do that.”
“Do what?”
“Put up that wall between us again. I finally got the wrecking ball through, and I’m not about to let you mortar the bricks back in place.” He cupped her face tenderly with both hands.
“Luke—”
“I want to see you tonight.” He leaned in and placed a chaste kiss on her lips. “We can talk about it then.”
Scarlett debated what to do. She knew him well enough to know that he wouldn’t let up easily. Maybe if they talked tonight she could get him to see why she needed to back away. She had so much going on in her life between trying to get her business off the ground and resettling in her old hometown, she couldn’t take any more stress on top of it. And being with Luke would cause her stress because she knew it would never last.
“Come by here later on tonight.”
He smiled, and she loved how his eyes sparkled when he did that. She didn’t see enough of his smile.
No. She couldn’t allow herself to think like that. Luke leaned forward and gave her another kiss, then let his hands drop from her face. “That’s my girl.”
His girl. As much as she loved the sound of that, she knew she could never be his anything again. The thought drove a pain into her center, but she smiled through it.
Scarlett exited the truck, not allowing herself the luxury of glancing back at Luke. Instead, she pulled her phone out and texted a frantic message to Layla.
I need you! Meet me at Dream Cream at 1pm and I’ll fill you in over peanut butter ripple. Xoxo
Layla’s response was mercifully swift.
You know I can’t say no to Del’s ice cream. That stuff is like crack. See you then - hope you’re okay!
She wasn’t, but she would be once she and Luke were on the same page.
Chapter 17
Pun Fully Intended
S carlett sat at the small table for two spooning peanut butter ripple into her mouth while she waited for Layla to arrive. She’d been coming to Dream Cream since she was a little girl, and apparently, not much had changed. Del was still a portly older man who wore a white 1950’s-style uniform, and the place was still busy—even in the fall. That’s how good Del’s homemade ice cream was.
She dug her spoon into the bowl, careful to get some of the peanut butter goodness, and closed her eyes when the yummy flavor hit her tongue, moaning around the spoon.
“I suspect Luke heard some of that last night.”
Scarlett’s eyes snapped open to find Layla pulling a chair out, a wide grin spread across her face. “What did you say?” Scarlett asked in a fierce whisper.
Layla plopped her butt down in the chair and leaned forward, clearly amused by Scarlett’s reaction. “You heard me.” She chuckled. “I don’t know why you’re whispering. Everyone in town probably already knows anyway.”
Scarlett dropped her spoon in her bowl and grasped her head in her hands, the pounding from her hangover starting up again. “Please don’t say that.”
“I figured it was just a matter of time. But I have to say, I’m impressed it was this soon. I didn’t think you had it in you.”
Scarlett rolled her eyes as Del appeared beside the table with a bowl of ice cream for her friend.
“Here you are, sugar,” Del said, placing the heaping bowl of Layla’s favorite—cherry cheesecake—on the table. “Enjoy.”
“Thanks so much, sugar daddy.” Layla grinned and winked at him.
Scarlett couldn’t help but smile a little. Layla and Del had always had a sweet grandfather/granddaughter kind of relationship.
“How are things since you’ve been back in town, Scarlett?” he asked.
“Going well. Doing my best to get the bakery up and running. I’ve had my challenges though.”
Del placed his hands on his protruding belly and let a deep laugh escape. “Don’t I know it. Owning your own business isn’t for the faint of heart.” He shook his head as he wandered back to the counter to help a customer, laughing to himself.
As soon as Del was out of earshot, Layla started up
“Do what?”
“Put up that wall between us again. I finally got the wrecking ball through, and I’m not about to let you mortar the bricks back in place.” He cupped her face tenderly with both hands.
“Luke—”
“I want to see you tonight.” He leaned in and placed a chaste kiss on her lips. “We can talk about it then.”
Scarlett debated what to do. She knew him well enough to know that he wouldn’t let up easily. Maybe if they talked tonight she could get him to see why she needed to back away. She had so much going on in her life between trying to get her business off the ground and resettling in her old hometown, she couldn’t take any more stress on top of it. And being with Luke would cause her stress because she knew it would never last.
“Come by here later on tonight.”
He smiled, and she loved how his eyes sparkled when he did that. She didn’t see enough of his smile.
No. She couldn’t allow herself to think like that. Luke leaned forward and gave her another kiss, then let his hands drop from her face. “That’s my girl.”
His girl. As much as she loved the sound of that, she knew she could never be his anything again. The thought drove a pain into her center, but she smiled through it.
Scarlett exited the truck, not allowing herself the luxury of glancing back at Luke. Instead, she pulled her phone out and texted a frantic message to Layla.
I need you! Meet me at Dream Cream at 1pm and I’ll fill you in over peanut butter ripple. Xoxo
Layla’s response was mercifully swift.
You know I can’t say no to Del’s ice cream. That stuff is like crack. See you then - hope you’re okay!
She wasn’t, but she would be once she and Luke were on the same page.
Chapter 17
Pun Fully Intended
S carlett sat at the small table for two spooning peanut butter ripple into her mouth while she waited for Layla to arrive. She’d been coming to Dream Cream since she was a little girl, and apparently, not much had changed. Del was still a portly older man who wore a white 1950’s-style uniform, and the place was still busy—even in the fall. That’s how good Del’s homemade ice cream was.
She dug her spoon into the bowl, careful to get some of the peanut butter goodness, and closed her eyes when the yummy flavor hit her tongue, moaning around the spoon.
“I suspect Luke heard some of that last night.”
Scarlett’s eyes snapped open to find Layla pulling a chair out, a wide grin spread across her face. “What did you say?” Scarlett asked in a fierce whisper.
Layla plopped her butt down in the chair and leaned forward, clearly amused by Scarlett’s reaction. “You heard me.” She chuckled. “I don’t know why you’re whispering. Everyone in town probably already knows anyway.”
Scarlett dropped her spoon in her bowl and grasped her head in her hands, the pounding from her hangover starting up again. “Please don’t say that.”
“I figured it was just a matter of time. But I have to say, I’m impressed it was this soon. I didn’t think you had it in you.”
Scarlett rolled her eyes as Del appeared beside the table with a bowl of ice cream for her friend.
“Here you are, sugar,” Del said, placing the heaping bowl of Layla’s favorite—cherry cheesecake—on the table. “Enjoy.”
“Thanks so much, sugar daddy.” Layla grinned and winked at him.
Scarlett couldn’t help but smile a little. Layla and Del had always had a sweet grandfather/granddaughter kind of relationship.
“How are things since you’ve been back in town, Scarlett?” he asked.
“Going well. Doing my best to get the bakery up and running. I’ve had my challenges though.”
Del placed his hands on his protruding belly and let a deep laugh escape. “Don’t I know it. Owning your own business isn’t for the faint of heart.” He shook his head as he wandered back to the counter to help a customer, laughing to himself.
As soon as Del was out of earshot, Layla started up
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