The Lakeside Inn by Leeanna Morgan (ebooks children's books free .txt) 📗

“It’s an off-shoot of the Polson group. They meet once a month in Sweet Treats.”

Penny couldn’t think of a better place to have a meeting than the candy store. Just the smell of the freshly baked fudge and rich coffee beans would make the meeting worthwhile. “Do you know who’s in charge of the group or when they’re next meeting?”

“I don’t, but try Brooke. She does all the bookings.”

Cassie placed the key inside the box.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t be more helpful.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’ll talk to Brooke and see what she has to say. Are we still getting together next week?”

“You bet. I wouldn’t miss having dinner with you and your sisters for anything.”

Penny gave her friend a hug. “Barbara’s making her world-famous barbecue ribs.”

“I can’t wait to taste them. I’ll see you in a few days.”

“Bye.” As she left the store, Penny’s hand tightened around the box. Someone had to know something about it. Otherwise, the secret of her great-grandmother’s gift to her daughter would stay buried with her forever.

Luckily, Wyatt had checked his cell phone before he left the general store. Penny was at Sweet Treats, talking to Brooke, the owner of the store.

If there was one place in Sapphire Bay that he enjoyed spending extra time in, it was the candy shop. Looking at the line of people standing outside, so did half the people of Sapphire Bay.

While he was waiting, he checked his emails and scrolled through Facebook.

“I should have known you’d be here.”

Wyatt looked up and smiled at Pastor John. “It’s not what it looks like. I’m meeting Penny.”

“Well, you chose the right place. They made fresh chocolate fudge this morning.”

“Is that why so many people are waiting to go into the store?”

John looked ahead. “It’s normally like this in the afternoons. Most of the people would have come from one of the tourist buses parked at the end of the street.”

“I didn’t know Sapphire Bay was so popular. How did they discover Sweet Treats?”

“Word gets around, especially when food critics from big cities come visiting. Brooke had to double her kitchen capacity after they published the first review. She even used the commercial kitchen in The Welcome Center for a few months.”

Wyatt was impressed with how successful the business had become. He hadn’t read any of the reviews, but he didn’t need to. Even if you hadn’t bought anything from the store, the sweet smell of the fudge was enough to draw people inside.

“Penny sent me the latest list of registrations for the art project. It looks as though all the spaces will fill up fairly soon.”

“That’s what I’m hoping.” Wyatt shuffled forward. “Why are you here?”

John didn’t seem the least surprised by his question. “To buy candy, of course. The bottom drawer of my desk is getting a little bare. And if I don’t replace the fudge I took from my wife’s desk, she won’t talk to me for a few days.”

Wyatt smiled. “It sounds like you’re a match made in heaven.”

“When it comes to the candy from Sweet Treats, we are. Penny likes the peppermint cream chocolate bars.”

“How do you know that?”

“She was here when I was doing my last candy shop run. When she was younger, she used to buy it for her grandmother.”

Wyatt stepped through the front door. “Is there anything you don’t know about the people of Sapphire Bay?”

“There’s plenty. You’d find out more, too, if you asked the right questions.”

“Are you trying to tell me something?”

John looked over his shoulder before leaning forward. “You seem to be getting along really well with Penny. I hope it works out for you.”

The heat of a blush raced up Wyatt’s neck. “She’s my friend, that’s all.”

“Being friends with someone is a great place to start. It would have made my life a lot easier if Shelley wanted to be my friend when I met her.”

Wyatt smiled. “You mean your easy-going charm and engaging personality didn’t win her over? I’m shocked.”

“She’d heard about me but, before she met me, she thought I was eighty years old and losing my marbles.” John nodded to the people in front of them. “The line’s moving. You have to keep up. Otherwise, the people behind you start moaning and groaning.”

The door behind the front counter opened. Wyatt’s heart rate kicked up a notch when Penny walked into the store. There was something about her that made him wish his life was different. That he had the time and space to see just how far their relationship could go. But he wouldn’t be here for long enough.

John nudged him from behind. “I told you she liked Brooke’s candy.”

Penny was holding two large paper bags. If she enjoyed the peppermint cream chocolate as much as John said, he wouldn’t be surprised if she’d bought enough for everyone in her family.

When she saw Wyatt, she smiled and waved.

“I think she likes you, too.”

He turned around and glared at John. “You’re a pastor,” he whispered, “not a matchmaker. She’s being friendly.”

John shrugged. “Okay. But when a woman smiles at you like that, smile back.”

So Wyatt did what came naturally. He frowned.

Penny bit into her bar of chocolate. “I can’t believe how delicious this is. If Cassie hadn’t suggested going to see Brooke, I might have missed out. Are you sure you don’t want a piece?”

Wyatt shook his head, then looked in his rear view mirror before turning right. “Peppermint isn’t my favorite flavor.”

“That’s okay,” she said as she picked up the second bag of candy. “I’ve bought all sorts of things in here. There’s orange ripple chocolate fudge, salted caramel fudge, and caramel chocolate frogs. The frogs are Barbara’s favorite. But I’m sure she wouldn’t mind sharing a few with you.”

“I’ll try a piece of the salted caramel fudge. I haven’t tasted it before.”

Penny handed him a piece. “Brooke only makes it twice a month. It usually sells really fast, which is why I was lucky. And that’s not the only luck that was on