Chapter 40

forty

ANDREW

On Tuesday morning, I was busy in my studio when someone knocked on my front door. I glanced at my watch, thinking it must be Jacob. We’d decided to explore the trails crisscrossing the mountain, but he wasn’t supposed to be here for another hour.

When I opened the door, I frowned. “Aren’t you supposed to be on your way to the airport?”

Jonathan waved away my concern. “This won’t take more than a couple of minutes. I have to decide what fudge I’ll feature on Candy Lane’s website. If I don’t let Kathleen and Paul know before I leave, they won’t have enough time to make it. Would you try some samples and tell me which ones you like the best?”

I was beginning to think Jonathan had lost his mind. “Your plane leaves in three hours. You should be thinking about your honeymoon, not fudge flavors.”

“I’ve been obsessed with finding the right combination of fudge for the last week. Nothing’s working and Shane is no help. If we can choose the flavors today, I won’t be thinking about it while I’m away.”

I sighed. “I’d be happy to help. What flavors did you bring?”

“I’ve got it down to four. Cookies and cream, peanut butter, maple walnut, and berry delight.”

“My taste buds are drooling already.” I walked into the kitchen and pulled out a stool. “Do you want to give me a sample of each flavor or should I randomly select a piece of fudge?”

Jonathan opened the box he was holding. “Do it randomly. That way the flavor will be a total surprise.”

I leaned against the counter and closed my eyes.

“Take your time. There’s no pressure.”

“Are you sure? I’ll feel terrible if you miss your flight.”

“Don’t worry. Choose a piece of fudge.”

I dipped my hand into the box. After I bit into the soft, creamy fudge, I sighed. “Have I told you how amazing you are?”

Jonathan laughed. “That’s because you’ve got a huge sweet tooth. Tell me what the flavor is and, out of five, what you’d score it for taste, texture, and, when you open your eyes, overall appearance.”

“Berry delight. Five, five, and…” I opened my eyes, “five.”

“Are you sure?”

I took another bite. “Absolutely. Anyone who bought this fudge wouldn’t be disappointed. It has just the right amount of berry flavor and melts in your mouth. I like the ripple effect of the red, purple, and pink color, too.”

“That’s the berry juice. It took a lot of experimenting to keep the colors separate, but it was worth the effort.” Jonathan rustled the box. “Now for number two.”

I closed my eyes and chose another piece of fudge. “Peanut butter. Five, five, and…” I studied the light caramel color. It was just as well Jonathan had only brought one piece of each flavor. Otherwise, I’d be here all day nibbling on the sweet treats. “And a five for overall appearance. I’m a sucker for any fudge that looks like a warm ball of sunshine.”

By the time I scored the cookies and cream, and maple and walnut flavors, Jonathan still didn’t have two clear winners. In my humble opinion, each piece of fudge was as good as the others.

Jonathan frowned at the score sheet. “I thought for sure you’d be able to help.”

“Why would you think that?”

“Because you’re decisive. If you don’t like something, you know immediately. Most people will keep nibbling on the fudge regardless of whether it’s their favorite flavor or not.”

I handed the box back to my friend. “What will you do now?”

Jonathan shook his head. “I don’t know. I’ll need to think about it on the way to the airport. It’s too late to try a different type of fudge and I haven’t got the time to make any more flavors.”

“Will this help?” I placed the half-eaten pieces of fudge in a row in front of him. With my eyes closed, I moved one piece of fudge away from the others, then repeated the same action. “What about featuring these two flavors next month?”

“Berry delight and walnut maple,” Jonathan murmured. “It could be a good combination. The sweetness of the berries will balance the nuttiness of the walnut. We could even do something quirky with the packaging and sell both flavors together.”

I checked my watch. “Are you ready to drive to the airport now?”

“Almost. I wanted to wish you all the best for the concert and your exhibition. I can’t believe Shane and I will miss both events.”

“It doesn’t matter.” I walked toward the front door with Jonathan following me. “Jenny asked if she can record some of the concert for the community Facebook page. When you get back, there’ll be plenty of time to catch up with what happened.”

From the veranda, I waved at Shane. He was sitting in his truck, waiting patiently for Jonathan. “Promise me you’ll have a wonderful honeymoon.”

Jonathan grinned. “I will now. Thanks for helping.”

“You’re welcome.” I opened the passenger door, said hello to Shane, then bundled Jonathan into the front seat. “Have a safe flight and try not to think about work.”

“I’ll see you in two weeks.”

As Shane drove away, I waved to my friends. It only seemed like yesterday they’d become engaged. And now look at them—heading to Vancouver on a honeymoon that had been postponed because of work.

I returned to my studio. Jonathan wasn’t the only person who was still working. If I didn’t finish the portrait a family from Boulder had commissioned, I’d be working overtime, too.