Page 61 of Just One Spark

Mom reached over and patted my knee."I was worried about you for a while.But I'm glad that you're moving on and to a Hart, no less."

I felt awful that she believed it was real."The engagement isn't real.He asked me to pretend to be his fiancée to help out with a reporter who's been following the opening of the brewery."

"You're not engaged?"Mom's gaze flicked to the diamond on my finger."That looks like a real diamond."

I sighed."Rowan insisted on getting a ring."

"Why would you fake your engagement?"Mom asked, her eyes wide.

I was surprised she was interested in my life."A reporter was trying to set up a contest with single women vying for a brew bath with the owner.He didn't want the attention to be diverted from the brewery, so he told her he was engaged to me.I just happened to be standing close by."

"And he asked you to go along with it?"

"It was going to be harder to reverse course at that point.Once the brewery opens, we'll break up and go our separate ways."

Her brow furrowed."I don't understand why you'd do something like that."

I sighed."I don't either.But I liked spending time with him.He's a good man."

"I was hoping you were finally happy."Mom's voice trailed off.

"I didn't know you were worried about me."

"You're my daughter.Of course I worry about you."

"It's just that when Dad was alive, he seemed to take up all the space.There was no more room for me."

Mom closed her eyes briefly, and when she opened them, there were tears."I'm not proud of the way I acted over the years.I hated that it affected you so much."

I didn't want to upset her or send her into a deeper depression."It's over now.And I'm fine."

She let out a shaky breath."That's too bad about Rowan and you.I was hoping he was the one for you.”

I shrugged."It wasn't meant to be.Besides, once it's over, I can focus on my business again."

"Are you still selling out of a food truck?"Mom asked.

It was nice that she was actually asking questions about my life.I wondered if it was Rowan in my life that prompted the interest."I am, but one day, I'd love to have a storefront."

"You can have whatever you want."

I hoped Mom was right.Because what I wanted conflicted with reality.I wanted Rowan in my life and a place to sell my hot chocolate.I wanted to give people an experience you couldn't get from a truck.Right now, it seemed so far away.But Mom believed in me.And Rowan did too.

Maybe I should have started believing in myself.

19

Rowan

It was Christmas Eve, and I was working in my office, going over our stock for the first week.Would we have enough inventory to get us through the week?Would it be too much?These were things we couldn't predict with any precision.

We might be inundated with customers, or it might be the opposite.Either way, I didn't want the customers who came to have a bad experience.Over the years, I'd learned that word of mouth referrals were ideal for new businesses.

Beck popped his head in the doorway."You're still here?"

"You're here too."I rubbed the back of my neck.

"I'm going home to see Clara.It's Christmas Eve."He was already wearing his jacket, his brief case slung over his shoulder.