The Tea Shop on Lavender Lane

Flowers always helped fuel a relationship, so Monday morning he went into Lupine Floral.

“Be still, my heart. It’s Mr. Gorgeous,” Kevin, one of the owners, teased him.

“That’s me,” Todd said. “Can you guys send some flowers for me today?”

“Of course. Who are we sending to and how much do you want to spend?”

“About fifty bucks, I guess. They need to go to Cecily Sterling over at Sweet Dreams.”

“Oh, my. From Mr. Gorgeous to Ms. Beautiful. Are you two an item now?”

“Just hanging out,” Todd said.

“Uh-huh,” Kevin said with a knowing nod. “Hanging out never gets flowers.”

“Sure it does, if you’re a nice guy like me. Now, what have you got?”

Kevin led him to the refrigerator case that bloomed with a variety of arrangements. “Come and see.”

Todd trailed him over there. Flowers were flowers, as far as he was concerned. But women seemed to like roses. “How about these?” he asked and pointed to a vase of white and pink rosebuds with some kind of greens stuck in with them.

“Oh, boring,” Kevin said.

Okay, they were going to stand here all day discussing the artistic merits of flowers. “You pick one.”

“Well, if I were you, I’d send this one,” Kevin said, reaching in for a gaudy bouquet. “Orange Asiatic lilies, fuchsia carnations, red Peruvian lilies, lavender chrysanthemums and, of course, the requisite greens, all in a glass bubble bowl.”

“Works for me,” Todd said and got out his credit card. And the sooner it worked, the better he’d like it.

* * *

Flowers arrived for Cecily Monday afternoon. The card that came with them was signed, Thinking about Saturday and smiling, Todd.

That made her smile, too. It had been a good date, especially that close encounter at the end.

But should she take the risk and allow herself to get serious about him? Was he the get-serious type? She still had her doubts.

She was just leaving to meet Charley for coffee at Bavarian Brews when Luke caught up with her on her way out. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”

Oh, boy. She already knew what he wanted to talk about, and she wasn’t looking forward to it. But this was a talk they needed to have. She nodded, and he escorted her around the side of the factory building.

“So, you and that guy—”

“Todd Black,” she corrected.

“Are you two serious?”

It was the same question she’d been asking herself since Saturday night. “That was only dinner and a movie.” And...she wasn’t going to tell Luke about the rest of it.

He propped a hand against the brick wall, bringing himself closer to where she stood. “I like movies. And dinner. And dancing.” She knew what he was referring to. She’d danced with him during the chocolate ball at her family’s first chocolate festival. The memory spread an unexpected warmth through her body. This was uncomfortable. And confusing.

“Let me take you out,” Luke said. “Have dinner with me.”

“We work together. It would be awkward.”

“I promise not to make it awkward.” He leaned in closer, and her nerve endings began to wake up. “All I’m asking is that you give me a chance.”

“Oh, I don’t—”

“No Sterling woman would pick the first vendor who wanted to do business with Sweet Dreams Chocolates. Don’t you think you should be just as discerning when you’re doing business of the heart?”

She’d never thought of Luke as a man of many words, especially poetic words like the ones he’d just uttered.

“A chance—that’s all I want,” he said. “At least consider it.”

She nodded.

Satisfied with that, he pushed away from the wall and let her continue to Bavarian Brews.

Except when she entered her favorite coffee shop she saw Todd inside, waiting in line to order. She did a quick about-face. After her encounter with Luke, she wasn’t ready for one with Todd, even if he had sent her flowers. Anyway, she was already feeling jittery. Probably the last thing she needed was caffeine.

No, the last thing she needed was to complicate her life by dating two different men. What on earth was she going to do?

Chapter Four

Cecily was halfway down the street when Charley caught up with her.

“Bavarian Brews is that way,” Charley teased.

“Sorry. I was going to call you.” Once she got safely away. “I decided I should cut down on my coffee consumption.”

“Does that mean I’m going to have to pump you about your love life right here in the middle of the street?”

“There’s nothing to pump.”

Charley nodded cynically. “Sure. You just happened to run into Todd Black the other night and decided to share a table at my place.”

“It was only dinner.” Cecily glanced in the direction of the coffee shop. The last thing she wanted was to be standing here when Todd came out. “Give me a rain check on the coffee, okay? I’ve got to get back to the office.”

