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She closed her eyes, inhaled the crisp fall air, then nearly jumped out of her skin when a voice called out, “Do you ever take off that shirt?”
She blinked and spied Schuman Sweet walking up the path toward the porch.
Relieved to see a friendly face, she smiled at the man and touched the hem of Landon’s black shirt.
Yeah, she was still wearing it, but she’d tossed it in the washing machine last night.
She gathered her things and came to her feet. “Don’t worry, Mr. Sweet. It’s clean. You won’t drop dead from the smell.”
“I see you got the delivery,” he said and tapped the box. “Mary Jane insisted I send over some bonbons and a few extra for being a good helper.”
“How’s she doing?”
“She’s been fairly lucid these past couple of days since your impromptu concert.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” She glanced down the road. She didn’t see a car. Schuman must have walked here from the bakery. “Are you here for the third challenge? It’s supposed to be today, but you don’t have any ingredients. Is Tanner coming with them?”
He held her gaze, then turned his attention to the envelope. “What’s that?” he asked, ignoring her questions.
She stared at Aria’s handwriting. “Aria made it.”
“May I take a look?”
She handed it over. Gently, Schuman removed the contents and studied the tickets.
“Your niece is a special little girl.”
Your niece.
She wasn’t sure how much longer she’d hold that title but steadied herself and mustered a grin. “She’s a terrific kid.”
Schuman glanced down the street, checked his watch, then shifted his stance. He handed back the tickets and gestured toward the front door. “I might have left something in your house when I was here for the last challenge.”
It had been nearly two weeks since they’d made macarons in her kitchen.
She studied the man. “Okay.”
“Do you mind if I take a look inside?”
The man was acting awfully strange.
“No, not at all. Where are my manners? Would you like a drink?” she asked and started toward the porch.
“I’d take a glass of water.”
She juggled the items in her hands, nudged open the door, then gestured for him to enter.
“I’ll peek around,” he said as she headed to the kitchen, and he peeled off toward the staircase.
She set her things on the table, grabbed a glass, and went to the faucet. As she turned on the tap, she heard footsteps above on the second floor.
She was pretty sure the man hadn’t ventured upstairs the last time he was in the house.
“What do you think you left here, Mr. Sweet?” she called and filled the glass.
“I found what I needed and I do have information regarding the final challenge,” he called from the hallway. “I’ll meet you outside.”
Outside?
