Best of My Love (Fool's Gold, #20)(34)

Aidan bent down to check on Charlie’s coat. “I don’t know. I don’t think he’s going to come back for our second event.”

“I don’t think any of them are.”

Aidan straightened. “Ready to skate?”

“Uh-huh. What are you going to do with Charlie?”

“Maggie who runs the shack is going to keep him with her.” Aidan grinned. “Charlie’s very good with the ladies. At work, he has Fay trained. Right at ten and two, he’s up and looking for a doggy treat. He sits up and waves his paws at her. If she’s too slow, he waves faster, then starts to bark at her, and off she goes to get his treat.”

“I knew you were smart,” she told the dog.

Aidan led Charlie toward the shack. Shelby watched him go. Charlie might not be the dog he’d had in mind, but they looked good together. Watching Aidan tend to the smaller dog was just so sweet. And kind of sexy. The tender side of him was unexpected.

For a second she allowed herself to imagine how tender he would be with her. Gentle, but strong. He would take his time and make her feel safe and cared for. Then she shook off the images. They were friends. Only friends. Despite what anyone else thought...or said.

*

“I WANTED TO let you know I’m fine,” Amber said.

Shelby looked up from the supplies she was organizing. Taking Taryn’s advice, she’d put a notice up at the high school. Two-hour shifts were available at the bakery for cookie decorating. Their Valentine’s Day orders had tripled from the previous year. It seemed that the entire town, not to mention several dozen out-of-state customers, wanted frosted cookies for the holiday. There was no way Shelby and their permanent staff could get everything done in time, so reinforcements were being called in.

She had eight fifteen-year-old girls due to arrive at three thirty. Which meant eight stations to be set up with frosting, cookies and little sprinkles. Not to mention hairnets, aprons and gloves.

She looked at her business partner and did her best to put Amber’s statement in context. Before she could, the other woman laughed.

“Sorry. I guess I assumed it was all about me. I saw Dr. Galloway last week. Remember, I’d been complaining about not feeling well? I wanted to let you know I’m fine.”

“Oh!” Shelby laughed. “Of course. I’m sorry. I should have remembered.”

“You’re busy.”

“Still, not an excuse. So everything is good? That’s so great. Does she have you on special vitamins or something?”

Amber shifted her gaze to the table. “Um, yes. I am on vitamins and some other things. I’m not sick.”

There was something in her friend’s voice. A particular tone Shelby couldn’t put her finger on. Still, if everything was all right, she was busy enough to let the rest of it go.

“I’m glad. I know you weren’t yourself.”

“I wasn’t, but now I’m, you know, okay.” Amber pointed to the cookie stations. “I’m very curious about how this is going to go.”

“Me, too. I figure we’re either going to have a fantastic workforce we can call in for special orders, or it will be a total disaster.”

“No middle ground?”

“I think not.”

“Good luck with it all.”

“Thanks.”

Shelby finished setting up the stations and returned to check on the front of the store just as Madeline walked.

“Hey, you.” Her friend smiled. “How’s it going? I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever.”

“I’ve been busy and so have you.”

Madeline laughed. “Tell me about it. A lot of young women are expecting a Valentine’s Day proposal, so they’ve been coming in to try on dresses. Which means lots of looking and no buying. I tell myself they’ll be back. In the meantime, our samples are getting a workout.”

“Speaking of samples,” Shelby teased as she held out a plate with pieces of cookie on it. “We’re doing some special Valentine’s cookies. If you want some for your movie-star fiancé, you need to order soon.”

Madeline took a piece and popped it in her mouth. “I already have. They’re so delicious.” She took a second piece. “Jonny’s been going back and forth to LA for the past couple of weeks. It’s all in preparation for his next movie. When I get his schedule nailed down, I was thinking of having a few people over for dinner. You know, couples. Can I invite you and Aidan?”

“We’re not a couple.”

“You keep saying that and no one believes you.” Madeline smiled. “Say yes. It will be fun.”

But we’re not a couple. Still, Shelby didn’t say the words. She was starting to understand that no one could grasp what they were doing. She didn’t know why it was so hard to understand, but it was. So she should probably accept it.

“I’ll check with Aidan and get back to you. I’m sure he’ll say yes.”

“Great.” Madeline grinned. “Want to come by the store and try on some samples?”

“No. It’s not like that.”

“Keeping telling yourself that and maybe one day it will be true.”

With that, her friend waved and left.

Shelby put the sample plate back on the counter and sighed. Aidan wasn’t going to propose. Not on Valentine’s Day or ever. But thinking about him asking her to marry him made her feel all funny inside. Not in a bad way. More...unsettled. As if the possibility wasn’t exactly awful.