“Okay.” Charley nodded again. “You be careful, buddy. I know he’s hot, but I don’t want to see you get burned.”

“I won’t,” Cecily said as much to herself as to Charley.

Her friend was right. It was silly to take a chance on getting hurt, especially when a woman could pick a solid, dependable man. Cecily hurried back to Sweet Dreams Chocolates and went straight to Luke’s office.

She found him at his desk, frowning in concentration and typing on his computer keyboard with two fingers. He saw her and smiled hopefully. “Hi there. What brings you to my corner of the neighborhood?”

“Dinner. Are you still interested?”

His smile broadened. “Absolutely. How about Friday?”

She didn’t want Bailey to spend her first Friday home alone. “Saturday?”

“I can do that. Schwangau?”

That was certainly a more impressive first date than playing pinball in a seedy tavern. Cecily’s mind started to wander from the tavern to her first kiss at Todd’s house.

She firmly jerked her thoughts off that trail. “Schwangau sounds great.”

“Pick you up at six?”

“Sure,” she said. And then it seemed there was nothing left to say. She turned to go.

“Cecily.”

She turned back.

“Thanks,” he said softly.

She nodded.

She’d barely returned to her desk when her cell phone rang. It was Todd, and the very sound of his voice revved her hormones.

“Thanks for the flowers,” she said. “They’re beautiful.”

“Just like the woman I sent them to. When are you coming back to my cave to play some more pinball?” he asked. Then, before she could answer, he added, “Oh, yeah. That doesn’t count as a date. So how about dancing at The Red Barn on Friday night?”

“Isn’t Friday a big night at The Man Cave?”

“I’ll give myself the night off for bad behavior.”

Not interested. Just say it. “My sister’s moving back to town, and I’m spending Friday with her.”

“Oh? Where’s she staying?”

“With me.”

“No coming back to your place for a drink after our next date, then,” he said. “And, speaking of...if you can’t do Friday, how about Saturday?”

“Sorry. I’m busy.”

“How long does it take to unpack your sister’s suitcase?”

“I’m not busy with her.”

There was a long silence before he said, “Oh.” Then, “Anyone I know?”

Now the silence was on Cecily’s end. She should come right out and tell him it wasn’t going to happen between them. She was going in a new, smart direction. With Luke.

“Let me guess. The competition.”

Okay, since he asked. “Yes.” Luke was a much better candidate for a long-term relationship. And for fatherhood. He was already a family man, which meant he was solid and dependable, not wired for breaking hearts like some people.

“I hope you aren’t expecting me to say something inane like ‘have a good time,’” Todd said. “You won’t have half as much fun as you had with me, you know.”

“There’s more to life than fun,” she said primly.

“Thanks for enlightening me. Seriously, I’m interested in you, Cecily, and I’m not going away just because some other man is, too. Well, unless at some point you want me to. I’m a lot of things, but I’m not a stalker.”

“I’m glad to hear it.”

“One of my many good qualities,” he said. “Talk to you later.”

He did have good qualities, Cecily thought as she ended the call. He was smart and funny, and he’d proved he could stay calm in the face of trouble. He was obviously responsible enough to own a business. But was he ready to settle down and have a family? It kept coming back to that. Todd Black was a ladies’ man, and she couldn’t really see him staying with one woman.

But if he could...

Her thoughts were interrupted by another call, this one from her friend Margo James in L.A. “Hey, you,” said Margo. “I’m sitting here in front of a cracker box of a house that’s going for a mil, waiting for my client, and figured I’d give you a call. How’s life in Small Town, U.S.A.? You ready to come back to the big city yet?”

California had the sun, and when she’d gone down for a visit in January, she’d gotten a big dose of it. But that hadn’t been enough to make her want to give up the fresh air and beautiful scenery of Icicle Falls. She’d found her footing in her hometown, made new friends, carved out a life. She still didn’t have her love life sorted out, but then, she hadn’t exactly gotten it sorted out in sunny California, either.

“No. The weather’s beautiful up here right now. You should come visit.”

“If I did, you’d probably make me go hiking or introduce me to some hairy mountain man. Speaking of men, guess who’s engaged.”

“Jessica Long.”

“Aw, she told you. Or else you’re psychic.”

