Aspen’s brows rose. “Really?”
“Yep, and the lovely man who delivered it spent over an hour showing me how to use it. Thank you for encouraging me to do this. I wouldn’t have had the courage without you. I’ve ordered you a shirt and had it personalized with your name!”
Aspen’s heart dropped. “You did?”
“I did. Oh, and I’ve been baking up a storm. Apple pies. Strudel. Scones. All your favorites. I’ll get you to hand them out—you’re so good at talking up my pies. I’ve even been tinkering with some new recipes.” The older woman reached down and took Aspen’s hand. “This entire thing has just renewed my love of my shop, and it’s all because of you. Thank you! I’ll make a coffee for you both.”
Then she was gone before Aspen could utter a word.
Aspen turned to Holden. “I can’t do it.”
“She made you a shirt.”
“With my name on it! And she’s making all my favorite pies for me to hand out.” She nibbled her bottom lip as she glanced at Mrs. Gerald, then back to Holden. “I have to go to the reopening.”
He lifted a brow. “Jesse won’t be happy.”
“I know, but you’ll be there, and Becket will be there, and the three of you are super-badass former special forces soldiers. I can’t think of anywhere I’d be safer.”
“Your living room, where an entire town isn’t squashed inside with you.”
She frowned. “Whose side are you on?” Yes, he was Jesse’s best friend, but after spending the entire morning together, she’d thought she’d earned some loyalty.
He leaned forward. “Keeping the woman my best friend loves safe.Thatside.”
Her heart jolted. Love… It was a big word. One she and Jesse hadn’t directly used yet.
Mrs. Gerald returned with two mugs of coffee. She set them onto the table. “Okay, tell me what you think. And be honest.”
Aspen lifted the mug. She was kind of nervous. What if it was still bad? What if Mrs. Gerald had spent all that time and money improving her coffee and it wasn’t any better?
She sipped her hot drink—and her eyes widened. “Holy crap. This is good.Ridiculouslygood.” The first good cup of coffee she’d had outside of Jesse’s home since arriving in Amber Ridge.
“You’re not just saying that, are you?” the older woman asked.
“Absolutely not.”
Holden tried his. “Jesus, this is like crack.”
Mrs. Gerald frowned. “Crack?”
Aspen grinned as she touched her arm. “It’s good. And once the town tries this and your pies, you’ll be fighting off customers.”
Mrs. Gerald sighed. “Oh, what a relief!” Then she touched Aspen’s shoulder. “You’ve really saved me, dear. Thank you.”
“No, this is all you.”
A part of her didn’t want to share her favorite café with more people, but better to share it than for the poor woman to go out of business.
Mrs. Gerald returned to the counter just as the door opened and Clara stepped in. Her gaze hit Aspen first, and she smiled…then it shifted to Holden. Her eyes flared and she stopped inher tracks. It almost looked like she was considering turning and walking out again.
Aspen bit back a laugh.
She didn’t. She went to the counter.
Okay, Aspen needed to know what was going on between those two. Clara had acted so strange, almost nervous, around Holden at the family dinner, and now she was doing it again.
Aspen looked at Holden, who was watching Clara closely…almost possessively.
