“Well, I’m sorry your father didn’t support you.” It was the perfect segue. “What were your dreams?”

  “Culinary school. First, I needed a break, and then met Eliza. She insisted I come work for her. It was a good start. Somehow, school got put off.”

  Belle giggled, then she burst out laughing, unable to contain it any longer. After a puzzled look from Bixby, she said, “I think we should talk about expansion of The Beanery, hiring other staff.” She paused, positively ecstatic. “I want to send you to culinary school...as an investment in the business. Also, because you’re my friend, and it’s what Eliza would have wanted.”

  At first, Bixby sat there, quite stunned, mouth slightly agape. “Belle…”

  She held up a hand. “You know Eliza’s generosity. You know this is something she would have offered you.”

  “No, Belle. That’s not what I mean.” His face lit up with a smile. “Does this mean you’re staying in Everly?”

  She returned the beaming smile. “Yes.”

  He let out a whoop. “I knew it! I just knew you wouldn’t be able to leave.”

  “It’s been with the help of a life coach-slash-therapist.” She tilted her head. “You might want to set up an appointment with her.” She stood. There were more people she needed to talk to. “It was also thanks to the close friends I made.”

  “So, Eliza’s evil plan worked?” he asked. “She wore you down with all her contingencies?”

  “Yes, you could say that.”

  He ushered her to the door. “Go. Go tell Lucas and Lexie.”

  She pulled him into a hug. “Thank you for everything. You’re the best.”

  He hugged her back, then nudged her to the door. “Go.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  As Belle drove toward Lucas’ house, her heart did strange things in her chest. It beat faster than usual. It banged around. It bucked and twisted. But this wasn’t with the same anxiety as when she was about to face her aunt and uncle.

  No, this was different.

  This was excitement. Finally telling him about her decision.

  If she had a best girlfriend, she’d probably be on the phone, yammering away about her new feelings, this unexpected rush of warmth toward Lucas.

  Instead, she wanted to talk to Lucas about it.

  She was all about conquering today. About being brave. Courageous. That meant letting him know she was staying in Everly.

  She wasn’t leaving.

  She wasn’t going to pick up one day and disappear. She wasn’t going to run away.

  When she parked in his driveway, she noticed Phil and Joan Graystone were there. That didn’t matter. She loved his parents, and they’d be happy to hear it too. She imagined Lexie squealing and running for a hug.

  For some reason, she couldn’t move.

  What if they weren’t that excited? What if things went wrong in a year or two? What if she couldn’t follow through?

  No. Nope. No.

  She could do this. Just like her resolution that if her uncle and aunt sued for all her money, she’d find a way. If, down the road, Lucas had to move or they drifted apart—yes, she’d be crushed, but she’d move forward, one step at a time, like she always had.

  The front door opened.

  It was Lexie, waving and smiling. Seconds later, she raced down the driveway to the car.

  Well, Belle couldn’t leave now.

  As soon as she stepped out of the car, Lexie hugged her. Her arms were wrapped around her tight and it was a giant squeeze.

  “You came,” she said, her voice filled with excitement.

  Belle laughed, and it was so easy to laugh around this girl. How could she ever think of moving away from this beautiful human being who brought so much joy to her life?

  “Yes, I’m here for dinner. Even if you’ve gobbled up all the pizza, that’s okay. I guess I missed the two of you.”

  They headed back to the front door, Lucas stood in the doorway. He leaned against the frame, casual-like.

  For a second, her heart flipped in her chest. She had always known Detective Lucas Graystone was handsome, but now she knew he was a loyal friend, a committed guardian, someone who would do anything for anyone who needed help, a protector.

  “Uncle Luc, Belle came!” Lexie stopped. “Did you eat all the pizza?” she accused. “There’d better be some for Belle.”

  “Hey.” He gestured his innocence. “I said I’d order extra and I did. Extra pizza never goes uneaten for long.”

  He smiled, his entire face changing to one that beamed love and care. Belle noticed things she hadn’t before, or she saw them with a fresh perspective. She saw the twinkle in his eyes when he looked at someone he loved—the way he looked at her and Lexie right now. She saw the firm line of his jaw that led to his mouth. How had she not noticed his lips before? Because right now she suddenly found them fascinating. She saw his height, his sculpted body. Of course, she knew women found him attractive. But wasn’t he too old for her?

  “Come on in.” He stepped back inside, holding the door open for them.

  Lexie slipped her hand into Belle’s. “You’re on my team.”

