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solve all the world’s problems if only leaders would see it that way. Imagine. We could drop truffles instead of bombs on all the countries we’re fighting.”
    A rain of sweet joy would turn hatred into friendship, wouldn’t it?
    When she ruled the world, that’s exactly what she would do.
    “Earth to Sue Anne,” her friend said. “What do you want me to do?”
    “Can you get the trays ready?” They’d cleaned and dried the trays in the days before the anticipated arrival of the machine. Sue Anne’s pulse picked up as she readied the chocolate. They were making the chocolate molds for truffles and would insert the fillings once the chocolate hardened. Any person who bit into one of their confections would have a better day.
    As the chocolate swirled back and forth, heating to the correct temperature, she stared at the paddle, caught between contentment and wonder, the bittersweet aroma tickling her nostrils. Would she be able to make this store a success?
    “Here are the trays.” Julie clunked them on the center table, along with a few pastry brushes. “How’s the chocolate?”
    “Coming along.” After all the rushing over the last few weeks to get the shop ready, making candy seemed too calm a process. They had plenty of time to experiment with different flavors, choosing the ones they liked best before the soft opening in a few weeks.
    “What are we going to do for marketing without Reed?” Julie leaned against the counter as they waited for the mixture to cool. “Couldn’t you have broken up with him but let him run marketing? He seemed to know what he was doing. Besides, he was more eye candy to have around.”
    “You can’t really think that would work.”
    Although, Julie was right about one thing. Reed, with his blond hair, blue eyes, and square jaw, was ruggedly handsome in a Hollywood kind of way, kind of like a perfectly made truffle. But when she’d bitten into the center, the taste had been rancid.
    “I’ll figure it out,” she added. “I took a few marketing classes in school. And I’m joining a businesswomen’s network in town. They’ll help me make contacts. In a town like this, word of mouth is critical.”
    The thermometer indicated a few more minutes. She had time to tackle the issue that was bothering her.
    “Why the fascination with Reed?” She studied Julie.
    Her partner looked away from her stare.
    “You’re welcome to him,” Sue Anne continued, “but he’s pretty controlling in his own way. Problem is, he doesn’t do it in a way that’s easy to figure out.” He used his charms laced with a bit of sarcasm to get his way.
    “Oh, I don’t know. He’s not really interested in me. I guess he thinks you’re the better catch.” There was a hitch in her voice.
    Shit.
Was her ex going to cause problems in her shop?
    Sue Anne glanced at the machine. The temperature was perfect. No more minutes for a heart-to-heart right now.
    The women worked rapidly to get the first layer of chocolate in the molds before placing them in the freezer to set. Once they were there, Sue Anne grabbed a couple of mugs and poured coffee from the pot she’d made that morning.
    “I need to let Sugar out. We can sit at the kitchen table while we wait.”
    A thud against one of the front windows startled her, and she almost dropped her mug. Setting it down, she strode into the front room. Two young boys were pressed against the windows, their hands shading their eyes as they peered in. They looked like they were in grade school, but she wasn’t really apt at telling kids’ ages.
    As soon as they spotted her, they backed off, but she grinned at them, held up an index finger, and unlocked the door.
    “What is this place?” the redheaded boy asked.
    “I’m opening a chocolate store,” she said.
    “Sick.” He smiled.
    She’d never understood how “sick” had made it into the vocabulary to mean something good.
    “How come you boys aren’t in school?” she asked.
    “Martin Luther