It wouldn’t have taken any great mental gifts to know that Jessica was on the verge of getting a ring. When Cecily had been down in January, Jessica and her boyfriend hadn’t been able to keep their hands off each other. They’d been a pro bono match-up Cecily had arranged, just two friends she’d thought would enjoy each other. And she’d been right.

“Hardly,” she said. “Anyone could see where that was heading.”

“Well, I’m jealous. When are you going to find me someone perfect?”

“After I find someone for me,” Cecily said.

“You’ve got two men after you. Don’t be greedy. By the way, Darby and Ken are pregnant.”

Why did it feel as if everyone these days was either getting engaged or getting pregnant? “Well, they’ve been trying for a year,” Cecily reminded both Margo and herself.

“Yeah, I know,” Margo said. “Sometimes I wish I hadn’t dumped Maurice. He wasn’t all that bad.”

He’d cheated on her. Twice. “Yeah, he was,” Cecily said gently.

“Okay, yeah, he was.” Margo sighed. “I don’t know why this whole man-woman thing has to be so hard. I think I’m going to become a lesbian.”

Cecily laughed. “That won’t be happening anytime soon. You like men too much.”

“Yeah, though sometimes I wonder why.”

“Hey, if it was easy, what would we have to complain about?”

“I could always find something, trust me.” There was a moment of silence on the phone, followed by, “Seriously, do you sometimes wonder if you’ll ever get it right?”

“All the time,” Cecily said.

“Oh, well. If I can’t have great sex, I’ll have to settle for making a huge commission on this dog of a house I’m about to show. Oh, and this is my client pulling up. I’d better get my game face on.”

“Go for it.”

“Ciao,” Margo said airily.

Cecily went back to writing a product description for their newest chocolate flavors. It would be nice if, for once in her life, she could get those matchmaking instincts that worked so well for everyone else to work on her own behalf.

* * *

Bailey looked out the plane window at the lush trees and lawns below. Federal Way was now in view, which meant that within minutes the plane would be landing at Sea-Tac airport outside Seattle. Both her sisters were coming to pick her up, and her mother was home preparing all her favorite foods—mushroom lasagna, chicken Caesar salad and chocolate cake. It was the same chocolate cake her mother had taught her to make when she was twelve, the same recipe she used when she catered parties and needed mini cupcakes.

Those days were now gone. Her business was dead. So, why had she packed up so many of her kitchen tools and shipped them to Icicle Falls? What a fool. She’d spent a fortune sending home things that would only remind her of her failure.

Well, a girl still needed mini muffin tins and baking sheets and measuring cups and spoons and mixing bowls, for crying out loud. Maybe not a case of cute cupcake holders or tiered serving trays or pastry bags. But still, people would be having birthdays. And baby showers. She’d continue to make fun dishes and treats. She just wouldn’t be doing it for a living now.

What would she be doing? She blinked hard and told herself not to be a baby. No more crying. She was so done with crying.

“Almost home,” said her seatmate, an older man with silver hair.

He was single and lived in Seattle. He’d been a good listener, nodding sympathetically while she told him her woes. He owned a company that distributed seafood, and she’d thought he’d be perfect for her mom. But he hadn’t been remotely interested in hearing about her sweet, pretty mother. He’d wanted to know if she ever dated older men. That had been icky and awkward.

She’d told him she had a boyfriend back in Icicle Falls. What a lie! She had no one back in Icicle Falls. She blinked again and wiped at the corner of her eye.

“Is your boyfriend coming to meet you?” asked Mr. Lech.

“No, my sisters will.” Her fabulous sisters, who were always there for her. Another tear tried to sneak out of the corner of her eye. She wiped it away and reminded herself that she had much to be grateful for.

And there was a rainbow at the end of this storm. Although her career was over, her love life could take off. There was more than family in Icicle Falls. Brandon Wallace was there. She smiled. Brandon Wallace, ski bum and resident heartbreaker, had been cracking her heart like a jawbreaker off and on since they were kids. In fact, the last time he’d dumped her for another woman had been the final straw. She’d been more than happy to move to L.A.

But that was then. She was a big girl now and more than ready to show Brandon what he’d been missing. Her career might have fizzled, but that didn’t mean her love life had to.

