Page 5 of Too Delicious
“By day, Little Spoon is a next-level, family-friendly, self-serve gourmet fro-yo place with more homemade candy and cookie toppings than in Willy Wonka’s imagination. But after 6 p.m., it’s a date night hot spot.”
Cooper nods thoughtfully. “Sounds fun, but I need to hear more.”
He aims this comment at me. He wants me to speak, but my words catch in my throat. Stage fright strikes at the worst times. When Cooper’s eyes are on me, I may as well be standing in a spotlight in front of an arena packed with people.
I swallow, and words fail me.
Maybe I should let Summer handle all the networking.
I shouldn’t even be at a networking event. I glance down at my outfit, feeling small yet standing out like a sore thumb simultaneously. Summer? She’s not trying to hide her assets and has the confidence to carry it off. She owns every room she’s in.
Cooper apologizes, his hands pressed together, begging me to say something.
Heat rushes over my skin.
Summer encourages me, reminding me that making Little Spoon a date night destination was my idea. I soften toward her again.
As I explain my plans for a romantic setting, all I can visualize is Cooper: his handsome face across the table from me, the candlelight flickering, chill music playing in the background as we share our favorite desserts with each other.
“Frocktails!” Cooper suddenly shouts.
Uh…is this man having some sort of episode?
I laugh, but the other twin seems annoyed.
Cooper looks pleased with himself. He’s genuinely so good-looking, athletic, personable, friendly, and adorably dorky.
The more I try not to like him, the more I fail.
I don’t like it enough to date him, but I can look. I put on my professional face as the four of us talk some more. This is happening, I say to myself. We’re actually going to get financing and make our dream come true. I might even be able to quit my job as a teacher’s aide after a year or two.
All seems to be going well, until we inform our potential investors that we plan to build our shop in the small downtown of Fate, where we live.
The brothers dismiss this idea, and now I can see all my hopes and dreams circling the drain.
Cooper tries to recover when he sees the look on my face.
“It’s…not bad, per se…but the last time I was there, Fate wasn’t exactly a prosperous enough place to support a decent hotel, let alone?—”
Oh no, he did not just shit-talk my town.
“What Cooper is trying to say is we need a lot more information and we’d like you to come over for dinner at our house,” Carter blurts.
We all stare at the other twin.
He explains that this room is too loud, he hates crowds, and he would much rather go somewhere quiet to work out the details of a potential deal.
Somewhere quiet. Right. Nothing fishy about that.
To my shock, Summer agrees on my behalf.
I try to remind her we aren’t dressed for dinner, and we’d have to schlep all the way to Fate and back again…but I see how she’s staring at Carter and I know that there’s no getting through to her sensible side.
“You look perfect,” Cooper says to me.
Oh god. Of course he would say that while staring at my boobs. I close the blazer over the silly gold midriff bustier and cross my arms.
The decisions are made, contact info exchanged and plans are set without consulting me. I guess we’re packing up the booth and going to dinner at the twins’ house.