The Story of Us: Sweetbriar Cove: Book 11 Read online

  “Good night,” Luke said with a nod, and then he turned and walked away, his hands in his pockets.

  Natalie watched him leave. A part of her wished she could take it back and just kiss him again, lose herself in the rush of it, but the other half of her knew she had to be strong. After everything that had happened with Oliver, she was still a tangled-up mess inside. She couldn’t risk it, not when her wounds were still healing.

  Not when she had a whole new life on the line.

  Luke’s shadow finally disappeared into the darkness, and Natalie let herself inside. Alone.

  5

  Natalie woke the next morning replaying the delicious kiss in her mind . . . And then cringing with embarrassment all over again.

  What must Luke think of her: the queen of mixed messages?

  Because the truth was, she had wanted to kiss him, desperately. It was only when she was pressed hard against his body, his hands sliding around her waist, that the voice of reason finally pierced her daze, and Natalie remembered all the reasons she’d vowed to stay away.

  Which she would. Starting today.

  Not that it would be difficult, she thought ruefully as she got dressed and headed downstairs to Coco to get a start on the day’s chocolates. Sure, Luke had said they would stay friends, but that’s what all guys said when they got rejected. And then they promptly faded into the background and never spoke to you again. She felt a pang of regret, remembering their easy laughter and conversation. Just sitting, talking with him last night had been the most fun Natalie could remember in ages. There was something about him that made her feel like herself again . . .

  But it was no use thinking about it now. She unlocked the shop door, greeted the mailman, and turned her attention to the day’s menu instead, musing over the fresh ingredients in the walk-in. She liked to offer special seasonal treats alongside all her usual favorites, and today, she had her eye on some edible flower petals. She could use them as decorations on tiny truffle pops and arrange them like a bouquet . . .

  Ding!

  The sound of the doorbell broke through her thoughts. “Sorry, we’re not open yet!” she called, emerging from the kitchen to find—

  “Luke?”

  She stopped dead in surprise. He was setting down a workbag, two coffees in a tray in his hand.

  “Morning,” he greeted her warmly. His hair was still damp from the shower, and he was wearing a soft plaid shirt, a tool belt slung around the waist of his faded jeans.

  He looked way too good for this early in the morning.

  “Coffee?” he asked, offering one of the takeout cups. “There’s cream and sugar here . . . somewhere.” Luke rummaged in the belt pockets before producing a handful of packets. “Aha! Here we are. Not that you’re running short on sugar here.”

  He flashed a smile and then headed back out to the street, leaving Natalie standing there, stunned, in the middle of the shop.

  What was happening right now?

  Then she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirrored glass. Split ends and no moisturizer, that’s what was happening. Natalie groaned and frantically smoothed down her flyaway hair before Luke re-entered, this time carrying a ladder and several planks of wood.

  He set them down by the back wall. “Like I said, you could paint the whole thing white, but I really think a natural stain would work. Warm the place up,” he added. He set the wood out for her to see. “What do you think?” he asked. “I like this one the best, it’s a great walnut tone. But, you’re the boss.”

  Natalie blinked. The shelves! She’d forgotten all about Luke’s offer, but even if she hadn’t, she would never have expected him to keep his word after everything . . .

  “Are you sure?” she asked.

  “About the walnut?” Luke replied. “Sure. It’s a classic, and it would match your grandmother’s pans.” He took a swig of coffee, looking at her expectantly.

  Natalie blushed. “No, I mean, are you sure you still want to do this. I know you offered, but, I’d understand if you were busy, or . . .”

  Or wanted to steer clear, she silently finished.

  But Luke just gave a smile. “You need the work, I’ve got the time. That’s what friends are for, right?”

  “Right.” Natalie smiled back, surprised. Friends. Maybe he really meant it, after all. She looked at the wood again.

  “The walnut looks great, I trust you.”

  “So, you’re good with some stripes, too? Floor-to-ceiling, pink and lime green?”

  “No!” Natalie yelped. Then she saw his teasing smirk. She relaxed, laughing. “Don’t do that, this place is my pride and joy.”

