“Sam Hardy, are you asking to help with your father’s party?”
“I might. But don’t tell anyone.”
“See, you are a nice man.”
He pressed a finger to his lips and leaned toward her. “Shush. Don’t tell.” He was so close she could breathe in the scent of his soap. Her hands trembled slightly under his watchful eye. Say something!
“Hey, Sam, is there a reason you don’t want Frank and Janice to know you bought Haven’s?”
He shifted his position and glanced at Frank’s cake. “I don’t know. I—I guess Haven’s holds my best memories from before the divorce. When I thought our family was something special. I’m not ready to share it with Frank and Janice. Besides, Dad might step in and start telling me how to run the place and—yeah, no thanks.”
“I get it. I remember the afternoon you found out about your father’s affair. Then later when your mom packed up and drove off.”
“Sorry you had to witness it all.”
She touched his arm. “I was glad to be there for you…honestly.”
He clapped his hand over hers and the tenderness between them lingered. Then he broke away, saying, “I had a good time at dinner last night.”
“Me too. Thank you.”
“Did you tell him?” Ruby said as she walked back into the kitchen.
“Tell him what?” Sam said.
“Donut Heaven is opening a store in Hearts Bend.” Ruby, the Town Crier.
“You’re kidding. Donut Heaven? In Hearts Bend? Are you sure?”
Chloe gave him the details. The whispers from Octavia O’Shay, the old newspaper headline, the recon at Tina’s, and Art Loamier leaving the shop without his coffee.
“Apparently, the Reclaim Downtown committee already approved them. Now we’re waiting for the town council. There’s a meeting in a few weeks.”
“Then we have to be there.” Sam pulled out his phone and started a text to Rick. “I can help out some,” he said, almost to himself.
“Help out?” Chloe said. “Here?”
“Sure. I can work the counter. Start some buzz.”
Chloe gave him a dubious look. “That will cause a stir. Your dad and Janice will know you own this place for sure if you do that.”
Sam grinned. “It’s the price I have to pay to save my business. First things first, we’ll fix the roof and find out who’s behind this Donut Heaven venture. See if we can’t influence things our way, Hearts Bend’s way.” Sam stuck out his hand. “You with me?”
“I’m with you.” Chloe slapped her hand on top of Sam’s. Then Ruby joined the huddle followed by Laura Kate.
“On three, Haven’s up,” Sam said.
“1-2-3, Haven’s up!”
She felt the words all the way through her soul. She was on a team with Sam Hardy—and for the first time since Jean-Marc died, her life seemed to be moving forward.
Sam parked his SUV in front of his childhood home, the Craftsman-style bungalow with stacked-stone porch pillars. It had been a warm, inviting place as a kid. Mom always did it up for holidays and birthdays. She had so many traditions.
After she moved out, the house turned cold and lonely. Just a couple of sad bachelors under the high-pitched roof. Then Janice moved in a few months later. The house smelled better and felt warmer, and Frank certainly cheered up. But Sam remained on the outside, lonely, disconnected, and confused.
Then he and Chloe started hanging out regularly and all of that changed. She was warm and bright and liked to do things up for Christmas and birthdays.
Sam chuckled at the memory of her bringing a Charlie Brown Christmas tree into his room, insisting he decorate it and put presents underneath. He plugged the thing in every night. Slept with the lights flashing around his bedroom walls. He hadn’t taken them down until mid-February, when the last needle dropped from the skinny limbs.
