The Tea Shop on Lavender Lane. Sheila Roberts

And the sooner it worked, the better he’d like it.

      * * *

      Flowers arrived for Cecily Monday afternoon. The card that came with them was signed, Thinking about Saturday and smiling, Todd.

      That made her smile, too. It had been a good date, especially that close encounter at the end.

      But should she take the risk and allow herself to get serious about him? Was he the get-serious type? She still had her doubts.

      She was just leaving to meet Charley for coffee at Bavarian Brews when Luke caught up with her on her way out. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”

      Oh, boy. She already knew what he wanted to talk about, and she wasn’t looking forward to it. But this was a talk they needed to have. She nodded, and he escorted her around the side of the factory building.

      “So, you and that guy—”

      “Todd Black,” she corrected.

      “Are you two serious?”

      It was the same question she’d been asking herself since Saturday night. “That was only dinner and a movie.” And...she wasn’t going to tell Luke about the rest of it.

      He propped a hand against the brick wall, bringing himself closer to where she stood. “I like movies. And dinner. And dancing.” She knew what he was referring to. She’d danced with him during the chocolate ball at her family’s first chocolate festival. The memory spread an unexpected warmth through her body. This was uncomfortable. And confusing.

      “Let me take you out,” Luke said. “Have dinner with me.”

      “We work together. It would be awkward.”

      “I promise not to make it awkward.” He leaned in closer, and her nerve endings began to wake up. “All I’m asking is that you give me a chance.”

      “Oh, I don’t—”

      “No Sterling woman would pick the first vendor who wanted to do business with Sweet Dreams Chocolates. Don’t you think you should be just as discerning when you’re doing business of the heart?”

      She’d never thought of Luke as a man of many words, especially poetic words like the ones he’d just uttered.

      “A chance—that’s all I want,” he said. “At least consider it.”

      She nodded.

      Satisfied with that, he pushed away from the wall and let her continue to Bavarian Brews.

      Except when she entered her favorite coffee shop she saw Todd inside, waiting in line to order. She did a quick about-face. After her encounter with Luke, she wasn’t ready for one with Todd, even if he had sent her flowers. Anyway, she was already feeling jittery. Probably the last thing she needed was caffeine.

      No, the last thing she needed was to complicate her life by dating two different men. What on earth was she going to do?

       Chapter Four

      Cecily was halfway down the street when Charley caught up with her.

      “Bavarian Brews is that way,” Charley teased.

      “Sorry. I was going to call you.” Once she got safely away. “I decided I should cut down on my coffee consumption.”

      “Does that mean I’m going to have to pump you about your love life right here in the middle of the street?”

      “There’s nothing to pump.”

      Charley nodded cynically. “Sure. You just happened to run into Todd Black the other night and decided to share a table at my place.”

      “It was only dinner.” Cecily glanced in the direction of the coffee shop. The last thing she wanted was to be standing here when Todd came out. “Give me a rain check on the coffee, okay? I’ve got to get back to the office.”

      “Okay.” Charley nodded again. “You be careful, buddy. I know he’s hot, but I don’t want to see you get burned.”

      “I won’t,” Cecily said as much to herself as to Charley.

      Her friend was right. It was silly to take a chance on getting hurt, especially when a woman could pick a solid, dependable man. Cecily hurried back to Sweet Dreams Chocolates and went straight to Luke’s office.

      She found him at his desk, frowning in concentration and typing on his computer keyboard with two fingers. He saw her and smiled hopefully. “Hi there. What brings you to my corner of the neighborhood?”

      “Dinner. Are you still interested?”

      His smile broadened. “Absolutely. How about Friday?”

      She didn’t want Bailey to spend her first Friday home alone. “Saturday?”

      “I can do that. Schwangau?”

      That was certainly a more impressive first date than playing pinball in a seedy tavern. Cecily’s mind started to wander from the tavern to her first kiss at Todd’s house.

      She firmly jerked her thoughts off that trail. “Schwangau sounds great.”

      “Pick you up at six?”

      “Sure,” she said. And then it seemed there was nothing left to say. She turned to go.

      “Cecily.”

      She turned back.

      “Thanks,” he said softly.

      She nodded.

      She’d barely returned to her desk when her cell phone rang. It was Todd, and the very sound of his voice revved her hormones.

      “Thanks for the flowers,” she said. “They’re beautiful.”

      “Just like the woman I sent them to. When are you coming back to my cave to play some more pinball?” he asked. Then, before she could answer, he added, “Oh, yeah. That doesn’t count as a date. So how about dancing at The Red Barn on Friday night?”

      “Isn’t Friday a big night at The Man Cave?”

      “I’ll give myself the night off for bad behavior.”

      Not interested. Just say it. “My sister’s moving back to town, and I’m spending Friday with her.”

      “Oh? Where’s she staying?”

      “With me.”

      “No coming back to your place for a drink after our next date, then,” he said. “And, speaking of...if you can’t do Friday, how about Saturday?”

      “Sorry. I’m busy.”

      “How long does it take to unpack your sister’s suitcase?”

      “I’m not busy with her.”

      There was a long silence before he said, “Oh.” Then, “Anyone I know?”

      Now the silence was on Cecily’s end. She should come right out and tell him it wasn’t going to happen between them. She was going in a new, smart direction. With Luke.

      “Let me guess. The competition.”

      Okay, since he asked. “Yes.” Luke was a much better candidate for a long-term relationship. And for fatherhood. He was already a family man, which meant he was solid and dependable, not wired for breaking hearts like some people.

      “I hope you aren’t expecting me to say something inane like ‘have a good time,’” Todd said. “You won’t have half as much fun as you had with me, you know.”

      “There’s more to life than fun,” she said primly.

      “Thanks for enlightening me. Seriously, I’m interested in you, Cecily, and I’m not going away just because some other man is,