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

Eddie rolled her eyes. “I’m not looking for praise, you silly girl. I’m offering you a loan. So you can buy the bakery. You could pay me back over time. With interest. And if I die before it all gets returned, then I’ll forgive the loan.”


Eddie’s eyes narrowed. “Let me be clear. That’s not a license to off me. I’ll have a provision in my will that if my death is suspicious, you’re the first one they’re to investigate.” Her expression softened. “But I don’t think you’d do that.”

Shelby opened her mouth, then closed it. “I honestly don’t know what to say. Thank you. I’m stunned, but thank you.”

Eddie clutched her large purse in both hands. “You’re welcome. I’ve been watching you ever since you moved here. You were such a frightened mouse in the beginning. You’ve grown since then. Blossomed. You have backbone and that can’t be taught. You’re smart and honest. You’d be a good bet.”

The words were as lovely as they were unexpected. “Thank you,” she said. “You’re being so nice.”

“Humph. Don’t tell anyone. I have a reputation in town. Anyway, you think about it.” Her expression turned stern. “You are going to buy the bakery, aren’t you? Because if you don’t, you’re an idiot.”

Shelby laughed. “Yes, I am. I’m going to tell Amber right now.”

“Good. I’d hate to be offering my money to an idiot.” She rose. “Let me know what you want to do.”

“I will.”

Shelby stood and circled the desk. Before she opened the door, she hugged the old woman. Eddie was smaller than she seemed. Like a little bird. But when she hugged back, her hold was fierce and powerful.

Shelby walked her out, then went into Amber’s office.

“Do you have a second?” she asked.

Her business partner looked up. “I do. Have you made a decision?”

“I’d like to buy the business.”

Amber laughed. “I’m so glad. I was hoping you’d say yes. This is fantastic. We have a lot to do. I’ll get my lawyer going on the paperwork and we’ll need to get the business valued. Oh, Shelby, you’re going to do great. I know you are. You have so many ideas and so much energy.”

“I’m excited.”

“Me, too! Let’s celebrate with a cookie.”

Shelby laughed. Because champagne was out of the question. But there would be plenty of bubbles later. With Aidan and the rest of her friends.

*

THE WEARY CAMPERS stepped out of the van as Aidan unloaded their backpacks and set them on the ground. Charlie, who’d already spent five minutes greeting Aidan, sniffed everything.

“Best time ever,” a teenage boy told his dad. “We have to do this again next year.”

“Maybe we’ll bring Mom along,” his father said.

The teen laughed. “Like that’ll ever happen.”

The rest of the group seemed equally pleased with their long weekend. The weather had been perfect—warm during the day and cool at night. The signs of spring had been everywhere in the mountains, from the wildflowers to the newborn fawn they’d seen.

Aidan ushered everyone into the office, where they signed the forms that confirmed they were back where they’d started, then checked the van one more time for forgotten gear or cell phones.

He hadn’t slept much while on the trip. He never did. Now all he wanted was a hot shower and about ten hours in his bed.

The latter thought had him picturing Shelby, but he carefully pushed that image away. Sleep. He needed sleep.

“How about a walk before we head home?” he asked the dog.

Charlie wagged his tail and followed Aidan into the office. Fay was finishing up with the last of the customers. She pointed to where Charlie’s leash lay on the counter.

“Kalinda played with him most of the morning,” his office manager told him. “I knew you’d want to crash and that wouldn’t work if your boy was restless. So he should be tired, too.”

“Thanks for that, and for taking care of him.”

Fay petted the dog. “Are you kidding? We all love having him. You should go on more trips where you can’t bring him. I won’t complain.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” He yawned. “I’ll be back to check messages, then I’m heading home.”

“See you in a few.”

He clipped on Charlie’s leash. They opened the front door just as Aidan’s mother was reaching for the handle.

“Mom. What are you doing here?”

Elaine looked at him. “I just wanted to stop by. I haven’t seen you in a while.” She frowned. “You look like you haven’t shaved.”

“I was on a backpacking trip for three days. I’m going to take Charlie for a walk, then go home and crash.”

“Oh. Well, can I walk with you?”

He wanted to say no. There was nothing his mother could say that he wanted to hear. Only that wasn’t how he’d been raised. So he nodded and pointed to the trail he and Charlie liked to use.

They walked in silence for a few minutes. When they were clear of the office, Aidan let Charlie go off-leash. The bichon gave a quick bark of appreciation before trotting off to investigate the trail.

“Will he be all right?” Elaine asked.

“He doesn’t go far and he always checks back with me,” he told her.