“For now, I think it’s best if we leave the webpage down, and we’ll sit down after Christmas— as a family— and go over everything. I promise.”
“Sounds great.” Since Andy wasn’t speaking to her, Dad or Mom would have to call him to get the site back up … if that’s what they decided to do. She sighed. Shouldn’t she be happier that she had a chance at running an online store? Isn’t that what she’d wanted from the beginning? Having had a taste of life with Andy, she knew now that without love, life was just an empty box of chocolate.
“Are you going to come in and watch TV with your grandma?”
“I can’t think of anywhere I’d rather be.” Reese checked the Santa molds. If she hung out for an hour, they’d be set and she could get another batch going so her mom wouldn’t have to worry about the late pickups.
CHRISTMAS EVE MORNING WAS AS GRAY and dull as Reese felt inside.
Kenworth’s would be open from ten to two, and today was a busy day for The Candy Counter, as it was pickup day for Santa orders. Kenworth’s would be crammed with last-minute shoppers, and the air was always festive. Even though it was busy, it was one of the best days of the year.
Reese was just about to get in the shower when her phone rang. She jumped, startled. Her phone had been silent for days now and Reese was no longer used to the accosting ringtone. Now she understood why people stared at her when it went off in public.
She answered without checking the caller ID. “Hello?”
“Reese? Reese, honey, there’s been a fire at Kenworth’s. They aren’t letting us in yet. Oh, Reese, I’m so worried. What are we going to do?”
“I’ll be right there, Mom.”
Reese threw on a pair of jeans, a T-shirt, and a hoodie, grabbed her coat, and raced out the door. Hopefully their stock was okay, though she doubted it survived. As temperamental as chocolate was when it came to changes in heat, it was equally as susceptible to absorbing smells. Smoke from a fire could ruin everything they had. And there was thousands of dollars’ worth of stock in their display cases, not to mention the stock in the back room. She ran to the car and started it up.
As she got closer to Kenworth’s, she could see that the reason the morning was so dreary was because of the smoke lingering in the atmosphere. It created a haze, and Reese caught the scent of burnt plastic in the air.
She had to park a couple of blocks away. The bitter smell increased the closer she got to Kenworth’s, causing her stomach to roil. The town square outside Kenworth’s display window was packed with people. There weren’t just employees; business owners from all over the city and families crowded together watching the action from behind temporary barricades. Reese heard snippets of conversations that led her to believe someone had been injured. She prayed for their safety as she wove through the bystanders.
Catching sight of her mom’s green coat, Reese increased her steps. “Mom!”
Joy spun around and clutched Reese to her chest. “Reese. I’m so glad you’re here.”
“What have you found out?”
Joy let her go and began wringing her gloveless hands. Her hair was out of its usual bun, and Reese realized she was still wearing her apron. “The fire was in the children’s department.”
Reese took off her gloves and gave them to her mom. “That’s right across from us,” she said as she dug a knit pair of gloves out of her pockets.
“I know. I think it’s a complete loss. Reese, what are we going to do?”
Reese grabbed her mom’s hands. “I know you’re worried about more than just today. I am, too. But we need to focus on the most pressing need, and that’s Christmas Eve deliveries. If we can get them out, we won’t have to refund money. Where are the order forms?” She prayed they weren’t a pile of ash.
“I took them home last night to organize them. They’re still on the counter. But the Santas were in the store. Surely they’re ruined.”
Reese shook her head. “Not all of them. I set another batch last night.”
“A whole batch?” asked Joy.
Reese nodded. “All seventy-five molds.”
Joy’s face fell. “We’re still seventy-five short.”
“I’m calling Clark and Dad. They can get the Santas wrapped and ready the molds for another pour that should be ready by this afternoon. You go get the chocolate going. I’ll stay here and find out what we can do to set up a temporary spot to hand out Santas. I’ll call you as soon as I hear something.”
“Okay. Okay. Okay.” Joy nodded her head with each word.
Reese pulled out her phone and called Clark. After explaining the situation, she told him what she needed. “Can you guys get that done before Mom gets there?”
“We’re on it.”
“Thanks.” Reese hung up the phone. She looked around for Kiera and found her near the doors talking to the fire chief. “Kiera!” Reese called.
Kiera turned and waved Reese over.
“What’s going on? Are they going to let us in?”
“The fire started last night. It’s been out for a while, but the fumes were too strong to let anyone in the building. We cranked up the ventilation system and cleared out the smoke. They’re just determining the cause, and then we can assess the damage. It shouldn’t be long.” Someone called for Kiera. “I have to go,” she said.
Reese nodded. She made another call, this time to her dad.
“How’s it looking?”
“From the outside, the store looks fine. We should be able to go in within the hour. Listen, some of these people have been going all night long. They need chocolate. Why don’t you bring some hot cocoa when you guys come down?”
“Sounds like a great idea.”
Reese saw Jessica standing with Gentry and went to hang out by them. They listened to the conversations around them and made comments about what was going on.
