opened it again, and it promptly closed.
It was rather satisfying to watch.
Finally, he stood and opened his mouth a third time. “Well, stay away from my store. I’ve got enough to think about without worrying over some silly girl trying to steal my recipes.”
Dulcie crinkled her brow. “Sir, I am not trying to steal your recipes. Believe me, I’m in good shape for the competition. I certainly don’t need to go sneaking around.”
He looked like he was trying to read her, no doubt wondering whether she told the truth or not.
“You know, maybe you should go back to your neck of the woods and give those candies Dulcie gave to Nick a try,” Lila said, always one to pipe in at the exact wrong time. “I think you’ll find what she’s saying to be true. She does not need to steal anything from anyone.” Lila leaned back in her stool.
Mr. Sugarman’s nostrils flared, but he didn’t say anything more. Until, that is, he was already halfway through the door. “Stay away from my shop!” he yelled without so much as a glance back.
“Well, he’s a pleasant fellow,” Lila said, her eyes still sparkling from the exchange.
Drama always was one of her favorite things.
Dulcie’s, not so much.
The man gave her a feeling like she had done something wrong.
“You’ll have to thank your Grams for filling you in on this juicy little feud,” Lila said.
“It can’t be that much of a feud if I know nothing about it.”
Lila tilted her head. “Well, your mom did keep you rather sheltered.”
“But Grams didn’t.”
“Other than this feud,” Lila reminded her.
“Yeah, I guess.” Dulcie shook her head. “Anyway, none of it matters. I’ve got to stay focused on the contest.”
Lila smiled…as much as her smirk was a smile, anyway. “And I bet you’re itching to kick his ass now more than ever.”
Dulcie tried not to return her smile, she really did, but it spread across her face without her meaning to. Lila got up to leave, making sure to take her share of the candy at the edge of the counter.
“Can you turn the sign on your way out?” Dulcie asked, shaking her head as Lila plucked one more box from the few remaining.
“Sure,” she said, the top already open on one of the boxes. “See you tomorrow.”
“’Bye,” Dulcie said, chuckling.
The little bell jingled as she left, and Dulcie finally got a moment alone to sit down and collect her thoughts before she had to finish cleaning up. It had been quite a day. The insanity at Nick’s store, perhaps the most important candy making of her career, and then the ridiculousness that was Nick’s father.
All she wanted was to get home and sleep.
Chapter Nine
Lila nodded to Nick as she let him in. “She’s in the back.”
Nick didn’t feel right about just barging in like that, but if Lila thought it was okay, who was he to argue?
Dulcie was wiping the big table in the center of the room, her hair falling softly to the side as she reached.
“I am so sorry,” Nick said, scattering the peace and quiet.
Dulcie let out a tiny yelp, whipping around. “Jesus, Nick, you scared the hell out of me.”
“Sorry,” he said, sheepish. “Lila let me in on her way out. I thought you saw.”
She shook her head, her hand on her chest.
This was not starting well. He forged ahead anyway. “I can’t even believe my father. I’ve never seen him like that before.”
She nodded. “Well, you should have seen him in here , then. Went on and on about how we broke some code or something.”
Heat crawled up the back of Nick’s neck. “Please tell me you’re joking.”
“Oh, no,” Dulcie said, seeming to enjoy filling him in. “He was quite adamant he speak with my Grams. Thought she’d sent me over as a spy to charm you out of your secrets.”
“Oh. My. God,” he said, though the way his face probably glowed red said so much more.
A few moments passed while he processed. Dulcie seemed to enjoy every one of those minutes.
“I am so
It was rather satisfying to watch.
Finally, he stood and opened his mouth a third time. “Well, stay away from my store. I’ve got enough to think about without worrying over some silly girl trying to steal my recipes.”
Dulcie crinkled her brow. “Sir, I am not trying to steal your recipes. Believe me, I’m in good shape for the competition. I certainly don’t need to go sneaking around.”
He looked like he was trying to read her, no doubt wondering whether she told the truth or not.
“You know, maybe you should go back to your neck of the woods and give those candies Dulcie gave to Nick a try,” Lila said, always one to pipe in at the exact wrong time. “I think you’ll find what she’s saying to be true. She does not need to steal anything from anyone.” Lila leaned back in her stool.
Mr. Sugarman’s nostrils flared, but he didn’t say anything more. Until, that is, he was already halfway through the door. “Stay away from my shop!” he yelled without so much as a glance back.
“Well, he’s a pleasant fellow,” Lila said, her eyes still sparkling from the exchange.
Drama always was one of her favorite things.
Dulcie’s, not so much.
The man gave her a feeling like she had done something wrong.
“You’ll have to thank your Grams for filling you in on this juicy little feud,” Lila said.
“It can’t be that much of a feud if I know nothing about it.”
Lila tilted her head. “Well, your mom did keep you rather sheltered.”
“But Grams didn’t.”
“Other than this feud,” Lila reminded her.
“Yeah, I guess.” Dulcie shook her head. “Anyway, none of it matters. I’ve got to stay focused on the contest.”
Lila smiled…as much as her smirk was a smile, anyway. “And I bet you’re itching to kick his ass now more than ever.”
Dulcie tried not to return her smile, she really did, but it spread across her face without her meaning to. Lila got up to leave, making sure to take her share of the candy at the edge of the counter.
“Can you turn the sign on your way out?” Dulcie asked, shaking her head as Lila plucked one more box from the few remaining.
“Sure,” she said, the top already open on one of the boxes. “See you tomorrow.”
“’Bye,” Dulcie said, chuckling.
The little bell jingled as she left, and Dulcie finally got a moment alone to sit down and collect her thoughts before she had to finish cleaning up. It had been quite a day. The insanity at Nick’s store, perhaps the most important candy making of her career, and then the ridiculousness that was Nick’s father.
All she wanted was to get home and sleep.
Chapter Nine
Lila nodded to Nick as she let him in. “She’s in the back.”
Nick didn’t feel right about just barging in like that, but if Lila thought it was okay, who was he to argue?
Dulcie was wiping the big table in the center of the room, her hair falling softly to the side as she reached.
“I am so sorry,” Nick said, scattering the peace and quiet.
Dulcie let out a tiny yelp, whipping around. “Jesus, Nick, you scared the hell out of me.”
“Sorry,” he said, sheepish. “Lila let me in on her way out. I thought you saw.”
She shook her head, her hand on her chest.
This was not starting well. He forged ahead anyway. “I can’t even believe my father. I’ve never seen him like that before.”
She nodded. “Well, you should have seen him in here , then. Went on and on about how we broke some code or something.”
Heat crawled up the back of Nick’s neck. “Please tell me you’re joking.”
“Oh, no,” Dulcie said, seeming to enjoy filling him in. “He was quite adamant he speak with my Grams. Thought she’d sent me over as a spy to charm you out of your secrets.”
“Oh. My. God,” he said, though the way his face probably glowed red said so much more.
A few moments passed while he processed. Dulcie seemed to enjoy every one of those minutes.
“I am so
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