Their smiling faces and their mumbled praise over the food never failed to send me soaring.
I was proud of Time River Market & Café. What I had built and what it offered our small community. From such a young age, I’d known this was what I wanted to do, and it filled me with pride at what it had become.
I’d found a speck of shame in it, but it had been on Ryder and me to eradicate it, to do something good in its place, and I’d found joy in that, too.
A foundation had been started in Amelia’s name in Poplar. It was a shelter for at risk teens, and Ryder and I had doubled the money he’d given me to fund its opening.
Ryder volunteered there every weekend, and he would take the cookies I’d bake and share them while he shared pieces of his story. How one choice could have a devastating ripple effect, but how each of us have the power to walk a good path. That sometimes we stumble, but we have to fight our way back onto the right track.
Fight for health and joy and security.
He’d fought for his, and I was so proud of him for that.
I glanced up to find Beth smirking at me from the other side of the counter. “You look like you’re over there daydreaming again. That man must be something in bed because every day you’re walking around here on a cloud. It’s kind of annoying,” she teased.
I swatted at her as I rounded the counter, redness hitting my cheeks. “Would you stop it?”
“Never, not when you turn to mush any time I mention his name.”
I saw no point in denying it since every thought of him made me all squishy inside.
“Do you need any help?” I figured I’d do best to change the subject before she got carried away.
She ducked her head into the short refrigerator under the counter. “Would you mind double checking the dairy order is coming in tomorrow? We are running super low on whipped cream, and you know how the town considers that a local tragedy.”
A slight giggle got free. “That they do. But I just checked this morning and everything is in order.”
“Do you mind checking again?”
“Um…sure. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were trying to get me out of your way.”
Beth waved a teasing hand at me. “You are in the way. You know I have things handled out here.”
“Fine, fine, I see what I’m good for. Ordering supplies,” I told her as I started for the swinging door.
“And recipes. Don’t forget the recipes,” she called behind me. I was laughing under my breath as I headed back into my office. I added three more cases of whipped cream just to make sure.
The truth was the bakery portion of the business had been booming.
It wasn’t a bad problem to have.
While I was back there, I decided to check emails to make sure everything was handled.
A few minutes later, I looked up to find Beth standing in my doorway. “Hey, would you mind coming out to help fill the drink orders for the big reservation? They’re an unruly bunch and Chloe is having a hard time keeping up.”
“Oh, I see how it is—you do need me.”
“I’ll never admit it.” She sent me a playful smirk as I edged past her and started down the hall.
I pushed out the swinging door, only I stalled out when I saw the people who had gathered at the large table.
Everyone I knew and loved. Paisley, her grandfather, Caleb, and Evelyn. Ezra and his kids and his mother Linda. My brother and sister, and Kayden was in my mother’s arms.
But it was the man standing in front with his hands stuffed into his pockets and grinning at me that sent shockwaves rolling beneath my feet.
The air shimmered with light, and my consciousness got pulled toward his darkness.
Drawn in a swelling of need.
A blaze of love that scorched me to the bone.
I slowly eased forward, moving through my restaurant toward the people who meant the most to me.
“What are you all doing here?” It trembled out of my mouth. It wasn’t like they didn’t frequent the café. But they didn’t usually come together, and if we did a big family thing, I knew about it.
No, this was different.
It was palpable and alive.
A buzz in the atmosphere that shivered and flashed and sent nerves scattering through my senses.
The rest of my staff began to gather around us, as well as a few friends and acquaintances who had been sitting at other tables.
It took me a second to realize that Ryder had stolen my chalkboard sign from the front. The one where I wrote the daily specials.
It was standing right beside him, and the dessert special was now written in his strong print.