Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 89238 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89238 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
I’m instantly charmed. “I love that. I believe that. Do you…Eliza?” I ask, since she’s got to be Gage’s daughter.
“Yes. I’m Eliza. And I believe it because the other week, I wanted another chocolate bar, but my dad didn’t give me one, so that was a bad thing. But my uncles Zane and Maddox got me an ice cream sundae with that chocolate freeze-y hard shell instead.”
I laugh at the lotus of an eleven-year-old’s life, and at the analogy that doesn’t quite add up. “Confession: I love chocolate freeze-y hard shells.”
“Me too,” Gage says, then runs a hand down her hair. “Eliza, this is Elodie, my business partner.”
“Your fiancée,” she corrects, nudging him with an elbow, not surreptitiously at all.
With a grateful smile, he says, “Yes. My fiancée. And Elodie, this is Eliza, my chocolate-loving daughter.”
“Nice to meet you,” I say, sticking out a hand.
Eliza takes it, giving me a firm handshake. “I looked you up before your date. And I thought you were super fancy, and my dad is not. But that’s okay. Not everyone has to be fancy.”
“That is very, very true,” I say.
“I’m here helping today,” she says, then stage whispers, “Don’t let him trick you into thinking he hung the sign. I did.”
I turn toward the pink words in neon. They’re right next to the door, a bright, bold, romantic invitation. “You did a great job.”
“It arrived early,” Gage explained. “I wasn’t expecting it till tomorrow. But Loretta called as I was picking up Eliza, so we came over here together.”
“I didn’t come over for the sign,” Eliza corrects. “I came for the chocolate since I can’t be here on opening night.”
I nod sadly. “That’s true. You’d have to be twenty-one.”
She sighs, the aggrieved sound of a child’s disappointment. “Yeah. But maybe you can open one for kids?”
“Do it,” a familiar voice calls from behind me. I spin around at the sound of Amanda. I didn’t know she was coming here. She’s with her friend Ally, and they’re giving serious twin vibes, with both of them in cropped tops and hoodies sloping off their shoulders, Amanda’s revealing pale skin, Ally’s showing olive skin.
“What are you doing here?” I ask curiously.
“Way to say hi, Els,” Amanda says, her tone dry, as it often is.
“I wasn’t expecting you and…hi.”
“We were walking home from school and we wanted to check it out. Then get a boba. Is that cool?”
“Of course it’s cool,” I say, then smile at Ally. “Good to see you.”
“How’s everything going, Elodie?” she asks.
Before I can answer, Eliza pipes up with, “I love boba! Can I get a boba? Since there’s no chocolate at the shop.”
“Boba on me,” a new voice chimes in—a warm, friendly tone, accompanied by the confident sound of fancy men’s shoes clicking on stone.
Hello, whiplash. Gage and I swivel in unison to see Felix striding across the courtyard from the hotel. “This must be the happy family,” he says, then beams at the girls.
Oh, hell.
We never trained for this. We never planned a happy family moment. Ally peers around in her glasses. She looks thoroughly confused. But then Amanda drops an arm around Eliza’s shoulders and squeezes hard. “We’re totally going to be sisters,” she says to the younger girl.
Gage’s lips curve up in an appreciative grin for Amanda’s improv skills.
Not to be outdone, his daughter adds, “I’ve always wanted a sister.”
“Way more than a brother,” Amanda says.
Ally looks so lost. “Amanda?”
“You have a sister too,” Amanda says to her friend with a big, bright, go-along-with-it smile.
“Yeah, I do. I just didn’t reali—”
“And Eliza is basically going to be my stepsister,” Amanda butts back in before Ally can say she didn’t realize. “Since they’re getting married.” Amanda points to Gage, then me. “Hey, Els, when’s the wedding again? Did you say you were doing it on New Year’s Eve?”
The little stinker. I grit my teeth then adopt a false grin. “Oh, that was just one of the dates we were talking about,” I say, waving a hand airily.
“There was Valentine’s Day too, right?” Amanda continues, all deadpan and having way too much fun. “And the first day of spring.”
Gage clears his throat. “But we also talked about how very much we like summer. Next summer, right? A fantastic, outdoor, summer wedding in…Wine Country.”
Far, far away.
“Or here,” Felix says, a matchmaker gleam in his eyes as he gestures to the picturesque courtyard we’re standing in with the fountain and its gurgling water, sounding like chimes. And actually…this would be a perfect spot to get hitched.
Not that we will.
“And,” he adds, “my daughter Camilla is a wedding photographer. Well, she’s transitioning from corporate headshots to weddings. She’s looking for a few weddings to do for free. To get the experience.”
Oh, god. My stomach drops as it’s clear where he’s going.
Felix shifts his attention briefly to Gage. “I know your grandmother took those engagement photos, but if you’re looking for some more formal couple shots—perhaps for the store, or some of the articles we have planned—she could take those. I’m sure she’d be happy to do your wedding as well. Oh, and I have a florist right here on-site you can use for the big day. Happy to gift those to you too.”