Snowflake Wishes (Holly Springs Romance Book 1) Read online

  “What is it, Joey?”

  He sighed. “I’ll be fine. I’m here as long as you need me, but I’ve been thinking of opening up a garage anyway and working on cars full time. With everything you have to worry about, I just don’t want you to have to worry about me.”

  I thanked him and watched him leave. A knot formed in my stomach. I should have given him more warning about the failing diner so he could have prepared his garage sooner. Tessa would be fine, she still lived at home with her parents. But Joey relied on his own income and the crossover between us closing down and starting a new business could not possibly be quick enough.

  Part of me had been convinced I would find a way to turn things around. Maybe I still could.

  Glancing around at the various patrons, I counted the tables of strangers who’d come, most likely, because of my MaddieBakes account.

  Six. Six tables of people drove to Holly Springs after one simple FotoFeed post to experience the desserts I’d shown them pictures of online.

  I tempered my hope and let out a breath. I needed to keep a clear head if I was going to figure out a way to save my business.

  Tessa showed up and took over waitressing while I cooked. My body held a steady thrum of anticipation as I whipped up a batch of cupcakes and a few pumpkin pies amidst the turmoil and trepidation of the coming meeting.

  Jake might have distracted his brother for now, but he would not be able to forever. And clearly Mark was eager to complete the eviction. His strongly worded letters still sat on my desk back home. Or, were the letters from Jake? All I knew was that they had the Tyler Jameson letterhead. I didn’t recall the name of the man who’d signed them.

  I pulled a pan of cupcakes from the oven and turned them out onto the counter to cool, slamming the pan on the stainless steel with force. Ugh! Why had I trusted him?

  “Hey Madison,” Tessa called, peeking through the doorway into the kitchen. “You’ve got a customer out here who would like a word.”

  Wiping my hands on a towel, I sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly before following Tessa into the dining room, a wide smile pasted on my face. A woman stood at the edge of the counter, a brown paper bag clutched in her hands. She was short, with round black glasses and frizzy, curly hair shooting out in every direction.

  “MaddieBakes! Wow! It’s so good to meet you in person!”

  “Hello!” I said. Umph. She rammed me with a hug and I lost my wind momentarily.

  “I’m Janet and I am such a fan. I tried to recreate the garden cake you did last summer and failed miserably. I told my whole book club I would figure it out, but I just can’t seem to get the right angle of the flowers and they always fail. Every time, they fail!”

  “Oh no,” I lamented. “I’m sorry to hear that. What’s the issue?”

  “Well, I can’t pipe frosting to save my life. If I knew you sold the cakes, I would have just ordered it! Do you ship to Ohio?”

  “I don’t ship anywhere…currently,” I said.

  “How do I sign up for updates? I am determined to take that garden cake to book club.” She leaned in and giggled. “Maybe I’ll even tell them you did it.”

  I laughed awkwardly while Janet cackled.

  “I’m joking. Of course I would tell everyone who made it. They would just die. My whole book club loves you.”

  Wow. Is this what they called a superfan? “That’s really sweet. Thank you, Janet. You can watch for updates on my FotoFeed account. Welcome to Holly Springs.”

  “I cleaned out the last of your cupcakes,” she said, lifting the brown paper bag. “I’m going to send pictures of me eating them to my book club. Sharon is going to be so jealous.”

  “Janet,” a man called, waiting behind her with a sour look on his face. “We need to hit the road.”

  She leaned in as if she wanted to impart a secret, but then didn’t lower her voice at all. “My husband didn’t want to make the detour but when I found out you were only an hour out of the way, I insisted.”

  “Well…thank you.”

  “I’ll see you next summer,” Janet called, following her irritable husband from the diner. I couldn’t help but smile. The woman was a character. If this was what I had to look forward to, then I absolutely needed to get this sweet shop open, stat.

  I waited for Tessa to return from helping a table with a young family. “Hey, I need to set up a meeting for this evening. Are you going to be able to stay?”

  “Definitely,” she said. “I’ve gotten more tips this afternoon than I usually get in a week.”

  Tessa went back to work and I hid in the back kitchen, piping frosting onto the cooled cupcakes with determination. I pulled out my phone in a moment of bravery and sent Jake a text.

  Tell your brother to meet me at The Bell at nine tomorrow morning.

  A minute passed excruciatingly slowly as I leaned my hip against the counter and watched the little icon on my phone indicating that Jake was typing. I finally got a text message back and my stomach dropped in disloyal disappointment.

  He’ll be there.

  That was it? No additional apologies or requests for another meeting? And definitely no “we.”

  I turned back to my baking. Selecting a cupcake and pulling the paper off, I took a big bite. I would drown my sorrows in sugar. It wasn’t healthy, but it was effective.

  * * *

  Jake

  I peeked into the kitchen on my way back out of the diner, but Madison didn’t see me. She was focused on her cupcakes, and I didn’t blame her. Life went on.

  For about five minutes, I’d been dangerously close to pouring my heart out to her via text. But at the last minute, I erased the whole thing. What would it help? She needed to meet with Mark and work out her business without me around. If I gave her some time to cool off, then maybe later I could approach her with a cooler head and explain my side of the story. I didn’t expect her to agree with my actions, but maybe if I begged her, she would give me another chance.

