He chuckled. “You would be. You always loved that gingerbread house in your aunt’s shop .”
“Maybe next year I’ll have one too. I didn’t have enough time to build an entire replica of Harpers Point. I don’t know how she did it. I’m barely fixing the kinks in the fudge recipe .”
Evan stopped. “Wait. I just thought of something .”
“What?”
“My grandmother .”
“Oh no. Were we supposed to stop by ?”
He shook his head. “No. She has a box of recipes in her kitchen. She and Sophie shared everything, right ?”
Cami nodded. “They did. You think she has the fudge recipe ?”
He shrugged. “It’s possible. We should see her tomorrow and look through the recipes. Maybe it’s there .”
“Do you know how happy that would make me ?”
He grinned. “I think I do know .”
His arms wrapped around her, pulling her snugly to his chest. She couldn’t feel the cold coming off the water any more. All she felt was the strong beat of his heart and his hands at the small of her back. Evan’s massive shoulders blocked everything, even the flash from Laney’s camera. There was no doubt what the story in the paper would be tomorrow .
* * *
B y the time they arrived at the oyster roast Cami knew she and Evan were behind a few drinks. Hamp and Ben had rosey cheeks. She wouldn’t say they were drunk, but definitely on the toasty side .
“You made it!” They hopped up and walked over to shake Evan’s hand .
“Hey, Cami.” They each circled her in a hug .
“Hey, guys .”
They hadn’t been together like this since high school. She wished Samantha and Jamie were here too, but Samantha had to tuck her children in, and Jamie said her fiancée was coming down with a cold. They both left as soon as the flotilla ended .
“Want a beer, Mayor?” Ben offered. “It’s the holiday brew .”
“And strong,” Hamp chimed in .
“I’ll take one. Cami?” He looked at her .
“I will try one of Ben’s famous home-brewed beers .”
Ben jogged to a cooler near the small bonfire. “It’s not home-brewed. I have a brewpub .”
“I’m only teasing.” She smiled as he twisted off the top and handed her one. “Congratulations on your business. That’s great, Ben .”
“It’s pretty dead around here in the winter. So thank God we have Christmas to fall back on. The crowd for the flotilla looked huge .”
Evan smiled. “Sure was. Might have been the biggest turn out in five years .”
“Who won first place?” Hamp asked .
Cami giggled. “I think the judges were biased.” She looked upward toward Evan .
“Don’t tell me you two won .”
Evan sat on one of the logs by the fire. “I had nothing to do with it. What can I say? Claudine and Lottie put a lot of work into their float .”