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To his credit, he didn’t move, but went stiff.
“You bring him in to meet Sarah soon, Luke. And if you need a nice lemon and blueberry scone, Nixon, the first five are on the house.”
Luke looked over his little brother’s shoulder and found Joe’s eyes. He saw the emotion. The Robbins sisters had never judged the Trainer brothers, only tried to help them. They would be that for Nixon too.
“Thanks, Miss Marla.” He squeezed her briefly and then nudged Nixon inside the shop.
The scent of chocolate was always an amazing hit to the nostrils. “The locals named this place. Albert wanted to call it something else, but The Chocolate Place stuck.”
“It smells good in here,” Nixon said, looking in the cabinets.
“Really good. You doing okay?”
He nodded.
“These are good people, but they’re pretty in your face.”
He nodded again.
“Hey, Luna.”
The tall leggy blonde was behind the counter getting pastries out of the cabinet. She looked up as he spoke.
“Hi, Luke. Did they get Albert down yet?”
“Nope. This is my brother, Nixon.”
She lowered the plate she was carrying and came round the counter with a big smile on her face.
Luke knew how the grapevine in this town worked. They’d all know soon that the Trainers had another brother. He was never quite sure how it worked, but it never failed that gossip always spread faster than fire through Ryker Falls.
“Hello, Nixon.” She held out her hand.
“Hello.”
Luna was famous, but he was pretty sure Nixon wouldn’t know that.
“You want a hot chocolate? Philly is behind there somewhere. I’ll get her to make you one.”
Nixon nodded.
“Yes, please,” Luke said nudging his brother.
“Yes, please.”
He stood while the hot chocolate was made and chatted with Luna. She then boxed up some pastries he decided they needed and took his money, seeing as Albert had yet to arrive and Philly, Albert’s new assistant, was busy.
He handed his brother the box and took the trays of hot drinks. They headed back outside.
“This town is weird, Nixon, but in a good way. Everyone knows everyone else’s business, and often you’ll find someone behind a shop counter that shouldn’t be there. But there is so much kindness here mixed in with the weird, in time you’ll love it like we do.”
Miss Marla had managed to coax Albert down. The man was standing on the sidewalk now, being berated by her for his foolish behavior while Nash went up to finish securing the blow-up pumpkin.
“Hello. I’m Albert.”
“Nixon,” he said.
“It’s good to meet you. Do you like baking, Nixon?”