  “No lime green, got it.” Luke grinned. “OK, leave it to me. Get back to your laboratory,” he said, waving her away. So, Natalie headed back to the kitchen and tried to focus on her recipes, despite the occasional clattering noise from the next room. At first, she was hyper-aware of him, just a few feet away, but soon she was fully absorbed in her work: melting down a combination of three different chocolate types to create a rich, indulgent blend.

  There was a special alchemy to chocolate, Natalie always thought. She’d told Luke it was like science, and that was true, but there was something else, too. When she tempered the melted chocolate by spreading it on her marble countertop, brushing it back and forth to bring it down to room temperature in a glossy, rich swirl . . .

  It was magic. Delicious, unpredictable magic.

  Today, she was making a set of truffles in a fun, geometric shape. She filled the molds with the chocolate coating, tapping the excess loose to leave just a shell for the casing, then whipped them into the refrigerator to set while she whisked up a batch of creamy truffle centers with ground hazelnut and cocoa powder. Once the shells were set, she’d pipe the filling into the mold and chill them too before finishing with a final cap of chocolate. She was working, deep in thought, when she heard a tap. She looked up and found Luke in the doorway. “Sorry to interrupt,” he started.

  “Oh, it’s fine,” Natalie said—then caught sight of the clock on the wall. “It’s ten already? I should have opened an hour ago!”

  “Well, technically you have been,” Luke said. “I flipped the sign for you. But . . .” He paused.

  “Nobody’s been in,” Natalie finished for him. She sighed. “I know, not everyone wants dark chocolate truffles first thing in the morning, but . . .”

  “What are you talking about? I eat them for breakfast every day.” Luke grinned. “Chocolate with a side of bacon, what’s not to like?”

  She smiled. “I do actually have a bar with bacon pieces.” Natalie checked her stock cupboard and found a small sample. “Here, try some if you want. It’s kind of salty-sweet.”

  Luke broke off a corner and bit down. “Mmm,” he said, savoring it. “You know, these would be killer crumbled up in pancakes. All the major food groups covered.”

  “Oh yes?”

  “Sugar, butter, carbs, and meat.” Luke ticked them off with a grin.

  She laughed. “Aren’t you forgetting fruit and vegetables?” she teased.

  “Maple syrup,” he declared. “It comes from a tree. That’s practically fruit, right?”

  “I pity your cholesterol.” Natalie shook her head, still smiling. Then she remembered he’d wanted to ask something. “What can I help you with?”

  “Oh, I have the rough design up, if you want to give it your OK.”

  Natalie followed him out. He’d used masking tape on the wall to lay out where the shelves would be, but instead of being in a normal row, these were staggered, arranged so that the lines made up a stunning design of their own. “Wow,” Natalie blinked, surprised. “This looks amazing. But if it’s too complicated, just the regular ones will work great, too,” she added, not wanting him to go to extra trouble.

  “I don’t settle for regular.” Luke gave a cocky grin. “If you’re going to have a Luke Kinsella original on your wall, it needs to live up to my good name.”

  Natalie hid a s
mile. “I didn’t realize shelves were such important business.”

  “That’s because you’ve never seen mine.”

  Now she really did laugh out loud. “Easy there,” she teased him. “My expectations are going to be sky-high now.”

  “Then I better get to work,” Luke replied, grinning. “If this design works for you, I’ll go get the wood cut. I can start the installation tomorrow.”

  Her cellphone started ringing somewhere in the kitchen. “Sounds great,” Natalie told him, distracted. “See you then!”

  She hurried back to the kitchen. It was a number she didn’t recognize, and Natalie felt a tremor of nerves as she answered. “Hello?”

  “Hey, it’s Mackenzie,” the voice came. “Remember how you said you’d donate a chocolate-making class for the raffle?”

  “Yes,” Natalie relaxed. “I can make a gift certificate if you like. When do you need it by?”

  “Last night,’ Mackenzie said cheerfully. “Grayson won, he’s treating Summer for her birthday.”

