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17
Gretchen picked up Elvis’s dinner bowl, where she’d served him a special Valentine’s Day dinner with plenty of pink salmon, and put it in the sink right as the doorbell rang.
Her heart jumped up into her throat, and she swallowed it back into position. Will would be standing on the other side of the door, and Gretchen hadn’t had a boyfriend on Valentine’s Day for a long time.
Anticipation and adrenaline ran through her with the strength of river rapids, and she smoothed down the front of her dress as she walked toward the door.
She opened it, already smiling, and sure enough, Will stood there. He held so much in his hands that Gretchen could barely see his face peeking over the top of the stuffed koala bear, and she burst out laughing.
“Give me some of that,” she said through her giggles. She took the huge koala, as well as the twelve-pack of Coke Zero—her favorite soda.
“Evening,” Will drawled, and she wanted him to drop everything in his arms and kiss her. He took the rest of it into the kitchen and started sliding it onto the counter.
She put the koala on the couch and the soda in the fridge.
“I got these amazing caramels at the best candy shop in these parts,” he said, holding up a box of caramels that had come from Sweet Water Taffy.
She grinned and shook her head, wondering how she’d caught the eye of this man.
“The flowers are called tiger’s eye,” he said, handing her the bouquet of yellow-orange roses. “They stand for longevity, I think.”
“They’re beautiful,” she said, bending down to smell them. The last bunch of roses he’d brought her still sat on the counter, and she looked at them. “You didn’t have to bring all of this.”
“I also got you the summer of coffee at Juice and Java,” he said, ignoring her and holding up an envelope instead. “You can get unlimited coffee from Memorial Day to Labor Day with this pass.”
Gretchen laid the flowers on the counter and plucked the envelope from his fingers. “I’ll take that, thank you.” She grinned at him, giggled again, and forgot about the unlimited coffee pass.
Neither of them had to speak, and they moved in tandem. Will stepped closer to her, taking her in his arms and kissing her in one fluid movement. The man was made of grace and strength, kindness and muscles, and one of the best hearts she’d ever encountered.
He could kiss like he meant it too, and Gretchen sure did enjoy the stroke of his lips against hers and the way he seemed to know exactly where to put his hands to make her feel safe, cherished, and loved.
He pulled away far too soon in her opinion, and she tucked herself against his chest. “It’s good to see you,” he said, his voice stuck somewhere in his throat. “How was your week?”
“It was a week,” she said. “You?”
“I scheduled myself for a day off, believe it or not.”
Gretchen pulled away and searched his face. “You did? When? What day?” Why hadn’t he told her so she could do the same?
He grinned at her, something in it a little naughty. Mischievous. “Monday,” he said. “I was hoping I could convince this woman who comes and picks up cream at the farm on Monday morning to steal away with me for the day.”
Gretchen had been extremely nervous to talk to Will about what she’d arranged with Lee. He’d taken it well, and she’d picked up her twenty gallons of cream on Monday morning, kissed her boyfriend for a few minutes, and said she couldn’t wait for tonight’s date.
“You don’t give a woman much time to make plans,” she said.
“You don’t need to plan anything,” he said.
“I run the candy shop,” she said. “If I’m not going to be there, I have to make plans.” Nervous energy ran through her, because she wanted to call Jon right now and find out if he could cover the day’s sweets.
But it was Friday night on Valentine’s Day. She couldn’t call and ask him. He’d asked out a woman from his church, and she knew they had a date tonight.
“I’m sorry,” Will said. “I wanted it to be a surprise. I could just come hang out at the shop?”
“No,” Gretchen said. She’d never be able to work with him there, and Jon sure wouldn’t like it… She kept that last part to herself and met Will’s eyes again.
“I see the wheels turnin’ in there.” He smiled at her.
“I’ll figure it out,” she said. “The shop is pretty bare right now because of Valentine’s Day. But I’ll figure it out.” She could go in on Sunday night and do a few things to restock. Jon could keep up with the rest.
