Heart And Soul (Angel Sands 8)

1

“Okay, this one? It’s to die for.”

Meghan Hart smiled as her assistant, Jeannie, went in for another scoop, closing her eyes and letting out a moan as the pink and white ice cream disappeared between her lips. Meghan loved this part of her job. Creating new flavors was her jam and since she’d become the new owner of the Angel Ice Cream parlor two months ago, she’d spent most of her evenings trying out new combinations to entice the tongues of her customers. This one – a strawberry and balsamic vanilla swirl – had come to her when she was packing up their kitchen cupboards in the short-stay apartment she and her daughter, Isla, had been staying in, while they waited for their long-term rental to be ready.

“You don’t think the balsamic is too acidic?” Meghan asked, as Jeannie reluctantly put the spoon into the empty glass dish.

“Nope. It contrasts perfectly with the sweetness of the strawberries. And it’s so much better than the bubblegum flavor you tried last week.” Jeannie shook her head. “That one wasn’t the best.”

Meghan wrinkled her nose at the memory. No matter how much she’d tried to adapt the bubblegum recipe the sugar rush had made her wince. Creating the best ice cream meant delicately balancing the right flavors and textures, and all too often she ended up scrapping her experiments. But when they worked – like this one – it was all worthwhile.

And that’s why she loved running this place.

She’d seen the for sale listing for the ice cream shop a few months ago. Its location was perfect – in the center of the boardwalk in the small town of Angel Sands, facing the sparkling blue Pacific Ocean, and the golden beach that attracted crowds of tourists in the summer. Based on the books of the prior owners, even in the winter business was brisk, thanks to the sweet teeth of the locals and the all-year-round surfers.

Leaning over her recipe book, she made a quick note in the margin. She’d have to adapt a few things to make bigger batches, but she was almost certain it was possible. “We just need to think of a name,” she told Jeannie. “Strawberry and Vinegar Shortcake isn’t exactly enticing.”

“How about The Berries and the Vine?” Jeannie suggested.

Meghan grinned. “Or maybe A Berry Vine Ice Cream?”

Jeannie winced at the pun. “I hate it but I love it.”

“Me too.”

The door to the shop opened, and a little girl came flying in. “Mommy!” she said, throwing herself at Meghan. “Guess what?”

“What?” Meghan smiled down at her eight year old daughter. It had been the two of them ever since she could remember, and they were a tight knit little family. “You’re all hot and bothered. Take a breath, sweetheart.”

“I got into the school play,” Isla said, her lips lifting into a grin. “I’m going to be a mermaid.”

“That’s fantastic.” Meghan kissed her brow. “Now go put your school bag in the office and wash your hands. I’ll get you a glass of milk and an apple.”

“Can I have some ice cream?” Isla asked, her gaze slinking over to the glass freezer that showed off all the flavors.

“Maybe later. After dinner, if you’re good.”

“Gah. I guess I’ll wait.”

As Isla skipped to the office, Jeannie turned to Meghan with a smile. “Are you all ready for the big apartment move?” she asked.

“More than ready,” Meghan told her. “We can’t wait.”

When Meghan had bought the ice cream shop, about an hour from where she and Isla had lived before, she’d also put down a deposit on a stunning apartment nearby. But they hadn’t been able to move in until this week, thanks to a big flood which led to it being remodeled.

She was so excited about finally putting down roots in this sunny beach town. And Isla was looking forward to being able to decorate her bedroom the way she wanted to. At last, it felt like things were starting to come together for them both, thanks to her hard work and the legacy her grandma had left her.

That thought made her smile, and hurt a little, too. She missed Grandma Louise very much.

“Have you met your new neighbors yet?” Jeannie asked, carrying the ice cream bowl and spoon over to the kitchen.

“No I haven’t. They weren’t there when I got the keys for the apartment. But I guess I owe them a debt of thanks for putting up with all the renovations.”

“Ah, it wasn’t your fault. The flood happened before you even moved in.” Jeannie shrugged. “It was bad luck, that’s all.”

Yeah it was, but now it felt as though that luck had turned. She had a shop she loved, her daughter was happy in her new school, and she was about to move into a pretty little apartment by the ocean.

She’d take home some of her best baked cookies to introduce herself to her neighbors. And if that didn’t work, she’d ply them with ice cream. That always made everything better.

Yep, things were definitely looking up. She had a feeling that life was only going to get better from here.

It had been a hell of a day. It was the first time Dr Rich Martin had stopped since he’d come on shift that morning. He breathed a sigh of relief as he surveyed the waiting room of the Saint Vincent’s Memorial Hospital and realized it was half empty. He walked over to the desk to check in with triage.

As the attending physician for Emergency Medicine at Saint Vincent’s, he was in charge of all treatment for the patients that walked through the sliding glass doors – or were wheeled in by paramedics. Sure, he had his team. His chief resident, plus the senior and junior residents and interns who worked here, but the buck stopped with him.

“We got one more for you,” Sara, the ER shift clerk said, smiling as he walked up to the desk. No, that wasn’t a smile. It was more of a smirk. The smell of coff

ee wafted up from the cup she was holding and it made his stomach gurgle.

And as soon as Rich picked up the chart she was holding out he realized why.

“Nope,” he said, putting the chart back on the desk and sliding it toward Sara. “Give this one to Simon.”

“Simon’s on his break. You sent him ten minutes ago.” Sara pushed the chart back. “And she asked for you specifically.”

“I bet she did.” Lianne, one of the nurses started to laugh. “Did she say his name, or ask for Saint Vincent’s hottest doc?”

Rich rolled his eyes.

“Voted by the nursing and admin staff for three years running,” Sara added. “Hey, we should get him a badge or something.”