  “Oh, perfect,” Natalie replied, remembering the friendly pastry chef she’d met at movie night. “Just tell them to give me a call. Or swing by. Whenever.”

  “Well, actually . . .” Mackenzie’s voice turned hopeful. “I don’t suppose you’d be free this evening? We’ve been trying to plan a girls’ night forever, and well, to be honest, the minute I mentioned ‘chocolate-making,’ everyone magically found their schedules were clear.”

  Natalie smiled. “Funny how that happens,” she agreed. “Sure, tonight works. Why don’t you all come over around six?”

  “Perfect!” Mackenzie exclaimed. “See you then!”

  * * *

  Natalie spent the rest of the day working on new recipes and helping out the steady stream of customers that came through the doors. She was delighted to see that her small promotional efforts were paying off; several of the people said that they’d heard about her gift baskets and had to come try her chocolates for themselves.

  “Come back soon,” she said, sending her last client of the day out the door with an indulgent anniversary gift. “Remember, you deserve a treat, too!”

  She’d barely had time to clean up the kitchen and set out some of her favorite ingredients before her guests started to arrive.

  “Look at this place,” Mackenzie said, clutching her chest as she glanced around the shop. “It’s heaven.”

  “I haven’t eaten all day,” Eliza confided, greeting Natalie. “I wanted to leave plenty of room.”

  “Good, because I brought snacks!” Summer declared, arriving with two full bags of Tupperware.

  “But it’s your birthday!” Mac protested. “We’re the ones who are supposed to be treating you.”

  “Yes, but would you have brought roasted tomato crostini and fresh burrata cheese tartlets?” Summer asked.

  “No,” Mac agreed. “But I have wine.”

  “Even better!”

  Natalie showed them back into the airy kitchen, where she’d arranged individual place mats around the counter, along with all the supplies they’d need. “Here, I have plates and silverware,” she said, helping Summer unpack the delicious spread.

  “Do you like crostini?” Summer asked her. “I had to up my game, coming onto a rival chef’s territory,” she added with a wink.

  Natalie laughed. “Hardly, and also yes, please!”

  She passed out snacks, and Mac poured everyone a generous glass of wine as they all explored the kitchen, oohing and aahing over her specialized equipment.

  “What do these do?” Eliza asked, leaning in to peer at the special polycarbonate chocolate molds Natalie had collected in a variety of shapes.

  “They’re for the truffles,” Natalie said. “We’re going to paint the insides with edible designs, like this,” she showed them a plate of chocolates already made with vivid designs, splashes of gold and silver embedded in the candy like paint.

  “Hello?” another voice called, and then Alice came bustling back to join them. She greeted Natalie excitedly. “Isn’t this great?

  Natalie blinked, doing a double take at the woman who entered behind her. “Hi,” she said to the newcomer, suddenly feeling tongue-tied.

  “Oh, have you guys not met? This is Lila,” Alice said airily, as if she wasn’t introducing a Hollywood star. “You’ll be seeing plenty of her, she can eat candy like nobody’s business.”

  “I can’t help my cravings!” Lila protested, laughing. She cupped the curve of her pregnant belly and gave a rueful smile. “At least it’s not pickles anymore. Griffin threatened to move into the spare room if I kept eating them in bed at three a.m.”

  Natalie relaxed. “Chocolate isn’t quite so stinky,” she agreed. “Just be careful not to let any melt on the sheets!”

  “Now, where do we start?”

  “We wash our hands,” Summer answered for Natalie, and they all laughed.

  “Yes, Ms. Kitchen Hygiene,” Mac teased, and soon they were all cleaned up and seated around the counter—sipping on wine and nibbling Summer’s delicious snacks.

  “So, most chocolate is made up of cocoa solids and fat—that’s the cocoa butter,” Natalie began. “And then flavorings. So, today we’re just going to melt down our own base, and then make your bars with whatever spices or decorations you want.”

  “You make it sound so simple,” Lila said, looking interested.

  “It is,” Natalie promised. “My grandmother taught me when I wasn’t even tall enough to reach the counter.”

