doing it for free, it seems only fair I do, too. I’m looking at more than this one wedding. I’d like a partnership with you.”
Diane grinned. “You Cavanaugh girls.” Her smile faltered, and Coco knew she was thinking about Coco’s younger sister. “You’ve all turned out to be such incredible women.”
“We have great parents.” She hated that no one knew what Stella was doing. After the scandal, she’d left town and hadn’t been heard from since. Which meant no one got to tell her that anything could be repaired. They just needed Stella to come home, so the sisters could work things out.
“I very much appreciate the offer, but the resort will cover the costs. I’ve already run everything by Brodie. Do you think you could stop by tomorrow to meet the couple and let them taste your chocolates? As part of the sponsorship deal, they’ll be sharing photographs of your product, so I’d love for you to bring a couple of your most unique shapes. Let’s really grab their attention. Another idea…why not bring some slices of your Chocolate Decadence cake? I’d love it if they chose Coco’s Chocolates to make the wedding cake.”
“You’re wonderful, Diane.” She leaned in for a hug. “This is an amazing opportunity. Thank you.” She pulled back. “I’m lucky you and my mom are such good friends.”
Diane gave her a pointed look. “This is business, honey. I don’t do favors for friends when it comes to making money. I’m using your chocolates because they’re special. I’m hoping she’ll choose your cake because it’s the best damn cake I’ve ever tasted. So, get that favor nonsense out of your head and bring some goodies for the meeting tomorrow at noon.”
“You got it. I’ll be there.”
Diane wagged a finger. “I have a very good feeling this couple’s going to change our lives.”
Chapter Two
In the conference room of the wedding planner’s office, Coco set three boxes down on the table. Gesturing to the one with the pink and white polka dot bow, she said, “This is the Doris Day collection. The chocolates are rich, creamy, and mild. They have no additional flavors.”
“Oh, I love the packaging.” But the bride, a stunning beauty with her bounty of red hair and gorgeous green eyes, grew concerned. “I don’t want to give my guests boxes, though. They’re pretty, don’t get me wrong, but I was picturing chocolates in shapes that tell our story.”
“I will absolutely make the chocolates in any shape you’d like. I only brought the different collections so you can choose the flavor palette. For big events, most people choose the Doris Day, because it doesn’t contain eggs or peanuts or any of the classic allergens. Your guest list”—Willow had said neither she nor the groom had much family and would prefer to keep it small—"might give you a little leeway, assuming you know everyone well enough to know their health issues.”
The bride dug into her hemp tote bag and pulled out a folder. “So, I did a little looking around.” She pulled out a photograph of the Eiffel Tower. “I think this could be really, really cool. I saw the chocolate skulls on your website. Can you cover this with the same sparkly silver?”
“Definitely. I can do anything—”
“Because I was thinking we could do a different shape for each guest, and each piece could reflect one place we’ve traveled.” She looked to Diane. “Don’t you think that would fit our brand?”
Their brand? Was this a wedding or a marketing event?
Diane, the consummate professional, gave the bride a serene smile. “Yes, it would. Another idea that could be fun is if we go with snowboarders and volleyball players.”
Coco could learn a lot from this woman. Instead of telling the bride how impractical it would be to create a separate mold for each guest, she’d deflected. Nicely done.
“No, that’s in our past. And my followers care about my travels, not sports. I wish Beckett was here.” Willow glanced at the door. “I really want him in on this.”
“You don’t have to make any decisions right now,” Coco said. “We’ve got plenty of time.” The couple hadn’t even set a date yet. “All you need to do while you’re in town is taste the chocolates, so you can decide which one you like best.” Coco lifted the gold box wrapped with a red satin ribbon. “The Brigitte Bardot collection is more decadent. The chocolates are richer, creamier. Some have alcohol. There are no nuts in this one, either. And this one…” She tugged the glittery silver ribbon on the black box. “The Elizabeth Taylor has all the unusual flavors that’ve earned Coco’s Chocolates its reputation. Do you want to get started sampling them?
Willow waved the box away. “Let’s wait for Beckett.”
Discreetly, Coco checked her phone. They’d spent nearly an hour talking about Willow’s life as an influencer and going over her wedding storyboard. Now, Coco had run out of time. She had to pick up her daughter in twenty minutes, and it was a fifteen-minute drive to her preschool. “I’ll leave the chocolates with you, then, and you can take your time deciding.”
“Oh, don’t go yet, please?” Willow twisted around to the door. “He used to be a snowboarder, so he’s probably just yapping away with the Bowies. I’m sure he lost track of time.” She cocked her head, as if one of Posie’s fairies was whispering in her ear. “Oh, wait, no. That’s not it. He had some trouble with work. He’s got a travel app, and I guess the wifi’s not great in this hotel because he couldn’t upload his images. Or something like that.” Her eyes lit up. “You know what we could do? Can you make chocolate in the shape of a mountain with us hiking? That’s literally how we met. He was there to do the climb for his app, and I’d been invited to the opening of the base camp facility. We spent our first night together in a yurt.”
Of course you did. “I’ve got an artisan here in town who makes the molds for me. So, I can literally make any shape you want.” She reached for her purse. “Enjoy the chocolates. Let me know which collection you prefer, and I’ll talk to you later.”
“Can’t you wait just one more minute?” Willow pulled her phone out of her tote. “Let me text him.”
“I have to pick up my daughter right now, but my shop’s right in the center of town, so feel free to stop by whenever you like.”
“We’re leaving for Phuket tomorrow, so this is the only time he’s going to be able to taste your stuff and make a choice. Please?”
“I’m so sorry. I can’t leave my daughter waiting.”
“Can’t someone else get her?”
While Coco had never been married, she did understand the importance of wedding details. “I’m afraid it’s too late to ask someone. I have to be there in fifteen minutes, and it’ll take exactly that long to get in my car and drive there, but I can come back, if you l
ike, or you can bring him to the shop. I’ll be there the rest of the day.” She didn’t want to be rude, and she did want the business of making chocolates for an event like this, but her daughter came first. Always.
With an apologetic smile to Diane, Coco started for the door.
“I’m texting him right now,” Willow said.
Oh, brother. This woman was not getting it.
“Hang on. Please?”
Coco kept going. Three more steps, and she was out of here. “I’m happy to meet with him later—” She came up short when a tall, broad-shouldered man filled the doorway.
With his messy surfer hair and lazy grin, he exuded charisma and confidence. “Sorry I’m late.” But when he laid eyes on Coco, his smile flattened. His eyes went wide.
Time came to a screeching halt.
Shock sent a stinging jolt through her body.
“You…what’s going on here?” The groom stood there looking between Willow and Coco with a mix of bewilderment and alarm.
Coco was aware of movement behind her, the breeze of a body flying past. Tall, slender Willow rushed past her, seemingly oblivious to the electricity the air. “Baby, you’re here just in time.” She slipped her arm through his.
Coco felt the bottom drop out of her world.
It was him.
Becks.
Her one-night stand from six years ago.
And…Posie’s father.
Oh, my God.
How is this even possible? Panic swept in like a cold tide. She needed to grab hold of something to get her bearings, but there was nothing around her. Just him.
“Baby, this is Coco. She’s the one who runs the chocolate shop.” Willow gave her fiancé a little shake but couldn’t distract him from gaping at Coco. “What’s going on?” Willow looked between them. “Do you two know each other?”
“Everything all right?” Diane’s calm voice was the hand that reached down and pulled Coco back into the moment.