Page 6 of The Candlemaker

“She’s off tomorrow,” Frankie said, a coy grin teasing her full lips around her straw.

“Is there anything else you need, Frankie?” Lou stared at her sister, and neither of us missed the edge in her tone.

“Nope.” Theppopped out of those full lips. “I left candles for you and Kit, if you could bring them to the gallery for him when you go later.” She looked at me and explained, “I have a candle shop a few blocks down if you need any souvenir ideas. Lou can show you where it is tomorrow.”

“Bye, Frankie.” Lou’s eyes flicked to the door.

“Talk to you later.” She bit into her lip to control her smile, and damn, the sight was intoxicating. I barely managed to drag my eyes from her lips when she tipped her head toward me. “Pleasure meeting you.”

She didn’t even care that she didn’t know my name.

And I shouldn’t care that she didn’t care.

But for some damn reason, I did.

Chapter Two

Frankie

“Morning, Bea,”I called over the familiar bell.

“All ready for you.” The newest barista at the Maine Squeeze dumped a scoop of ice into my coffee. Like Lou, she had big glasses resting on her nose and her dark-brown hair braided back along either side of her head.

“Wow, Lou trained you good.” The compliment brought a huge smile to her face.

It was more than training. My twin sister was a model of dedication and loyalty and compassion and care and everything. Lou is a model for everything. Meanwhile, I tended to be nothing but trouble.

It was fine. I’d long embraced stereotypical Frankie. The brash prankster. Unwavering matchmaker. Outspoken firecracker. I’d strengthened her. Nourished her. Loved her.Not that I had much of a choice.When you’re a twin—an identical twin—the tendency for comparison is weighted, and even thesmallest differences in personality become exaggerated just to differentiate you.

Case-in-point: my cousin, Nox, would tease us when we were younger that Lou and I weredouble, double, toil, and trouble.The Kinkade twins: hardworking Elouise and jokester Francesca.

Bea snapped the lid on my coffee and handed it to me. “Tourists are great, but regulars are our main squeeze,” she said with a wink.

I chuckled. “Sounds like Lou.”

There was nothing exaggerated about my sister, though. She was soft-spoken, honest to a fault, kind, and the perfect role model for Bea, which is why I was happy to see it was more than barista training that Bea was learning from her.

I took a big sip of the iced coffee and sighed. “Perfect.”

“Thanks.” She beamed. “Busy day?”

“So busy,” I gushed and handed her my credit card. “I’m finishing up a huge order for Maine Stems. I created a seaside scent to go with their “beach blooms” summer bouquet sale.”

“Oh, I didn’t know that. I just ordered one of those for my mom. She’ll be so excited to get one of your candles with it.” She rang up my drink and handed my card back to me.

“It was a last-minute thing, but it’s hard to say no to family.”

Main Stems was a flower delivery start-up founded by my cousin, Max Hamilton—Nox’s older brother, about seven years ago. It didn’t take long for his idea to blow up. Forgot an anniversary? A birthday? Main Stems delivered a custom bouquet within two hours. Need to celebrate a new promotion? Send mourning flowers? Seasonal or custom bouquets delivered on demand. It was like Amazon, but for flowers. And now Max was expanding his business into events. It wasgreat for him—and good for me—because what went better with flowers than a handcrafted candle?

“Speaking of”—I tipped forward on the counter—“that guy from yesterday…” The one who was far too handsome and far too presumptuous to invade my dreams like he had last night. Especially when he was perfect for Lou.

Fitted gray pants. Crisp white shirt. Expertlycoiffeddark hair. Sure, he might’ve unbuttoned his collar and rolled up his sleeves, but even those rolls were perfect. As though even his relaxation had rules.

Which was why I’d tried to set him up with my sister. He was clearly a big-city workaholic, and though Friendship was a small town, Lou worked all the time—three jobs while she saved up for her dream—and hardly left any time for herself to relax. Obviously, they could be each other’s distractions. Even if only for a few days.

It was a perfect plan.

As perfect as his firm lips and square-cut jaw and the fit of his shirt to his muscular shoulders.I shivered at the memory. Not what I should be thinking about.Again.But even I wasn’t spared from my own trouble-making thoughts, which went immediately to his deep, coal-black stare as soon as my eyes shut to take another sip of my coffee. The intensity. The energy. His stare was as subtle and as potent as smoke—appropriate for a man whose body was pure fire.

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