Page 72 of Smoldering Nights
She stared at him for a moment, but no words would come to her.Her brain was utterly blank.What a stupid time to not be able to think.
His brows lifted into that lock of hair that fell over his forehead.She lifted her hand and smoothed it back, then slid her fingers into his hair to the back of his head.
"I've fallen in love with you, Mitch DeMario.I've been trying to figure out when, but it just happened.Even through all of this crap, you managed to take my breath away and made me fall in love with you."
He laughed.A full-on belly laugh, his head tilted back, and the joyful sounds that came from his body made her heart sing."I could say the same thing about you."
He bent down and kissed her lips.There wasn't a better way to seal the deal.
Two weeks later...
Izzy grinned as the bells above the door jingled.She looked up from the clipboard in her hand, where her inventory list was nearly complete.The door opened again, and again.
Hanna, from Mae's Bakery, stepped inside holding a box with a smile as warm as her cinnamon rolls.“You didn’t think we’d let you do this alone, did you?”
Izzy blinked.“Hanna, what’s this?”
“Cinnamon rolls,” Hanna said proudly.“And a fresh batch of cookies for later.Figured you could use snacks while you get things ready.Oh, and the coffee’s coming.I strong-armed Quinn's son into hauling the carafe.”
Behind her, the bell rang again.Then again.
Sadie stepped in with cautious eyes and a sheepish smile, holding a small potted plant with bright orange zinnias.“For color,” she said softly, then stepped forward and pulled Izzy into a long hug.“I’m so sorry I didn’t see what was happening sooner.I feel like I failed you.”
Izzy squeezed her tightly.“You didn’t.You’re here now.That’s what matters.”
Sadie pulled back, eyes misty.“I want to help make this place shine again.”
“You always had a way with display windows,” Izzy said with a teary smile.“You’re hired.”
Behind them, more familiar faces filtered in.
Jayson brought two DeMario teammates, Blain Davis and Gabby Krill, whom she thought she’d heard Mitch call them, who immediately started hauling crates of supplies from a truck out front.Gabby grinned at her as she passed by, and Izzy felt like she stood with her mouth open at all the activity.Sid Hoffman, cool-headed as always, stepped inside with a tablet and a full folder of licensing forms.“Fast-tracking everything the city will need for your reopening,” he said with a nod.“Consider it handled.Between Grace and me, we've got this covered.That's why I married someone smarter than me.”
Izzy laughed as she signed the forms Sid had for her.Grace gave her a hug after she'd signed the forms."What a coup you pulled off here, Izzy.Your picture should be in the dictionary next to "making lemonade out of lemons".
Izzy chuckled."I didn't do it, Delilah did it to herself."
Grace laughed."She actually did."
Even Chief Fielding stopped by, setting a hand on the counter.“Noah, Travis, and Delilah won’t be problems again,” he said.“You’ve got the department’s full support.We’ll have patrols nearby for the next few weeks just to be safe.But they're locked up, and it's only a precaution in case they had anyone working with them we aren't familiar with.”
Izzy could barely keep up with the warmth pouring in.
Mitch stood nearby, quietly overseeing everything with that steady presence she had come to lean on.She caught his eye, and the smile he gave her melted the last of the fear lodged in her chest.Sid and Grace chatted with Mitch, and she once again heard the bells above the door jingle.The smell of food took over the floral smell of her beautiful shop, and immediately Hanna and Grace began helping a gorgeous woman wearing the cutest outfit ever open a folding table and arrange the food.When the woman turned, she recognized Margo Marriott from Sarge's Sandbar.A minute later, her husband, Jace, entered carrying a huge stainless steel container of something that smelled fantastic.
Izzy took deep breaths as these townsfolk, friends of Mitch's and now hers, showered her with love and support.She'd never felt so much love.Sadie joined her as she thanked Margo.
"I don't know what to say, and please don't think I'm stupid, but this is all so...unexpected, and I don't know what to say."
Margo smiled, and she was stunning, her crisp blue eyes nearly danced in delight."Thank you is plenty.Mitch is a good friend, and I hope you will be too.And we business folks have to stick together.He told Jace that today was clean-up day, and we started calling in the troops.And, you can't have people here working and not feed them, so that's where we come in."
Izzy's cheeks heated.She swallowed the knot in her throat, and her vision blurred.She blinked rapidly to dry the tears that threatened, but dang it if they didn't fall anyway.Sadie chuckled and handed her a tissue."It's all good, Iz.We've got you."
By mid-morning, the front window had new seasonal arrangements, compliments of Sadie, and Quinn and his employees had replaced the temporary board with fresh glass, plus they fixed the damage in the greenhouse, too, something she worried would take weeks to do.The space was starting to feel whole again.No shadows, no fear.Just life.
And laughter.
Hanna was directing Ms.Jillie on where to stack coffee cups.Jayson was trying to convince Sadie to let him build a permanent security display case.And someone had brought a Bluetooth speaker, the soft hum of country music rolling through the air.
