Where Two Hearts Meet Read Free

leaked out around the edges of the oven door. She gasped and lunged for a heavy-quilted oven mitt.
    Tessa rushed in from the tearoom. “Something’s burning!”
    “I know!”
    “Hurry, we don’t want the smoke alarms to go off again.” Tessa flipped on the overhead fan and unlocked the back window.
    Allison jerked open the oven door. Clouds of smoke puffed into the room. Coughing, she grabbed the cookie sheet of scorched scones and crossed to the open window. In one swift motion, she flipped the cookie sheet and dumped the smoking triangles onto the brick walk out back. They looked more like smoking volcanic rocks than anything edible. Even the poor birds wouldn’t be interested in that mess.
    Allison moaned and tossed the cookie sheet into the deep stainless-steel sink. “I can’t believe I did that twice in one day!”
    “Me neither.” Tessa flapped a blue-striped kitchen towel back and forth.
    “I’m sorry. I should have set the timer.”
    The air began to clear, and Tessa hung the towel on a hook by the sink. “You’ve been distracted all morning. Does this have anything to do with Tyler stopping in yesterday?”
    Allison scowled. “No!”
    Tessa crossed her arms. “Come on. Admit it. You were thinking about him instead of keeping your eyes on those scones.”
    Allison pushed her hair back from her warm face. “Okay, I was. But you’d be distracted, too, if you’d heard what he said. I can’t believe he thinks he can just walk back in here and have a friendly conversation after six years with no communication.”
    “You never heard from him that whole time?”
    “No!” She faltered, remembering that wasn’t exactly true. “Well, I did see him on Christmas Eve, a year ago.” She fiddled with her watch clasp. Confusion swirled through her as she recalled his tender look and halting apology. She forced those thoughts away and focused on the painful end of their relationship six years ago. He’d made her believe he loved her. They’d even talked about getting married, but then he’d left without even saying good-bye. She still didn’t know why. She sighed and rubbed her stinging eyes.
    “I’m sorry.” Tessa laid her hand on Allison’s arm. “I didn’t know it still bothered you.”
    “Neither did I, until yesterday.” She steeled herself against those painful memories. “He has a lot of nerve, waltzing in here and offering to do promotional work for Sweet Something.”
    “Wait a minute. He wants to do promotional work for us?”
    “Yes. Can you believe it?” Allison tossed the oven mitt onto the counter. “He works for some ad agency and thought we might like some free advertising advice.”
    Tessa gasped. “He wouldn’t charge us?” She grabbed Allison’s arm. “Please tell me you said yes.”
    “Nooo!” Allison vigorously shook her head.
    “And why not?”
    “You remember what happened! Not only did he walk out on me, he dropped out of grad school, got arrested for DUI, and our friends said he was just a . . . player.”
    “A player?” Tessa leaned back against the counter.
    “You know—a guy who goes from girl to girl, playing with their emotions, just looking for . . .” She lifted her eyebrows and sent her sister a meaningful glance.
    “Oh . . . well, that was a long time ago.”
    Allison touched her heart. “It doesn’t feel like it to me.”
    Tessa frowned, but only for a moment. Then her face brightened. “That was personal. This is business.” She crossed her arms. “I hope you weren’t rude to him. What did you say?”
    “Well . . . I think I said I didn’t want his help.” She’d practically kicked him out of the shop, and his calm response totally stumped her. Where was the cocky, self-assured man who always had a quick comeback or persuasive excuse for everything?
    Tessa groaned. “Allison, how could you? Call him right now, and tell him you’ve changed your mind.”
    “I can’t do that!”
    “Oh, yes you can. We need his help. And if