Cole sipped his coffee, for the first time considering if maybe he needed to make a change in his life too.
* * *
Chuck did a double take as he passed Ocean Brew. Was that Cole and Sam sitting in the corner booth by the window?
They looked awfully cozy, chatting over coffee and laughing. He smiled to himself. Things were working out exactly as he’d hoped.
Now, he could move forward with his plans for Deena. He took the business card out of his pocket: Ashford Jewelers. He’d been there last week, looking at engagement rings.
In some ways, it felt like it was too soon, but he knew Deena was the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, and at their age, why wait? Especially now that Sam and Cole seemed to be coming around. He knew his daughter Audrey approved of the relationship already, so now there would be no objections.
Of course, he still didn’t know if Deena would say yes, but he sure hoped so.
He unlocked the door to Saltwater Sweets and went inside.
Walking past the office on his way to the front, he glanced in, bending down to look on the floor again. He’d already done this several times as well as searching the desk and even pulling it out from the wall, but there was no sign of his wallet. It wasn’t at his apartment either.
Maybe he’d left it in the front room of the shop.
He pulled out his phone and called the jewelry store. Cradling the phone between his ear and shoulder, he unwrapped the fudge to put it in the front window. Penuche, rocky road, chocolate, peanut butter. He lined them up beside each other in delicious, creamy blocks.
“I’d like to put a deposit on that marquise engagement ring I looked at last week,” he explained to the sales lady after telling her who he was.
“That’s wonderful! I’m sure she’ll be delighted.”
“Well, I hope so, but don’t forget it’s a surprise, so remember… Deena mustnotfind out about this.”
* * *
Deena hummed under her breath as she let herself in through the back door of Saltwater Sweets. Yesterday had gone better than she’d hoped. She really felt like she had won Cole over, and Sam seemed to be warming to Chuck.
Chuck’s car was parked in the little lot out back, and she couldn’t wait to discuss it with him. He was probably putting the fudge out in the window display right now. They liked to change out what was on display every few days and had agreed to feature fudge for the rest of the week. If she hurried, she could help him with that and also rearrange the dark chocolates before her hair appointment.
She was about to call out his name when she heard him talking in the front room.
She hesitated for second.
“... Deena mustnotfind out about this.”
Her heart jolted. What in the world was he talking about? Who was he talking to, and what could she not find out about?
Now she was flustered, her mind whirling as she felt her world crashing. Part of her wanted to turn and flee out the door. But she wouldn’t do that. Maybe she had misheard or was making too big of a deal out of it. Even if she wasn’t making too big a deal out of it, she certainly wasn’t going to run out of her own shop. Thoughts of all the things Sam had been subtly trying to warn her about bubbled up. What if Sam had been right all along? She was a lot savvier in these things than Deena.
Some inner instinct told her she shouldn’t let on about what she had overheard. It could be totally innocent. It was never smart to jump to conclusions, and she needed some time to think.
She took a deep breath to compose herself and plastered a smile on her face then continued to the front room. “Good morning. You’re in early.”
Chuck turned around, slightly startled. Was that a look of guilt on his face? But then he smiled that warm smile that lifted her heart.
“Yes, dear. I thought I’d come in and put the fudge in the window. And now that we have a few minutes alone…” Chuck opened his arms for a hug, and Deena had no choice but to walk into them.
She tried not to stiffen as she returned the hug.
CHAPTER21
Chuck gave Deena a peck on the cheek. Was she acting a little bit odd? It was probably his guilty conscience. He wasn’t good at keeping things from people, but he really wanted the ring to be a surprise.
“Are you feeling okay?” Chuck asked.
