The front door opened, sending a gust of cold air through the lobby. I looked up, my heart skipping as Luke stepped inside, his expression wary. He was wearing dark jeans and a tailored gray button-down that emphasized his lean build.
As Luke took a step towards me, Eli emerged from a hallway near the reception desk, stopping short when he spotted Luke.
For a heartbeat, they just stared at each other, the air between them crackling with tension.
“What are you doing here?” Eli asked.
Luke glanced at me, confusion and annoyance fighting for dominance in his expression. “Mioko and Lori asked me to help with a candy demonstration since Lori couldn’t make it.”
Eli’s gaze followed Luke’s to me, his blue eyes narrowing. “Candy demonstration? This is the first I’ve heard of it.”
“So sorry, we forgot to tell you,” I said. “Lori said she’d been talking to Henry about it for ages, but with the pregnancy scare... I guess it slipped through the cracks.”
Eli eyed me for a long moment, then shook his head, turned and disappeared through the door right behind him. Luke stood frozen, his face a mask of hurt and confusion, before turning to me with accusation in his eyes.
“What’s going on, Mioko?” he asked.
“The guests want to sample caramels.” I smiled weakly at the waiting guests. “Luke, could you show them how it’s made? I’ll be right back.”
Without waiting for Luke’s response, I darted past him, following Eli. The door he’d disappeared through was ajar, dusty light spilling into the hallway. I hesitated before pushing it open.
The small, pink room felt like a time capsule. Empty, dust-covered display cases lined the walls. Shelves with delicate brass hooks stood empty. Eli stood by the big plate-glass window, staring out at the darkening grounds, his shoulders rigid with tension.
I spun slowly, taking in the forgotten space. “This is a shop,” I said, frowning. “Why are you in a dusty shop?” Had he just fled through the closest available door, not caring where it led to?
Eli turned. “It’s my property. Why are you here, Mioko?”
I beamed at him. “You know my name. Better memory than Luke!”
“Don’t tell me he called you ‘cult girl’ to your face.” Eli’s eyes widened.
“Water under the bridge. I explained that I was in a cult, making the nickname a bit crass. He apologized.” I gestured around the dusty room. “What is this place? It’s adorable.”
Eli sighed, his anger deflating as he looked around. “It was my grandmother’s pet project before she passed. She ran it for years, selling local crafts and treats. After she died, Grandpa couldn’t bear to change anything, but we didn’t have the time or energy to keep it going. So it... sits here. Frozen in time.”
I approached a display case, wiping away dust with my sleeve. It was perfect. I could picture it filled with beautiful things. “It’s a lovely space. Good energy.” I turned back towards him, adopting an innocent expression. “Why did you storm off? I thought you and Luke were friends.”
He ran a hand through his dark hair, messing it up further. “Not anymore.”
“What a shame. You were so close.”
“It’s fine. Luke and I… It’s in the past. Not worth stressing over. I suppose I’ll go check on housekeeping. Stay out of his way.”
I blinked, looking for a way to keep him here longer. Anything to fix my mess. Then it hit me, right as his hand landed on the doorknob. “I’m sorry to keep you, but is this shop available to rent?”
He turned, surprise replacing the melancholy on his face. “What?”
“This shop,” I gestured around the dusty space, “would you rent it? I’ve been looking for a permanent space for my company, Moss & Whimsy.” This was a blatant lie, permanence terrified me. “I make jewelry, and I’m quite successful online, but I’ve never had a home base.”
“We tried to find a tenant for a while, but never had any interest.”
“That’s odd. It’s quite lovely. I could imagine selling my pieces and offering workshops to your guests. This place has good bones, the perfect aesthetic for the social media photography, too.” The more I spoke, the more the truth worked its way into my words, settling in my bones. Could I really set up shop here? The idea was absurd.
Wasn’t it?
Settling down was a trap. I liked to be mobile, in case I ever needed to run again.
But still… I walked to the window, imagining the Moss & Whimsy logo painted across the glass.
