Piper winced. “I still think of the diner as belonging to my dad. I can’t seem to shake it. My father was such a beloved figure in town. It’s like I’m an imposter or something.”
Braden stopped the truck at the moose crossing sign. He turned toward Piper, and their eyes held and locked. It wasn’t hard to see the raw vulnerability lurking in their depths. He wanted to hold her in his arms and reassure her by telling her she was enough. She didn’t have to compete with Jack’s legacy. Piper was making her own way and leaving her own special stamp on the diner. “You’re nothing of the sort. You’re the most genuine and loving person I’ve ever known. You are the spitting image of Jack. Your heart is just as big as his was. People here in town adore you. Surely you know that.”
Piper reached out and touched his hand as it rested on the steering wheel. Braden felt a jolt when her skin brushed against his. For a moment it felt as if an electric current had passed between them. His skin felt all tingly. Feeling stunned, he turned his gaze back toward the road and proceeded to drive back into town. The landscape passed by in a blur. He drove the rest of the way on autopilot.
No matter how hard he tried, Braden couldn’t seem to wrap his head around what had just happened. Surely he was imagining things. The little spark of electricity he’d felt between them had come out of nowhere. It had felt like attraction, which completely stunned him. He and Piper had always been in the friend zone. Best friends, in fact. Things between them were already complicated due to the secret he was keeping from her. Adding another layer to their relationship might just push him past the breaking point.
Chapter Seven
The aroma of a dozen holiday pies permeated the air in the diner’s kitchen. Piper closed her eyes and sniffed the one she had just taken out of the oven. It was triple berry—blueberries, strawberries and raspberries. Her mouth began to water as she imagined how good it would taste sliding down her throat. “It might be wrong to compliment myself, but this pie smells incredible.”
“If you do say so yourself,” Braden added with a grin. Piper laughed at the sight of his face smudged with flour. He’d insisted on helping despite his inability to bake. So far she’d witnessed a lot of sampling from where he sat at the table. She had to admit, he was incredibly easy on the eyes. More and more, she was beginning to appreciate that fact. He wasn’t a boy anymore. He’d done a lot of growing up in the last few years.
It was after-hours at the diner and Piper had assembled her bakers—Otis, Birdie and Sue McCall—in order to do a dry run for the holiday rollout. Piper planned to feature the pies at the diner the following day. Pure adrenaline was racing through her veins at the idea of putting it all out there for her customers. She had so much on the line it was almost too frightening to contemplate the situation. There would be at least a dozen fresh varieties ready to go by morning. She couldn’t ever remember feeling such a mix of excitement and trepidation.
Piper placed her pie down to cool off on the counter. She walked over to Otis who had lined up all of his in a row. She pointed to the one he’d just taken out of the oven. “That smells out of this world delicious. I can’t wait to taste a sliver.”
“A sliver?” Otis asked with a chuckle. “This is my favorite. It’s eggnog cream. One bite and you’re going to be in a state of bliss. Might as well have a whole slice. There’s plenty more where that came from.” Otis let out a hearty chuckle that reverberated through the kitchen.
“Who am I to argue with that logic?” Piper asked. She would be counting down the minutes while the baked good cooled down. Ever since she was a little girl, she’d had a sweet tooth. The aroma floating around the room left her hankering for a taste.
“I think you’ve just stumbled upon a great name for it. Bliss pie,” Birdie said, smiling flirtatiously at Otis. With her silver hair and tawny skin, Birdie was a good-looking woman. It hadn’t escaped Piper’s notice that Birdie seemed to be overly fond of the sweet widower. However, Otis appeared oblivious to Birdie’s sentiments.
“I think we’re all set for the holiday stroll tomorrow,” Piper announced. “A dozen pies plus the pizzas will give us a great foundation. Hopefully people will love the pies so much they’ll be begging for more.” She felt a fluttering sensation in her stomach.
So much was riding on tomorrow. It made her incredibly nervous, yet full of hope that she could turn things around at the Snowy Owl. They were also going to launch the unique milkshakes, which would be Braden’s area of expertise. Working on the theory that good things come in threes, Piper also planned to introduce the countdown to Christmas event. She prayed all of her endeavors would be successful.
“Don’t forget we’re inviting the townsfolk to trim the tree with us,” Braden said, pointing toward the boxes of ornaments he’d pulled out of storage earlier that day. “Trudy put together some cranberry and popcorn garlands for us, as well. It’s going to be a really festive night.”
Piper rubbed her hands together. With every minute that passed, her excitement built up more and more. “I’m not sure I’ll get a wink of sleep tonight,” she admitted. “There’s still so much more to do.”
“It’s going to be a long day, which is why you need your sleep,” Birdie cautioned. “Tomorrow’s celebration will be wonderful. I have a feeling this place will be filled to the rafters.”
“From your lips to God’s ears,” Piper murmured. If they hit the ground running with the holiday pies and the milkshakes, it could really result in an increase in the diner’s foot traffic. And once customers focused on the diner’s new offerings, it might mean they would become regulars.
She bit her lip. Was she hoping for too much? It would be painful if all of her hopes were dashed.
At her request, Braden had hung up Christmas lights outside and placed sprigs of mistletoe by the diner’s entrance. It was a nostalgic gesture on her part. How many nights had she witnessed her parents sharing a kiss under the mistletoe? They’d taught her everything she would ever need to know about love everlasting. She prayed often about finding a love story like the one they’d shared. Now that most of her friends were pairing off and settling down, it made Piper realize more than ever that she didn’t want to walk through life alone.
“You two are standing under the mistletoe,” Sue crowed. “That means you have to kiss.”
Birdie let
out a little squeal of excitement. “Oh, yes. That’s the tradition. Your father used to insist on it, Piper.”
“I—I don’t think so,” she stammered. She felt uncomfortable at the suggestion. Normally she would have just laughed it off. Braden was her close friend after all. What was wrong with her? Why did she feel so put on the spot and jittery? It made absolutely no sense.
“A little peck won’t hurt either one of you,” Otis added. “Unless there’s some reason why you don’t want to.”
Piper darted a nervous glance at Braden. His face appeared flushed, and he was shifting from one foot to another. His beautiful green eyes were wide with a look resembling alarm. He let out a sigh and took two steps toward her, quickly closing the gap between them. Without any warning, Braden dipped his head down and placed a swift kiss on Piper’s cheek. A woodsy scent filled her nostrils as he leaned in. Although it was a fleeting gesture, it rattled Piper. For a few agonizing seconds, it had seemed as if he was going to smack one right on her lips. The moment he pulled away from her, she heard clapping and sounds of merriment.
Braden quickly backed away and stuffed his hands in his pockets. He didn’t seem very eager to make eye contact with her. His gaze was focused on the black-and-white parquet floor. “You ready to head out, Otis?” he asked.
“Sure thing, Braden. I’m mighty grateful for the ride home. My night vision on these dark back roads is terrible.”
“It’s my pleasure,” Braden said, placing an arm around the older man. “It’s the least I could do since you made me the official pie taster tonight.”
“I think that position was self-appointed,” Otis responded, garnering laughter from the group.