  “Oh, really? I’d better know what we’re playing then. Maybe I’m a terrible partner.”

  “I made up a game. Someone starts a story and then each person adds another part to it.”

  “Sounds fun,” Belle said.

  Once upon a time, there was a young woman. She had a hard time trusting and opening up to new relationships, scared they wouldn’t last, that they wouldn’t like her. She always made sure a quick exit was nearby.

  They walked inside. Phil and Joan were sitting on the couch. They said hello and briefly talked about the past few days.

  “Yes, it was a strange vacation,” Belle said, “but it ended on a high note. And, as always, Lucas did his detective thing.”

  “With help from the smartest woman there,” he said, smiling at her. Just at her. Again, her insides trembled, tingles spread. What was happening? It was like once she gave herself permission to stay in Everly, these hidden emotions poured out of nowhere.

  They sat in the living room and the story telling started. Lexie opened it up, then Lucas’ parents, then Lucas, then Belle. It was fun. She watched them interact with each other, laughing and teasing, encouraging and praising. She’d never felt so full and empty at the same time.

  She wanted this.

  It hit her hard. She wanted this with Lucas.

  Not only did she want to stay in Everly and keep her close friendships, but she wanted…more.

  It came out of nowhere.

  She didn’t think about it, because if she had, she never would have said it. It just came blurting out.

  “I like you,” she said, looking right at Lucas. She sounded breathless, her voice cracking.

  Stunned silence dropped in the room.

  Her heart clenched. Panic struck. What was she thinking?

  She might have just messed everything up, everything she had with them. Quickly, she added, fumbling with her words. “I mean, of course, I like you. We’re…um…we’re friends and we have fun together.”

  Joan Graystone stood, after nudging her husband. “I have a great idea. We’ll take one of the pizzas and go back to our house. Lexie, would you like that? We’ll eat pizza and watch a movie.”

  “But—”

  “I think your Uncle Lucas needs time alone with Belle,” Joan stated as if the matter was settled, already moving toward the table to grab her purse. “Phil, you’ve got the pizza?”

  “Yes, Ma’am.” He turned to Lexie. “You know you don’t fight with Grams.”

  “Sure.” Lexie looked confused, like she knew something was going on but didn’t quite know what.

  They were at the door.

  “Before you go,” Belle blurted, then moved toward Lexie. She kneeled so they were eye level with one another. “I want you to know that I’m not leaving. I’m staying in Everly. And I’ll be your friend as long as you want to be my friend.”

  Lexie’s eyes widened, immediately filling with joy and relief. “You’re staying?” she whispered.

  Belle nodded, her eyes burning. It was hard to swallow with her throat choking up on her.

  It only took a few seconds, before Lexie gave her the biggest hug ever. “I was so scared you’d leave, but Uncle Lucas said we can’t control what other people do, just what we do.”

  “Your Uncle Lucas is a wise man.”

  After another hug and more reassurance, Lexie released Belle. The girl looked over to her uncle with a radiating smile.

  Joan hustled them out the door. Then it was just the two of them.

  She was alone with Lucas. There was a magnetic tension in the room. It was like lightning and joy, excitement and anticipation, all tangled together. They’d been alone together lots of times, but it never felt like this.

  For some reason, her feet were glued to the floor. She looked everywhere but at Lucas.

  “Hey,” he said, softly.

  Once upon a time, the young woman found someone who she liked a lot. She realized she didn’t want to take the nearest exit. She’d found the courage to face her past and forgive, and now, she needed the courage to face her future.

  “Hey,” she said, feeling awkward.

  “Is that true? You’ve decided to stay?” he asked, moving toward her.

  With every step closer, her heart beat faster. At first, she couldn’t find the words. Then she thought back, once more, on the courage it took to face down killers, to hunt down clues; more recently, to face her aunt and uncle. She could do this.

  She looked at him, at the speckles of gold in his eyes she’d never noticed, at the curious but hopeful way he studied her.

  “Yes. I’ve had some epiphanies.”

  He tilted his head, wearing a mischievous smile. “And you like me?”

  “Of course, I like you.” Here was her moment of truth. She could play it off as friendship, but that was not what she wanted. “But I like you more than that.” In a moment of vulnerability, she reached for his hand, and oh, it was soft and warm. Tingles shot up her arm, zapping her heart.

  “What do you like?” he asked, squeezing her hand, then reaching for her other hand.

