Sweet Montana Christmas (3 page)

She walked down the hallway that led to the back half of the building, a cozy one-bedroom apartment. A second locked door separated the business from the living quarters.

Tiny. But she didn't have to share it with anyone else.

The jewel was a back porch and postage-stamp lawn with a sturdy chain-link fence. No more dragging Sugar down a flight of stairs to do her business.

It would do.

Sue Anne leaned against a porch rail and looked around her new neighborhood. It was a mixed area, predominantly businesses, with a few upstairs apartments and small houses. A quick walk down the block and over the Clark Fork River Bridge gave her access to downtown, and the river walk was only a few blocks away.

It would more than do.

She touched her lips, swearing she could still feel the imprint of Zach's kiss on them. It was silly, really. She was too old to be that into a guy she'd met only once, even if that one time had been memorable.

She grinned. Would he ever look at lima beans the same way?

“Hello?” Julie's voice echoed through the empty building.

“Back here.”

Julie's footsteps were accompanied by the click of Sugar's claws on the wooden floors. Once she caught sight of her, the tap-tap-taps came more rapidly. Julie let the leash go, and the pug scampered to her and begged to be picked up.

Sue Anne complied.

“This is your new home, baby. You're going to like it so much.”

“We're going to miss her.” Julie scratched the dog's head.

“You won't miss the barking or whining to go out.”

“Well, that's true.”

Julie looked around the space. “Needs some work.”

“Yeah. But the front comes first. We've got five weeks to be up and running. I've got the cleaners coming in tomorrow.”

“Good thing. The whole inside needs it. Looks like no one's taken a scrub brush to the place since the last century.”

“That's for sure.” Sue Anne laughed and put Sugar down. “When's the order for the kitchen equipment coming in?”

“Wednesday.”

“Same day I'm moving in.” Sue Anne idly opened a closet door. “Darn. I thought the last owners took everything with them.” She pulled out the box that sat on the floor.

“What's in it?”

“Looks like Christmas ornaments.” She held up a tray of glass bulbs, the kind her mother had hung on the tree when her father was alive.

“They're so pretty! Next year, you can have a Christmas tree in the front window.”

“Yeah.” She could almost feel her father's arms around her as he grabbed her up. As soon as she'd see him, she'd run to him as fast as her legs could go. Other than her birthday, the holidays had been the one time she could guarantee her father would be home from whatever far-flung engineering project kept him occupied in a distant country for most of the year.

Until he died in an explosion when she was twelve.

Then her mother had put away the glass bulbs and purchased a flocked artificial tree with preinstalled lights and bulbs. The thing had even twirled on its stand.

Sue Anne would figure out how to embrace the holidays next year. It was time to make her own Christmas, even if the only gifts under the tree were things she got for herself and Sugar.

Shoving the memories and the ornaments into the closet, she stood and brushed off her jeans. “Let's go back out front. I'd like to know what you think about the arrangement and if there's anything else you think we'll need.”

The next few hours passed quickly as the friends made lists, discussed sales strategies, and determined how to supplement their own chocolate-making efforts. The tiny kitchen behind the counters was just big enough for their needs, although it was another room that needed a thorough cleaning.

“I don't know how they ran a bakery in here,” Julie said. “It's so cramped.”

“Maybe they were small people. You know, child bakers. They probably had a bunch of Easy Bake Ovens stacked in there.” She rubbed her finger across a counter, and it came up dirty. “They probably had a disgruntled Scottish brownie for cleaning. They'd stopped leaving gifts ... or maybe the brownie didn't like Easy Bake Oven cookies...”

“What are you talking about?”

“Scottish brownies. You know ... house fairies.”

“Uh-huh.” Julie cocked her head in the same way she always did when Sue Anne's ramblings took the conversation in unexpected directions.

“You know I can't help myself. My mind has this little weird track.” Like talking about lima beans.

“Thank goodness we're not planning on baking anything.”

