Sprinkled with Love

“Uh-huh. I was talking to Joanie on the phone when we came up with the idea. We thought that it would be perfect and her mother agreed.”

Joanie was Harry’s younger sister who’d tutored Beth in math for a couple of years in high school. Ever since, Beth and Joanie had been close friends despite a six-year age gap between them. Avery welcomed the friendship. Joanie was smart and had a good head on her shoulders. He figured Beth would tell Joanie things in sort of a big sister role that she wouldn’t tell him.

Beth’s voice was filled with emotion. “If you want to back out…I’ll tell Joanie and her parents—”

“No. Don’t.” And then realizing what he was getting himself into, he said, “I’ll do it.”

“You will?” Suddenly Beth was all happy again. “I’m sure Jillian can give you some pointers. Are you sure?”

He hesitated, knowing this was his last chance to back out. “Yes. I’m sure.”

He just couldn’t let everyone down. But what would happen when everyone found out he couldn’t bake? It would be a disaster. He wondered how much help Yo

uTube videos would be. Probably not as much as he needed.

Speaking of Jillian, a question came to mind. “When I ran into her last night, she mentioned something about a grand opening today.” He’d wanted to ask Jillian about it last night, but he got the distinct impression she expected him to know about it all already. “Do you know what she was referring to?”

“You really have been gone a lot. She’s talking about her new business, Tangled Charms.” Beth proceeded to give him a rundown of the handmade jewelry business.

His sister may be away at school, but she was still quite connected to Marietta. It made him even more certain he was doing the right thing by fixing the house up for her. When she graduated college, she’d have someplace to call home.

“Beth,” he said, getting her to pause to take a breath. He needed a way out because after holding Jillian in his arms and almost kissing her, it was best to keep his distance. “With all Jillian has going on, I don’t think this is the right time to ask for her help.”

“It’ll be fine. She’ll tell you if it doesn’t fit in her schedule, but I don’t think she’ll turn you down. And if you want to win, you’re going to need her help.”

His sister was right about one thing. The one person who could bake the most delicious pies and cookies was Jillian Parker. For so many years, she’d helped him out with his brother and sister. She’d done a lot more than just watch them. She went above and beyond anything he’d ever asked of her. She’d been a lifesaver.

But this was different. She no longer worked for him. She had her own very full life from the sounds of it. But most of all, he noticed the easy rapport between them had become stilted and awkward.

*

Today was the day.

Jillian had been waiting on this moment for almost ten very long years.

There were many days when she thought it would never happen. But at last, her dream was about to come true. Today Tangled Charms would become more than a few doodled thoughts on a legal pad. It would be more than figures and spreadsheets. It would become a reality. Jillian hoped it was a smashing success, just like her internet business.

Jillian eased her car into a parking spot across the street from the shop. Instead of being on top of the world and walking on cloud nine, she couldn’t shake the fact that Avery was back in town. Talk about running into someone—literally.

She remembered how he’d pulled her close to keep her from falling. The memory of being held in his very capable arms made her heart race. How many sleepless nights had she wondered what it would be like to be that close to Avery? Too many to count.

But that was all in the past. She was over him. And her reaction to being held in his arms, it was—it was nothing. She’d just been caught off guard. Nothing more.

Right now, she needed to concentrate on Tangled Charms—the biggest accomplishment of her life. But this wasn’t just her achievement. Her best friend, Suzanna Simms, had stepped up and had helped every step of the way. Suzanna was quite the artist in her own right. She preferred to make unique charms from metal, clay, and glass. When Suzanna wasn’t making charms, she was creating small, decorative figurines. Between the two of them, they’d created quite a large inventory.

Tangled Charms was strategically placed between the boutique and the hair salon. Hopefully there would be lots of curious people who would stop in and find the perfect gift for themselves or someone special.

Jillian retrieved the muffins from the back seat of her car and crossed the street. All the while, she admired the fresh coat of white paint on the outside of the building and the way the showroom stood out with white twinkle lights. They had been Suzanna’s idea. The lights framed the showroom window and lined the wine-colored wooden sign that hung from a wrought-iron arm that stuck out above the front door. While the lights surrounding the sign blinked to help draw the eye, the showroom lights were static so as not to distract the eyes from the jewelry and charms that were on display.

Lots of thought had been put into the shop.

She wondered if Avery would ever visit—

Wait. Where had that thought come from? This was her big day and she was thinking about him? She gave herself a mental shake, hoping to clear her thoughts.

She was the best thing he ever passed up. It was his loss. And she wasn’t looking back. She had a bright future in front of her. And she had no room in it for a romance. That had been proven by her last messy relationship.

Spotting Suzanna already inside, Jillian grabbed the brass door handle and pulled the door open. “That man can be so frustrating.”