  Trying not to squirm under the intensity, she said, “I like the way you are with your family and Lexie. I like that you care about people. I like your smile. And…I think you’re cute. I like your mouth.” His smile grew. “Especially when you smile. You have that way of looking at me like I’m loved and important.”

  “Because you are.”

  “I like that we laugh together. I like that you’re always looking to create memories. That’s important to me.”

  “Hey,” he said. “I like you, too. I’ve liked you since about week one. I mean really liked you. That’s only grown in the past year.” He raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t know how you felt about the difference in our age.”

  What? He really liked her too?

  She swore something ballooned in her chest about to explode. Warm tingles and anticipation spread over her skin, warmth surged through her body. “I don’t care.”

  “Good.”

  She flailed on the inside. “I’m not perfect. I don’t cry in front of other people. I might still run away from tough things. Sometimes, I need to be alone to process.”

  “That’s okay. I can be stubborn and want things to move faster sometimes. I work late when I’m on a case and then sleep through my alarm. I become obsessed at times with work. I’m always learning. But, I don’t care you’re not perfect. You’re perfect for me. I like all the parts of you.” He paused, took a breath. “I love all the parts of you. I love that you’re my best friend. I love that Lexie adores you. I love that you look for adventure, that you’re smart, witty, capable. That you’ve been through so much and are standing strong. You’re amazing and beautiful.”

  Belle felt the blush spread up into her cheeks. A part of her wanted to bolt.

  He cupped his hands around her face. “I’ve wanted to kiss you for weeks.”

  She sucked in a breath. “Yes, please.”

  He slowly lowered his face until he was a millimeter away, then he pressed his lips to hers, and they were soft and everything Belle thought they would be. Fireworks zinged throughout her body and she never wanted this to end. He pulled away much too quickly.

  “I’m going to use some amazing self-control and suggest we take this slow. I’m not going anywhere.” He kissed her again. “Belle, will you go on a date with me?”

  “Yes.” She blinked, fighting back the tears. “Yes, I will.”

  Once upon a time, a young woman told a man how she really felt about him. It was scary and terrifying but then he kissed her and asked her out on a date. She didn’t know how it would turn out but she was willing to risk the heartbreak to try. She hoped they would laugh together, create memories together, and continue to solve mysteries.

  Once upon a time, a young woman solved the mystery of how to be happy and go after it.

  Thank you so much for sleuthing alongside Belle and Lucas. Hope you enjoyed the journey! Be sure to check out the Holly Hart Cozy Mysteries. It’s another entire fun series just waiting for you.

  ~Laura

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  There are more cozy mysteries waiting for you!!

  A ten-book series filled with scrumptious cheesecake, murder, friendships, frenemies, witty banter, and a dash of romance.

  Start with book 1, Footprints in the Frosting!

  Yes, it was murder. No, she had nothing to do with it.

  With the opening day of her boutique cheesecake shop delayed, Holly Hart deals with the local hot cop, as she puts her sleuthing skills to the test to save her business and her name.

  Start reading today!!

  Find out how it all began for Holly Hart in the prequel.

  Join my newsletter to read Murder with a Slice of Cheesecake, an exclusive prequel to the Holly Hart Mysteries.

  ALSO BY LAURA

  HOLLY HART COZY MYSTERY

  Footprints in the Frosting

  Deadly Independence

  Frosted on the Ferris Wheel

  Fruitcake and Foul Play

  Poison in the Pastry

  Catered to Death

  Pie Crust and Peril

  Lemon Meringue and Murder

  Coffee Cake and Clues

  Tiramisu and Trouble

  BARON & GRAYSTONE MYSTERY

  Caramel Macchiato Murder

  Macadamia Fudge Murder

  Chocolate Raspberry Murder

  Pumpkin Spice Murder

  Peppermint Mocha Murder

  Coconut Crunch Murder

  ROMANTIC MYSTERY (in Paris!)

  A Spy Like Me

  Heart of an Assassin

  Twist of Fate

  Vanishing Point

  A Royal Con

  A Princess Con

  ROMANTIC COMEDY

  Prom Impossible

  Prompossible Plans

  Covert Kissing

  Secrets & Sabotage

  ABOUT LAURA

  I write cozy mysteries with heart and humor. I love a lot of things about writing and reading stories that have mystery and romance. I love the puzzle of a whodunnit and witty banter between characters who love to hate each other. Especially, when they don’t know they are falling in love.

  If you love mystery and romance and strong women at the heart of the adventure, then visit www.laurapauling.com for all my books.

 

 

  Laura Pauling, Coconut Crunch Murder

 

 

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