“She’d forgive you.”
“She’d scold me in French first.”
They worked in comfortable silence for a while on the cocoa prep and adding to her supply of chocolates. He moved beside her, steady and present, helping where he could—chopping chocolate, filling molds, watching her temper the mixture with reverence.
“You’re really good at this,” he said quietly.
She glanced up. “It’s the one thing I’ve never questioned about myself. Even when everything else fell apart… this always made sense.”
Liam didn’t ask what had fallen apart. Cassidy appreciated that.
Instead, he set down his spatula and gently brushed a smear of chocolate from her cheek with his thumb.
She stilled, her breath catching.
His hand lingered for just a second too long. Long enough to turn something simple into something else entirely.
I could fall in love with this man. The thought rushed in unbidden and had her taking a step back.
Liam did the same. “Well… I should probably leave you to it, then,” he started to say just as Cassidy heard her name.
It was Mrs. Bishop and Mrs. C., standing in front of her chocolate shop, talking loudly to a young family.
She tensed, not sure what to expect.
“I’m telling you, best hot cocoa I’ve ever had. Hands down!” Mrs. C.’s voice rang out, full of praise.
Mrs. Bishop nodded in agreement, pointing at her front door. “You must try it. I’m sure she’ll be back open in the morning.”
“I will be,” Cassidy said, opening the door with a smile.
“Perfect! We’ve decided your cocoa could bring about world peace, or at the very least get my son-in-law to do the dishes,” Mrs. C. added.
“Thank you so much. I’ll be sure to have plenty of cocoa tomorrow. Stop in anytime before five.”
“We’ll be sure to do that,” the dad said.
She glanced back at Liam, who had just joined them.
Mrs. Bishop and Mrs. C. gave one another a knowing look.
“Liam, didn’t expect to see you here tonight,” a woman with a bright red wool coat said behind the older ladies.
“Mom, Dad,” Liam said, caught off guard.
Cassidy stepped forward to meet Liam’s parents, a twist of nerves in her stomach.
“Hi, I’m Cassidy,” she said with an awkward wave.
“I’m Beth,” the woman said, giving Cassidy a warm hug before she had time to process it. “And this grump beside me is my husband, Tom.”
“I’m not a grump, just cold,” Tom replied with a smile.
“Do you want me to open back up? I can make you some cocoa.”
“Nonsense, dear. Tom should’ve listened to me when I told him to wear his heavy coat,” Beth replied with a head nod.
“Now, I’m happy I ran into you,” Beth started saying to Liam. “I assume you told Cassidy here about our family baking night on the thirteenth?”
