“I found the cutest flower cookie cutters online, and I thought you might like to use them for the sandwiches.”
Right, the sandwiches, Ellie thought, her stress levels going through the roof. “That’s a great idea. If you email me the link, I’ll order them.” If she was lucky, they wouldn’t come in on time.
“It’s okay. I’ve got extra you can use. I’ll just run back and get them now.”
“Perfect. Um, before you do, would you mind giving me a slice of that chocolate cake?” She pointed at the decadent-looking confection in the glass showcase.
“Sure. I’ll pack it up to go.”
“I’ll just eat it here, thanks. My meeting at the bookstore isn’t for another thirty minutes.”
“That’s right. I heard you’re redoing the guest rooms at the inn. I love the idea of using romantic literary couples for the theme,” Bliss said as she removed the chocolate cake from the showcase.
“We have to do our part to keep up the image of America’s most romantic small town, don’t we?” Romance, shomance. She was so over the idea of romantic love it wasn’t even funny.
Bliss frowned. “Are you okay, Ellie?”
“Great, thanks.” She looked at the slice of cake Bliss was cutting. “Maybe a little bigger.” Bliss moved the knife over a smidgen and glanced at her. “You know what? Just give me the whole cake.”
“You want the whole cake?”
“Yep, the whole thing. And a chocolate hazelnut coffee, thanks.”
Bliss nodded slowly. “Ah, sure. Whatever you want. Why don’t you sit down and I’ll bring it over to you?”
Ellie had just settled down at a table when her cell phone pinged. It was a text from Nate, who wanted to know if it was okay to give her grandfather and Joe something other than fruit smoothies for breakfast. She was about to respond with some healthy options when Bliss placed the cake and coffee on the table. “Thanks, Bliss.”
“Are you sure you’re okay, Ellie?”
Thanks to Nate, Ellie’s barriers had slipped, and she sensed Bliss was worried about her.
“Never been better.” Ellie smiled, stabbing out a response to Nate as Bliss walked away, glancing at her over her shoulder.
Feed them pork sausages for all I care. I. Am. Off. Duty.
But she didn’t want her grandpa to have another stroke or Jonathan to have a heart attack. She followed up with Chicken sausages and eggs. Scrambled, not fried. As an afterthought, she added Thanks. Just because she was mad at Nate didn’t mean she shouldn’t be polite. But that didn’t mean she wanted to continue texting with him.
She turned off her phone, picked up the fork, and dug into the cake. It was incredible. She felt the weight of someone’s gaze and glanced at Bliss, who was watching her while talking on her cell phone. Ellie pointed at the cake with her fork and mouthed So good.
It wasn’t long before she realized whom Bliss had been talking to. Sadie rushed into the bakery with two bags from Three Wise Women Bookstore, followed closely by Abby, who carried two other bags. Bliss pointed at Ellie.
Sadie and Abby hurried over. “What happened?” her cousin asked, setting down her bags and pulling out a chair at the table.
“Why would you think something happened?” she asked, blocking the waves of worry coming off both women.
“You’re stuffing your face with chocolate cake at nine in the morning,” Abby said as she put her bags on the floor and pulled out a chair. “What did Nate do?”
“Why do you think Nate has anything to do with it? I love chocolate cake, and this one is to die for. Here. Have a bite.” She picked up the spoon beside her coffee cup and handed it to Abby.
Bliss arrived with dessert plates and napkins. “Can I get you guys something to drink?”
“It’s okay, Bliss,” Ellie answered for them. “We have to leave in ten minutes for the meeting.”
“We decided to bring the meeting to you,” Sadie said, hefting a bag onto her lap. “I’ll take a coffee, Bliss. Thanks.”
“Me too,” Abby said, helping herself to a spoonful of cake. “Oh my gosh, you’re right. This is amazing.”
Ellie frowned. “Why are you bringing the meeting to me?”
Abby leaned over to pick up a bag. “We didn’t think you wanted to discuss your love life in front of the Sisterhood.”
“When would I have time for a love life? Not that I want one, because I don’t.” She wagged her fork at them. “You guys are getting as bad as Granny. It’s all Happy Ever After Entertainment’s fault for holding the contest. The town’s become obsessed with love and romance. You can’t go anywhere without being smacked in the face with it.” She lifted her chin at the wedding cakes lining the top of the bakery’s showcase.
“Ellie, it’s wedding season, and this is a bakery,” Sadie pointed out.
“I’m talking about the Love Is in Bloom in Highland Falls poster on the wall. They’re all over town.”
“There’s a billboard going up tomorrow,” Sadie said, fighting back a grin when Ellie shoved a forkful of cake into her mouth.
Abby pressed her palms together. “Please don’t tell me you’re thinking of bowing out of the guest rooms’ redesign. My contact at the production company loved the idea, and she thought her bosses would too. Everyone in town is just as excited as she was. The bookstore is running a contest for most romantic couple in Highland Falls. The couple with the most votes will have a room at the inn named after them. So far Sadie and Chase are in the lead.”
“You and Hunter and Mallory and Gabe are like two votes behind us. Granny and Colin are three.” Sadie grinned. “You and Nate aren’t that far behind.”
“Who put us on the list? We’re not a couple.” Ellie sighed. “Granny did, didn’t she?”
“I don’t know. It’s secret ballots. But Granny isn’t the only one hoping you guys get together; so is Chase. Hunter volunteered to make the name plaques, by the way.”
That was one job off her growing list of things to do. “Tell him I appreciate it. I’ll have the names of the literary couples to him this week. When will the winner of Highland Falls’ Most Romantic Couple be announced?” Ellie asked, praying that Nate didn’t get wind that they were on the list. Not that there was a chance of them winning. Unless her grandmother rigged the contest, she thought on a sigh.
“We thought it would be fun if Happy Ever After Entertainment made the announcement the same day that they announce the winner for Most Romantic Small Town in America, which will be Highland Falls, of course.”
“But what if we don’t win?” Ellie asked.
“Not a chance. I’ve been scoping out the competition,” Abby said. “Christmas, Colorado, is a beautiful town, but, as its name suggests, they’re all about the holidays. If the production company was shooting a Christmas movie, we probably wouldn’t stand a chance. But they’re not. I know for a fact it’s a summer romance. So our main competition is Harmony Harbor in Massachusetts. It’s gorgeous too, but the town has a coastal, seafaring vibe, and I have it on good authority from my source inside the production company that they’re looking for a romantic mountain setting.”