“For now,” Sue Anne said, surveying the logistics of the small space. Julie was right. Baking anything in this kitchen would be a challenge. “I'll keep the office in my place—carve out a section of the living room. There's no real room for it up here.”

“You could use part of the storage closet.”

“Don't think so.” Shivers shook her upper body. Small, dark spaces gave her the creeps, but it would be good to have some type of office close at hand to the store.

Another thing to figure out later. “Ready for lunch?”

“Yep.”

Sue Anne locked the front door behind them, the pride of ownership grasping her once again. From the other side of the door, Sugar whined her dissatisfaction with the arrangement.

“Shh,” Sue Anne said. “We'll be back soon.”

“You look happy,” Julie said as they walked toward the new sandwich shop on Higgins.

“I am. This is a dream come true.” Sue Anne grabbed Julie's arm. “Don't you feel it, too? We're on the cusp of possibility.”

“Cusp of possibility?”

“Yeah. I read it in a book somewhere. Been waiting days to slam it into a conversation.” Sue Anne giggled. “I'm giddy. It still seems unreal to me.”

“I get that. I'm excited, too. We're going to be the best chocolate shop in Missoula.” She flung her arms. “In all of Montana!”

“Every small grocery in every small town is going to feature Sweets Montana chocolates!” Sue Anne skipped a few feet. “Then when we've conquered this state, we'll move on to others.”

“Careful, you'll slip.”

Even as Julie said the words, Sue Anne felt the slick ice beneath her. Arms whirling, she tried to stay upright but failed. With a thump, she landed in a nearby snowbank, smacking her butt onto well-packed slush.

“Ouch.”

“That must have hurt,” said a familiar male voice.

She looked up a pair of well-fitting jeans, topped by a heavy leather jacket, to a square-jawed face crinkled in a smile that went all the way to his pine-needle-green eyes. Out of uniform, it took her a second to recognize him.

Zach.

“Let me help you up,” he said, offering her a hand.

She grabbed it and propelled herself up.

Her forward momentum carried her inches too far, and she found herself pressed against his chest.

His face twitched in the same way it had the moment before he'd kissed her.

Her pulse raced. Time to get in control of the situation.

“Uh. Thanks. What are y'all doing here?” she asked, her southern accent growing stronger.

Why did this man make her mind as mushy as spring snow?

“I was looking for you, actually.”

“Why?”

“You left something in the patrol car the other day.” He handed her a lipstick. “At least I assume it's yours.”

“Not your shade?”

“Huh? Oh. I see. Funny.” He didn't look like he got the humor.

This guy needed a serious joy of life makeover. She examined the tube. Sure looked like one of hers.

“Thanks for the effort.”

“Hi, I'm Julie, Sue Anne's friend.” Julie thrust her hand at Zach. “We were going for lunch. Want to join us?”

No. No. No.
She mentally pushed the word at Julie. The last thing she wanted was any more face time with the good-looking cop. At least this time, he didn't have on a uniform.

But he was still damned attractive.

Zach seemed to consider the idea for a few moments, then shook his head. “It's my last day off before my next rotation. I've got a bunch of errands to do.” His gaze focused on her, tempting her with memories of a shared moment. “But I still have your card. I'll be by in February to taste some chocolate.”

February was eons away.

“Come next week. We'll be experimenting. It would be nice to have a test subject.”

Next week? What was she thinking?

“Is it dangerous? Being a test subject, I mean?” False concern crinkled his eyebrows.

Maybe there was hope for his humor after all.

“Not as much as some other activities I can think of.” Good God, was she flirting with him?

“That's a relief. I'll be by.” His smile promised he'd sample more than one kind of sweetness. He held out a hand to Julie. “Nice to meet you.”

Sue Anne watched him saunter down the street. Then she let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.

“
Damn
. That's one hunk of man,” Julie said. “And you, my friend, have it bad. Where did you find that fine specimen?”

“He helped me find my car at the airport last week. After Reed moved it.”

The nice officer not only found my car, he kissed me.