The plane landed with a couple of bumps and then taxied to the Jetway. Okay, she told herself, you are now approaching your new life. It will be an adventure. She only hoped this adventure ended in success.

The plane stopped and everyone hurried to stand up and wait.

“I hope everything works out for you,” the older man said. He handed her his business card. “If you ever need anything.”

What she really needed was a trip back in time and a chance to turn down catering Samba Barrett’s party.

Her suitcase took forever to appear on the baggage carousel, and after seeing her lose her balance trying to grab it and nearly landing on the carousel herself, Bailey’s former seatmate came to the rescue and pulled it off. Not an easy feat, considering how big it was and how much she’d crammed into it. He then reminded her...if she needed anything.

She thanked him and hurried off before he could offer to escort her and her suitcase and carry-ons to her car. Where were Sammy and Cec?

She was about to call when she spotted them. She waved, and they came running to hug her. Oh, those hugs felt good.

“Welcome home,” Samantha said.

“I’m so glad to see you guys!” When a girl felt beaten down, there was nothing like family to help her get back on her feet.

“We’re glad to see you, too,” Cecily told her.

“Mom’s home putting the finishing touches on dinner, and we’re under strict orders not to get sidetracked shopping in Seattle,” Samantha added, “so let’s get out of here.”

Great idea. She could see her pal from the plane approaching. She gave him a little wave and started for the parking garage at a quick clip.

“Don’t tell me. Let me guess,” Samantha said. “You picked up a friend.”

“Actually, I thought he’d be perfect for Mom,” Bailey began.

“Don’t be matching Mom up,” Samantha said sternly. “She’s not ready for another man.”

“I think she is,” Bailey insisted. After what Samantha had gone through cleaning up the business mess left behind by their mother’s last husband, Bailey understood her sister’s reluctance to see their mother find a replacement. Still, Mom deserved to be happy. “What do you think?” she asked Cecily. Cec had been a matchmaker. When it came to love, she was an expert. Well, except for when it came to herself. Why her sister was still single was a mystery to Bailey.

“I think it’s really good to have you back,” Cecily said diplomatically.

“And just in time,” Samantha put in. “We could use help in the office.”

The office? Was she serious? “I can’t type. Remember?” Bailey reminded her. “Anyway, I don’t know if I want to work in the office.” That probably sounded ungrateful. After all, Samantha had paid for her ticket home. And Sweet Dreams Chocolates was the family business.

They were at Samantha’s car now. She turned and stared at Bailey as if she’d announced she was going to run off and join a cult.

Bailey’s face sizzled, and she hung her head. She was a terrible ingrate. But she still didn’t want to work in the Sweet Dreams office.

Samantha opened the trunk and deposited Bailey’s suitcase. “Okay,” she said slowly. “What do you want to do?”

Be a caterer. But after what had happened, she was finished with that. “I don’t know,” she admitted.

“You’ve got to do something,” Samantha said.

“You’ll think of something.” Cecily gave Bailey another reassuring hug. “You just need some time to find your feet.”

Yeah. So there. Gosh, Sammy could be so bossy sometimes.

“You will,” Samantha agreed. “And whatever you need, we’re there for you.”

“I’ve got what I need—you guys,” Bailey said, forgetting her momentary irritation and looking gratefully at her sisters. Even though her older sister was bossy, there was nothing she wouldn’t do for her family. And Cecily was always so supportive and sweet. Bailey was lucky to have them both.

Her sisters spent the ride back home filling her in on everything that had been going on in Icicle Falls.

“Bill Will has a new girlfriend,” Cecily told her.

“Oh, who?” Bailey asked. Billy Williams, affectionately known as Bill Will, was one of the town’s characters. He worked on a nearby guest ranch and spent a lot of time hanging out at Zelda’s or The Red Barn. Everyone liked Bill Will, but he wasn’t the brightest bulb in the box, so he often got passed over in favor of smarter men.

“Ashley Armstrong,” Samantha said in disgust.

“Hey, I hear she’s finally getting serious about going back to school,” Cecily added from the backseat.

“Yeah, well, with her spousal maintenance about to dry up, she’d better,” Samantha said.

“I think she’s trying to get her act together,” Cecily said. “I hope she does.”

“I just hope Bill Will doesn’t get hurt.” Samantha looked over at Bailey. “Maybe you should go out with him.”