When the all-clear came, Reese took her place in line, her phone pressed to her ear. “They’re letting us in,” she told her mom.
“Okay, we’re almost there. See you in a minute.”
Reese hung up. Throwing her arm over her nose to block out the acidic stench, she walked gingerly through the front doors.
“If you can gather around. Over here, people. Thank you.” Kiera stood on a bench from the shoe department so everyone could see her. Faces were grim. “Please assess your own departments first before moving on to help someone else. We’ll need to keep records of what we keep, what can be salvaged for Goodwill, and what’s a complete loss. I’ll have forms ready in about ten minutes. There are dozens of volunteers waiting outside. I’ll send them in with assignments to each department. Thank you all for your help. If we work together, the store shouldn’t be closed for long.”
People dispersed. Reese was on her own until her family arrived. Bracing for the worst, she made her way through the controlled chaos.
When Reese caught her first sight of The Candy Counter she nearly fell over. Melted chocolate covered every tray. If she didn’t have the layout committed to memory, she wouldn’t have been able to tell what was coconut cream and what was dark chocolate fudge. Someone came by handing out big garbage bags, and Reese tried to dump a tray of caramels into it only to find that it was not going to move without some encouragement. She set it down on the counter with a huff. It would take days to get this place cleaned up, and tomorrow was Christmas.
The children’s’ section across the way was a mess. Employees moved like ants carting melted toys and smoke-damaged clothing out the front door. Reese hoped the store had insurance and that The Candy Counter was covered under the policy. If not, she prayed her parents had been smart enough to purchase their own coverage.
Her eyes stung and she doubted it was from the bitter taste in the air. This was her legacy, and it lay in puddles at her feet. Everywhere she looked there was no hope. The hours that had gone into making perfect centers and getting the chocolate-to-sweetness ratio just right were ruined.
“So this is the underside of
the chocolate business.”
Reese spun around to find Andy standing within a foot of her. Startled, she stumbled back. “You scared me!” She couldn’t believe he was here. Even though they lived in the same small town, she expected never to see him again. It wasn’t that hard to avoid her. If Andy stayed out of Kenworth’s, the church, and her apartment complex, he’d be able to spend the rest of his days in Echo Ridge Reese-free. Looking up to keep the tears from falling, she asked, “What are you doing here?”
Andy held up a plastic fork. “I came to help.”
Reese blinked as her eyes stung at his kindness. “Why?”
Andy opened his coat and pulled a gold box out of his inner pocket. He took off the top to reveal a bunch of empty brown cups. “I ran out of chocolates.”
Reese felt a smile tug at the corners of her mouth. Holding her tears at bay was getting much harder. “So you thought you’d steal some while we were busy cleaning up?”
“Nope.” Andy moved closer. “I wanted to earn them.”
Reese raised her eyebrows. “And how do you plan on doing that?”
“Well …” Andy placed his hands on her hips, and Reese felt her pulse spike. “I thought I’d start by talking through things with the girl I love.”
Reese could hardly believe his words. Her vision blurred, and she sniffed.
“Then I thought I’d eat as much of this as I could. It’s the least I could do to help out.”
Reese laughed as the tears fell. “Don’t you dare! You’d be so sick. I can only imagine what was in the smoke, and it’s now in the chocolate. But if you want to help, I can pay you with banana chocolates. I may or may not have a tin of them in my apartment.”
Andy’s face lit up.
Reese took a deep breath. “I’m sorry for what I did. I never meant to hurt you or your company.”
Andy nodded. “I know. You were making a place for yourself.”
Reese drew her eyebrows together. “That’s exactly what my dad said.”
Andy nodded. “He tracked me down at the ski lodge.”
Reese gasped. She reached out and lightly patted Andy’s arms from his shoulders to his wrists.
“What are you doing?” asked Andy.
“Looking for injuries.” She continued, patting his chest and then checked his knees.
Andy swatted her hands away. “Stop that. I’m fine.” He grasped Reese’s shoulders and pulled her up to look at him. “I’m fine, heiress. He bought me a hot chocolate and told me a story about the Santa molds.”
Reese remembered her conversation with her dad, and she thought she just might have the best dad in the world. She was so going to buy him an extra Christmas present— if there was one left after the fire. She leaned into Andy and he put his arms around her. “That’s a great story.”
“Almost as good as ours,” said Andy.
“Almost,” Reese agreed.
Andy’s words were a balm to Reese’s aching and cracked heart. She thought for sure it had shriveled to the point that the only thing it could feel was pain, but with Andy holding her close, it seemed to want to thud and thump as strong as ever.
Reese didn’t have long to revel in the moment. Her family was suddenly there with a moving cart from the storeroom, loaded up with a folding table, freshly wrapped Santas, several boxes of doughnuts, and a drink dispenser she was sure contained hot chocolate.
