Page 52 of Sweet Surrender

Nick and Cal had told him on the way to school that their Aunt Charlotte wanted him to bring over a barrel of the new moose tracks flavor today, so she could start giving out samples and come up with a name for it.

Charlotte, Tag’s new wife, had turned the little shop around by embracing the family’s identity as small, hometown dairy farmers. He wasn’t a bit surprised to hear that she already had big plans for their latest new flavor.

Nick had been insistent that Zane drop the barrel offright at nine in the morning, though when Zane asked why, Nick didn’t seem to have an answer.

He figured it must have something to do with when a local yoga class or reading group let out. Charlotte wouldn’t want him there loading in product during a busy time at the shop. Or maybe she wanted him therebeforea particular group came in that might want to try the flavor. In any case, the timing didn’treally matter to him, since he had to run a few errands in town anyway.

He hoisted the barrel over his shoulder and was about to head into the shop when he heard a chorus of little voices chattering.

“Dad, Dad,”Nick and Cal yelled as he turned to see them running ahead of their class.

“Hey, boys,” he said, smiling as they wrapped their arms around his waist. It was nice that they didn’t mind hugging their dad in front of their friends.

“Miss Hawthorne,” Nick said, pulling back. “Our dad is here.”

Zane looked up to see her approaching and his stomach twisted.

They’d had so much fun ice skating together last time he saw her. He’d even let himself pretend for a moment that they were a couple, a family really. And it had felt…right. Which was scary. He hadn’t really considered dating anyone since the boys’ mother left.

But Saturday with Becca was easy and fun. He’d been more mesmerized by her than the night before when he’d almost kissed her.

And he thought she was having fun too. They had skated together, and she had helped the boys patch things up with the poor little girl they almost knocked over. And then…

He tried not to dwell on it, but it had been right after she said hello to her friend from work that she seemed to lock down. Suddenly, her smile was tight, and it seemed like she made the first excuse she could to escape the rink and his company.

The boys had been so disappointed. After she left they told him he should have invited her back to the farm to make Christmas cookies with the family.

But he was pretty sure she would have said no. And if she was embarrassed to be seen with him in front of her friend, it was much better not to let himself keep dreaming.

He held his breath as she approached now, hoping she wouldn’t think he was stalking her. First the skating rink, and now this…

“Hi, Mr. Lawrence,” she said with her usual bright, friendly smile.

“You can call him Zane,” Cal whispered to her.

“We’re both working right now, son,” Zane reminded him, though it hurt him not to hear her say his name too. “Miss Hawthorne and I want to be professional.”

“That’s right,” Becca said with a relieved-looking smile that untwisted his gut a little.

“Today is your walking tour,” he remembered. No wonder they were all out. He’d had to sign a permission slip and this morning he and the boys had made sure they were wearing thick wool socks under their boots and that they each had two mittens.

“Yes,” she said, looking radiant. “We’re so excited to see all the places in town the children will be writing about for their project.”

“Is that the ice cream for free samples?” Nick asked suddenly, pointing at the barrel Zane had over his shoulder.

“It sure is,” Zane told him, suddenly figuring out why he had been asked to bring in the ice cream at this particular time.

He glanced in the window of the shop. A woman sat at the counter, sipping a milkshake, but otherwise it was empty.

“Do you want to bring the class in to see the shop?” he asked Becca quietly. “They’re also obviously more than welcome to a free sample.”

A few of the kids began to jump up and down at the idea.

“We wouldn’t want to impose,” Becca said quickly.

The door to the shop opened and the milkshake lady stepped out and headed down Maple. Zane figured she must be new, or maybe just visiting, because he didn’t recognize her, and he knew just about everyone in the small town.

“Well, there’s no one there right now,” he said. “And the whole purpose of bringing this in was to have samples to offer.”

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