“Well, there’s always time for a fresh start. Call me by my name instead, and you’re forgiven.”
He gave me a sheepish smile. “I, er… It’s possible I never learned your name?”
“It’s Mioko,” I said, shaking. “Mioko Tanaka.”
“Mioko,” he said, like he was turning the word over in his mouth to see how it fit. “I won’t forget that.”
His quiet, wondering tone made something flutter in my stomach. I kept my eyes on the sidewalk, afraid that if I looked up, he’d see how long I’d waited to hear him say my name. We got to the front of the co-op, and he reached past me, holding the door open as I walked inside.
“I’m sorry I was such an asshole when I was younger.”
“You were nineteen. I’m sure you’ve improved with age.” I looped an arm through his and led him back to the baking supplies. “In fact, you can prove it to me.”
“How?”
“Stop arguing with your moms and do what your sister does. Lori has a system. She’s the reason Tapped Amber has been growing by leaps and bounds. She’s gotten Edie and Maggie’s amazing creations out there into the world.”
He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Of course she does. How does she handle all of their foibles, though?”
I laughed. “Simple. She pretends she believes in the magic of happy coincidences and keeps a secret inventory spreadsheet on her laptop. I’m staying with Lori, so I’ll get the details of her top-secret inventory management system. But... stop lecturing everyone and just talk to your sister if you have a question.”
“Fuck, I’m pretty sure Lori was trying to explain that over the phone before I arrived. Joe interrupted and said she was getting too stressed and needed to talk about calming topics, so I told her I’d figure it out. But once I got here, everything just brought me back to how our moms were when we were kids, when everything was a struggle.”
“Edie and Maggie are wonderful people and talented candy makers, but they don’t always have the best business sense. Your sister handles that part for them.”
He gave me a sheepish smile. “You’ve probably saved all of my relationships in one conversation.”
All of them but one, anyway.
Chapter 4
Mioko
“I’m glad I raninto you at Lori’s house yesterday,” Henry said, beaming at me as I covered the big farm-style table at the Honeyfern Inn with a crisp white cloth. “The guests will love this demonstration...”
“And if Luke and Eli bump into each other, so be it!” I winked as I arranged the gleaming copper pots we used for demonstrations while Henry ran an extension cord to the hot plates. “By the way, did Eli tell you what happened at the coffee shop?”
“When they were supposed to hang out? I don’t know what happened, but he’s been grumpy about it for days.”
“Those two need supervision. Otherwise, they do this reunion thing all wrong.”
“Or, we could stop meddling,” Henry said. We looked at each other and both burst out laughing, shaking our heads.
“Why didn’t I come to you when I first decided to meddle?” I asked as I handed him a stack of sample cups, and we filled them with treats from Tapped Amber. The lobby smelled of maple and warm sugar, drawing curious guests from their rooms.
Luke should be on his way. Lori had arranged it yesterday, claiming she’d forgotten about the event and needed his help. Hopefully, Luke didn’t realize we’d made up the event right before she’d called him.
“Good work,” he said, patting my shoulder before turning toward the elevator. He waved the last-minute I’d printed. “Housekeeping slipped these under doors this morning, but I’m sure I can round up more guests. Get that maple caramel started.”
As Henry left, I focused on heating my ingredients, watching the thermometer. This was the easy part—I’d made these caramels hundreds of times, and I knew the precise color that signaled perfection. The hard part would be managing whatever explosion happened when Luke and Eli collided.
Guests began filtering into the lobby, drawn by the promise of sweets. An elderly couple in matching sweaters, a family with two young children, and a solo traveler with an impressive camera—all gravitating toward my table with curious smiles.
“We’re doing a special holiday demonstration,” I explained, offering samples. “I’m showing you how to make Tapped Amber Confections’ signature maple bourbon caramels.”
“This is delightful,” the woman in the matching sweater said, closing her eyes as she savored a piece. “Harold, you must try one.”
I beamed, falling into the rhythm of hostess and teacher, explaining the candy-making process as I worked. I loved creating things that brought people joy, seeing their faces light up with simple pleasure. It reminded me why I’d started Moss & Whimsy, that desire to create beauty and connection.