Right. Bailey turned around and grinned at Cecily. “Would Bill Will and I be a match?”

Cecily wrinkled her nose. “I don’t think so. I have a feeling there’s someone better waiting for you.”

Brandon Wallace.

“Brandon’s not in town,” Samantha said as if reading her mind.

Just when her spirits had been lifting. Darn, it was hard to rekindle a romance when one or the other of them was always off somewhere. “Where is he?”

“He moved to Jackson Hole,” Samantha said.

“Jackson Hole?” What was there? “Why?”

“Ski resort, of course.”

“He’s got a girlfriend,” Cecily said gently.

“A...girlfriend?” Brandon Wallace, one of the main reasons Bailey had decided she should, indeed, come home, had a girlfriend? “Are you sure?”

Samantha nodded. “I’m sorry.”

“How long has he had this girlfriend?” And why hadn’t anyone told her?

“According to his mom, they met after he moved there in January.”

“That’s not very long. Is it serious?” Bailey asked in a small voice. It couldn’t be in just a few months.

“Olivia seems to think so,” Samantha replied. “She figures they’ll be engaged by Christmas.”

What did Olivia Wallace know, anyway? Bailey sneaked up a hand to wipe away yet another tear.

“You are way too good for him anyway,” Samantha said.

“He was never right for you,” Cecily told her.

And what did her sisters know?

Seattle was far behind them now, and the mountains in the distance beckoned. Welcome home.

Bailey scowled at them. Phooey!

Chapter Five

When Bailey walked into Muriel Sterling’s rented cottage, it wasn’t hard to see that her mother had gone to a lot of trouble to make her homecoming a celebration. A bouquet of tulips sat in a vase on the counter, along with a batch of peanut butter–chocolate chip cookies divided three ways and wrapped in pink cellophane and tied with pink ribbon—big-girl party favors. There was even a welcome-home present for Bailey, a signed copy of her mother’s latest book.

“I thought it might be helpful,” she said as Cecily got busy pouring tea.

Bailey read the title, which was in flowing embossed script. New Beginnings. Was that what you called this?

She tried to look appreciative. “Thanks, Mama.” And then, before her mother could go into one of her soft-spoken pep talks, she changed the subject. “I smell mushroom lasagna.”

“And garlic bread,” her mother added. “I hope you girls are hungry.”

“Of course,” Samantha said. “We’ve been saving our appetites.”

“No stop at a Starbucks on the way home?” their mother teased.

“Well, we had to do that,” Cecily said with a smile.

The next few minutes were spent companionably in the kitchen, the sisters munching on salmon pâté and crackers while they helped their mother get the food on the table.

Once Muriel had said grace, Samantha raised her mug of chocolate mint tea. “Here’s to our sister. We’re glad to have you home.”

“And to new beginnings,” Cecily proclaimed.

Bailey’s smile faltered. She’d come home in disgrace, and the romance she’d hoped to rekindle with Brandon was happening with a different woman. How was that a new beginning? But she gamely recovered and passed her plate for her mother to fill.

“I assume your sisters spent the ride over the mountains catching you up on everything that’s been going on around here,” Mama said.

Bailey nodded, and again, she had trouble keeping the smile on her face. Her mother gave back her plate, and she spent a moment contemplating the food on it. She loved mushroom lasagna, but suddenly she had no appetite.

A soft hand with a slight speckling of age spots covered hers. “Things really are going to work out,” her mother said.

Bailey nodded once more. “I know. And I’m so lucky to have all of you. It’s good to be home,” she said, bursting into tears.

And now, in addition to losing her business and finding out that the man of her dreams had fallen for some other woman, she’d ruined her welcome-home dinner. Her big sister left the table, probably in disgust, probably wondering why she’d bothered to buy such an ingrate a plane ticket home.

But, no, a couple of minutes later Samantha was back. She set a salted caramel on top of the lasagna. “Eat this,” she commanded.

As if chocolate fixed everything. But Bailey obeyed and popped it in her mouth. It didn’t fix anything, but it did make her feel better.

“Another toast,” Samantha proposed. “To the bitches who try to ruin us. May their chocolate supply dry up and their boobs fall off.”

Here Bailey was aware of her mother frowning in disapproval, and despite everything she had to smile just a little.