  I had to try.

  I slipped quietly from the diner with my bag over my shoulder and then dumped it in the trunk of my Audi. Driving the familiar route to Grandma Hart’s house, I pulled into the driveway beside her old station wagon and let myself into the house.

  Mark sat on the couch with the photo album on his lap. I wondered if I’d had that very same dazed look on my face when I saw those photos for the first time.

  He shook his head, handing the photo album to Grandma Hart. “These are nice, but I just don’t remember.”

  “I don’t blame you, Mark,” Grandma Hart said. “You were very young.”

  He turned to me. “Have you talked to Mom and Dad about this?”

  I shook my head. “I was planning on calling them after Christmas.”

  “You really aren’t coming to Palm Springs?”

  “Why should I?” I asked, dropping onto the padded chair beside Grandma Hart’s. “It’s just another networking trip. I’m staying here.”

  Mark’s eyebrows rose. “For Christmas?”

  I snuck a glance at Grandma Hart, but she didn’t give me away. Why would she? She had been respectful of my personal space thus far. I sighed. There was no point in keeping it a secret anymore.

  “Grandma said I could stay here, actually, until I find a place. I can work remotely. I’ve just really fallen in love with this town.”

  “Just this town?” Mark asked, skeptically. He shook his head. “This is outrageous. I doubt you’ll last a week.”

  I hadn’t expected Mark to understand, but I had hoped for a little more acceptance. “You need to meet Madison at nine tomorrow morning at the diner. And give her a chance, alright?”

  He scoffed. “What’s gotten into you? You’ve been so different lately. You’re soft.”

  “No, I just found what I’d been missing. I didn’t realize before how hollow and empty I was. But Grandma and Madison have shown me how much more fulfilling life can be when you spend your time in a meaningful way.” I coul
d tell that Mark was skeptical. “Just promise me you’ll give Madison a new lease. The diner failed, but that was her dad’s. She has a huge following on FotoFeed for her baking and if she markets a bakery in Holly Springs, she’ll do well. She tagged her diner in one post, Mark, and has already more than doubled her customers.”

  Mark shook his head and I wanted to shake him. “She ignored her eviction notices and owes us four months of back rent.”

  “Just do it for me, then. But trust me, Mark, you’ll regret it if you don’t go with her.”

  “She really is a sweet girl,” Grandma Hart said. I smiled at her, but it was no use. Mark was set in his ways and he didn’t like to change his mind once he’d set it in one direction.

  But using the tenant already in the space and not needing to find a new one was a major point in Madison’s favor. Hopefully Mark’s pride wouldn’t get in the way. One way or another, I was going to get Madison her bakery.

  “Maybe I should come to the meeting,” I said.

  “You’re off the project,” Mark said immediately. “The office will pay for your time, but I didn’t come all this way to watch you sit around and waste my money. I’m going to meet her tomorrow and leave straight for the airport after. I need to get to Palm Springs.”

  An idea formed in my mind and I stood immediately. “I need to go.” I bent down and kissed Grandma Hart on the cheek. Picking up my bag, I paused at the door. “Sorry. I’ll call later, but don’t expect me back for a couple of days.”

  “Where are you going?” Mark asked, exasperated. He looked from me to Grandma Hart, his eyes saying, You can’t just leave me here alone!

  “Home,” I answered. “But I’ll be back. I just have some business to take care of.”

  Their faces were bewildered, but I didn’t have time to waste. I had to get to Palm Springs, and fast.

  17

  Madison

  Mark was every bit as obnoxious as the letters from his company had been. I did my best not to compare him to Jake, but it was nearly impossible not to. They were brothers, after all. And so very, very different.

  If I had met Mark first instead of Jake, the past few weeks would have turned out very differently.

  “You understand that you have seventy-two hours to vacate before I press charges?”

  I ground my teeth. Christmas Eve. The man was forcing me to be out by the end of the day on Christmas Eve. The meeting had not gone well, despite my promises and the charts I’d drawn out. “Yeah, I still understand that.”

  “Great,” Mark said, straightening out his pant legs as he stood. He shot a last look at my charts and then promptly looked away again. “I’m sorry things had to end this way, but it’s just business.”

  “Right,” I said. I really didn’t like this guy. “Are you planning on telling Jake to get his stuff so I can clear out the apartment upstairs?”

  “Oh, he didn’t tell you?” Mark said, sucking a breath between his teeth. “He’s already gone.”

  “Is he staying with Mrs. Hart?”

  He shook his head, his gaze full of pity. “No, he’s gone. He left Holly Springs last night.”

  I clenched my fists, smiling at the snake until he left my diner. Well, his diner. I should have known. Jake never really intended to stay. I was so naive.

  I crossed the now-empty diner and watched through an opening in the painted window as Mark got into his car and sped away. Turning away from the snowy scene outside, I pulled out my phone and texted Britney.

  At the diner and I need some backup.

  Within seconds I received a reply.

  On my way.

  I quickly sent another text.

  Also, it’s going to take a while.