Later that night, after Reese had checked in on Grandma, she settled down on her couch to watch The Grinch with Andy. Grandma was doing well, all things considered. She was a bit confused at the Christmas tree, saying it was out of place this time of year, but her cough had eased up and she was able to eat Christmas Eve dinner with the family.
It felt so good to have everything out in the open between her and Andy. There were no more secrets.
The display case was covered under Kenworth’s insurance policy, but the stock was not. Her mom had told her that with the extra money from the online business and some careful budgeting, they wouldn’t have to file a claim with their insurance. Their agent informed them that a claim would mean a huge hike in monthly premiums.
The online store had saved The Candy Counter, just not in the way Reese had intended. Her mom had discussed different products and how they would ship. She wanted to talk to Pop about shipping in the summer and what type of packaging was available. Andy had told her that if they could ship fish from Alaska to New York, then they surely could find a way to ship chocolate to Florida.
With Cecilia gone, Kiera, had assured them that The Candy Counter would always have a place at Kenworth’s, so they needed to get right back into dipping as soon as Christmas was over. Grandma would probably be ready to help by the New Year. No one knew how much longer she would be able to join them in the chocolate kitchen, but they would cherish the time she had left there.
The best part of being out from under the deception was that she didn’t have to worry about keeping Andy away from her family. He’d joked with Clark during the cleanup efforts, hugged her mom goodbye before going home to shower, and even had a conversation with Dad about some new tax law that was going into effect at the New Year. And when everyone was busy handing out doughnuts and hot chocolate, Andy had stolen several kisses that left Reese feeling as melted as the chocolate puddled around them.
“Okay, here’s the chocolates you earned fair and square.” Reese handed him the whole tin. After spending Christmas Eve scraping goo out of the display case, he earned much more than just these candies.
Andy opened it eagerly. He took a moment to select his first treat and then popped the whole thing in his mouth. Reese took one and bit it in half.
“Hey!” Andy hugged the tin to his chest and turned to the side. “I earned these.”
Reese swallowed. Banana wasn’t too bad. “You did. And you also earned this.” She placed both hands on the side of Andy’s face and pulled him in for a banana-and-chocolate-flavored kiss. He moaned against her lips, and Reese giggled.
Andy reached down and set the tin on the floor before gathering Reese in his arms. “How many calories are in one chocolate?” he asked.
“About a hundred. Why?”
“Did you know kissing will burn ten calories a minute?”
Reese was starting to catch on to his train of thought. “So for every one chocolate you eat, we need to kiss for ten minutes.”
“Exactly!” Andy grinned before pressing his lips to her neck and making her laugh. He paused to give her a moment to breathe, and his eyes turned serious. “Did you find what you were looking for? Did you find your place, heiress?”
Reese ran her fingers through Andy’s hair. “I did. I thought it was behind the counter at Kenworth’s or at a dipping station, but it’s not. It’s here.” She placed her hand on his chest. “This is where I feel most at home.”
Andy covered her hand with his. “I’ve been waiting a long time for you to figure that out.”
“You have?”
“I’ve known my place was with you since the day we moved in and you showed up on my porch. I got one whiff of you and decided you were the girl for me.”
Reese punched him in the arm. “You had a funny way of showing it, Mr. Kissing-Heather-Donaldson-on-your-front-steps-for-the-whole-world-to-see.”
Andy wrinkled his nose. “She smelled like my mom’s roses. It was never going to last.”
Reese laughed. “Why did you wait so long?”
Andy shrugged. “You weren’t looking for anything and I was sure you’d shoot me down. It wasn’t until you talked about expanding the business that I really saw a hunger for more in your life.”
Reese snuggled against him. “Funny how others can see things in us we can’t see in ourselves. But for the record, I would have said yes at any time.”
Reese lifted her eyes to meet his. Her words never felt truer, and she hoped he could see her honesty as she said, “I love you.”
Andy pressed a kiss to her hair. “I love you.”
Chocolate Banana Nut Bread
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 large, ripe bananas
1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a large loaf pan and set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add the eggs, milk and vanilla and stir well. Then, add the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and bananas. Stir until just combined. Fold in nuts if desired.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 60-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for ten minutes before running a knife around the edge and turning the loaf out onto a wire rack to cool.
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LUCY MCCONNELL loves romance. She is the author of the Billionaire Marriage Broker Series and contributes to the Snow Valley Anthology. Her short fiction has been published in Women’s World Magazine, and she has written for Parents’ Magazine and The Deseret News. Besides fiction, Lucy also writes cookbooks. You can find her award-winning recipes under Christina Dymock.
When she’s not writing, you can find Lucy volunteering at the elementary school or church, shuttling kids to basketball or rodeos, skiing with her family, wakeboarding, running, cycling, baking, or curled up with a good book.
You can sign up for her newsletter by clicking here, or check out her blog at lucymcconnell.wordpress.com.
To Stan - the love of my life who always makes Christmas and every day special. Thank you for being the one I want to be with.
Christmas Kisses: An Echo Ridge Anthology (Echo Ridge Romance Book 1) Page 11