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“Really?” he whispered.
She nodded.
Daniel scooped her into his arms and crushed her body against his, paying no mind to the squeal that escaped her lips. He stared up at her, smiling broadly and thrilled that he’d finally managed to come out on top.
Megan placed her hands on his shoulders, gazing down at him with a look that set his insides on fire. She had to be the most beautiful creature this planet had to offer and she wanted him.
Slowly, he lowered her to her feet and pressed a lingering kiss to her lips. There was a lot of planning left to do, but for now, all he cared about was reconciling with the woman who had helped him find his passion for life again.
When he pulled back, he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and grinned. “You know what this means, don’t you?”
“What?” she murmured back.
“With my coffee shop closing down, you’re going to have to take over that side of things for this town.”
Her hands were still around the back of his neck, and her fingers started weaving through the curls there. “I think I can manage that.”
“And there’s more…”
She cocked her head slightly, searching his eyes for a moment.
“The reading. They needed another venue, and I gave them my recommendation.”
Her lashes flew wider and she gasped. “You told them to pick me?”
“No, I told them to hang out at Everything Sweet.”
She blinked a few times and disappointment flickered behind her eyes.
“Of course I told them to use the bookstore. They should have gone with you in the first place. I mean, come on. It’s a bookstore… where people buy books. Why wouldn’t they want to combine the best of both worlds? I really have no idea why they’d thought Mountaintop Java was the best place for it.”
She smiled, not missing a beat. “Oh, I know why. It’s because the owner is a sweet, handsome, rugged cowboy and readers of mystery romance novels need a good hero to get their hearts pumping.”
He chuckled. “Oh, is that the reason.”
“I’m almost one hundred percent certain,” she confirmed with a nod. “The more I think about it, the more I have to admit, they were only doing right by their brand. But if you’re not going to be open…” She shrugged. “I think I could do you a solid and help them out.”
He laughed, their previous arguments a small blip of their history. “I knew I could count on you.”
“But I might still need a little help from the best coffee barista in town.”
Daniel leaned down and stole one more kiss before he whispered, “I wouldn’t dream of letting you have that much fun without me.”
CHAPTERTWENTY-TWO
Ten monthslater
Megan stoodat the back of the Café, leaning against the wall and admiring how everything looked. The place was packed. There wasn’t an empty seat in the joint. This was only her third reading, but she’d made such a name for herself with the first two that authors were reaching out to her and scheduling events in advance. Already, she had three more lined up for the next two months.
Tonight’s star was a fantasy author who loved writing about dragons. Apparently, that subject was very much a trend people wanted to read about—as evidenced by how far some of these people had driven to hear her read a chapter and get their books signed.
The author finished up her reading and the room erupted in applause. The author’s marketing agent waved her over just as the door opened. Megan glanced up and her heart jumped a few beats.
Clad in Wranglers, a pair of dusty boots, and a flannel shirt, Daniel strode in like he owned the place. And perhaps to a degree he did. He certainly owned her heart and that was part of the reason this bookstore had succeeded. “Hello, sweetness. Sorry I’m late,” he murmured against her ear, sending goosebumps skittering.
The marketing agent called her name again and she jumped. She shot Daniel an apologetic smile. “Hold that thought.”
“Excuse me, but could I get a vanilla macchiato?” One of her guests materialized out of nowhere.