  “You aren’t from the Cape, are you?” Eliza piped up. “Where are you from? What brought you here?”

  “Yes, tell us your life story!” Mac agreed, taking a sip of wine. “We love fresh gossip. All the juicy details, please!”

  Natalie paused, feeling like a deer in the headlights. What should she say? Then Alice spoke up. “Let the woman finish a glass of wine before you start giving her the third degree.”

  Natalie shot her a grateful look. “There’s no gossip here,” she said quickly. “I just wanted a fresh start, and this seemed like the perfect place for it.”

  “Well, we’re all very happy you came,” Mackenzie announced—her mouth already full with some of the candy Natalie had set out. “Welcome to Sweetbriar Cove!”

  * * *

  Natalie spent the next hour taking them through the basic chocolate recipe—with plenty of laughter and gossip besides. It was a fun, relaxed group, full of women who, like her, had fallen in love with the small-town vibes and close-knit community on the Cape.

  “Alice and Mac are Cape Cod natives,” Eliza explained as they poured their concoctions into the molds. “The rest of us all wound up here by accident—”

  “And design,” Lila piped up. “But you’ll see, everyone’s very friendly.”

  “Too friendly, sometimes,” Alice added. “Aunt June accosted me in the grocery store the other day, wanting all the details about Luke.”

  Luke?

  Natalie almost scalded herself with molten caramel at the name, but Alice wasn’t directing the comment to her.

  “Ooh, yes, Jackson’s hunky brother.” Eliza brightened. “What’s the story there?”

  “Why, getting tired of Cal?” Summer teased, and Eliza laughed.

  “Not just yet. But a new bachelor in town is front-page news. If he is a bachelor . . . ?”

  Natalie found herself leaning in, waiting for the reply.

  . “Yup.” Alice nodded. “Just broke up with his girlfriend. They were together over five years. Everyone thought they were going to get married, but . . . Looks like it didn’t work out.”

  “Hmm, I wonder why?” Eliza asked with a curious gleam in her eye—and Natalie was just as curious.

  Was this what he’d been thinking about the night they’d met? All their talk of starting over and letting go of the past. Natalie had been feeling free of Oliver, full of excitement about her life alone, but she hadn’t thought to wonder what had been weighing on Luke’s mind.
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br />   Mackenzie nudged Natalie, breaking through her thoughts. “Watch out for Eliza,” she said. “She’s got journalism in her blood, she needs to know everything about everybody.”

  “That’s not true!” Eliza exclaimed. “Well, not when it comes to my friends,” she added with a grin.

  Natalie wasn’t sure if that included her yet, so she excused herself to go take their trays of chocolate to the walk-in to chill—and escape any interrogation about her life. But Eliza hopped down from her stool and followed.

  “Actually, there is something I wanted to know,” she said, watching Natalie.

  Natalie braced herself.

  “Do you cater events at all?” Eliza asked. “I have this big charity gala coming up, and I’ve been trying to put together party favors for the guests. But, of course, all the snooty socialites on the board have been vetoing everything,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Your gift bags are so elegant, they’ll love them. Plus, chocolate!” Eliza gave Natalie a pleading smile. “I know it’s last minute, but it could be great publicity for the business. And of course, we’d pay, whatever you want.”

  Natalie blinked, surprised. Eliza was offering a big job and acting like Natalie would be the one doing the favor.

  “That sounds amazing,” she said immediately. “I’d love to. And I wouldn’t charge more than my ingredients, if it’s for charity.”

  “Are you kidding?” Eliza snorted. “They’re serving a five-course dinner with lobster and caviar. Believe me, they can afford your full retail price. Say, five hundred bags? I saw some really cute ones out front, with the gold ribbon.”

  Natalie did some quick math in her head. Five hundred of her most luxurious gift bags? That would be more money than she’d expected to make in a couple of months!

  “No problem,” she said, excited. “Just let me know the details.”

  They rejoined the others, who were demolishing the snack plates as they waited for their chocolates to chill.