She didn't mention that part to her friend.

Zach stared at the card in his hand. This woman had kissable lips; he'd already proven that. But they had nothing else in common.

Okay, he liked chocolate.

Which was why he was standing in front of Sue Anne's chocolate shop—or soon-to-be chocolate shop. It didn't look like anyone was here.

Just as well. This had been a bad idea anyway.

He thrust the card in his back pocket and turned back toward his car.

“Zach?” The warm voice was underscored by the tinkling of a bell.

He turned back.

Sue Anne was framed in the doorway of her shop, her dark curls askew, her trim figure covered by a heavy green apron. But his libido focused in on her lips, gaily colored in some red that reminded him of cherries.

Pulling himself together, he forced his feet down the sidewalk.

“Hi,” he said, resisting the urge to repeat his airport performance.

“Hi, yourself.” She widened the door. “You're just in time. We've finished our first batch of huckleberry fudge.”

“Sounds good.” Like every other Montanan, he'd developed a craving for the sweet-tart berries. Huckleberries and chocolate sounded like ambrosia—whatever ambrosia was.

“We don't have the tables and chairs in yet—they're coming in a few weeks—so you'll have to stand.”

He tried to keep his eyes focused on the tray of bite-sized pieces on top of one of the glass display cases, instead of watching the sway of her hips as she walked to the back.

“Julie,” she called. “Zach's here to taste the fudge.”

The girl who'd been with Sue Anne the previous week came out from a room behind the main store, a cell phone in her hand.

“Yes, she's here. We'll be here for the rest of the day,” she said into the phone. “See you later then.” She hung up. “Oh, hi, Zach.” She smiled at him, but the expression didn't make it all the way to her eyes.

What was that all about? He was trained to observe people closely, and Julie's expression seemed wary.

“Who was that on the phone?” Sue Anne asked.

“Uh. Reed. He's stopping by later to drop off something.”

“Hopefully, my keys.” Sue Anne frowned at Julie. She opened her mouth as if to say something, then glanced at Zach and shut it.

“I decided to take you up on her offer and be your test subject,” he said to cover the awkward silence between the women. He took a sample from the tray. Flavors exploded in his mouth—sweetness of berries wrapped in the dark essence of the cocoa bean with a hint of almonds. “Oh, my God.”

Sue Anne grinned.

“How did you do this?” he asked. While there was a lot of berry-infused chocolate scattered around Missoula, he'd never tasted anything this good.

“Lots of berries and Belgian chocolate—the good stuff,” she answered.

“You got any more of this?”

She gestured to the tray. “Take as much as you want.”

“Mind if I take some to the guys on my shift tonight?” He could use some points with the crew. Chocolate would ease the way.

“Julie?” Sue Anne's voice rose in a question. “How much did we make?”

“I've got a full tray back there,” Julie answered.

“I'll pay you for the whole tray.”

“We don't let our test subjects pay for sweets.” Sue Anne stepped closer—too close.

He was aware of the sharp smell of mint underlying the sweet odor of candy. She looked up at him, and he became aware of those damn lips again.

Then she licked them before giving him a grin, a combination that jumped his libido from neutral to first gear.

The doorbell jangled.

“Am I interrupting something?” a masculine voice asked.

Sue Anne frowned and took a step back.

“Reed. What do you want?”

“Came to see my girl.” He closed the distance between the door and Sue Anne quickly. Spinning her toward him, he kissed her lips.

The lips Zach was ready to claim one more time. Who was this guy?

“Did you bring back my keys, Reed?”

Ah. The guy who'd “borrowed” her car. Drawn between retreating and tossing the guy against a wall, Zach balanced on his feet, ready to move in either direction.

“Look, Sue Anne, I'm sorry I didn't put your car back where it belonged. Julie told me you were really pissed. But the guy who took me out to the airport to drop it off was in a hurry, and the short-term lot was quicker. I paid your long-term bill. You should be thanking me instead of getting all huffy.”