Sugar and Spice by Kat Baxter

Chapter 7

Isabel

“I can’t believe y’all are moving this weekend,” I say to my future sister-in-law, Laurel.

We’re sitting at some makeshift picnic tables set up in the public library parking lot. This has been the home to Alex’s taco truck for the last few years. And today is his last day to be open. So the town is throwing him a little farewell party.

I try to hide the emotion clogging my throat and making my eyes burn. “Everyone is going to miss you so much,” I say.

Laurel puts a hand over mine. My vision clouds with tears as I stare down at her gorgeous engagement ring. “Why don’t you come with us? Your work is totally portable. And I know Alex would love to have you close. I know I don’t have to tell you that you’re his favorite sister.”

I release a watery laugh. “I can’t come with you. This is your adventure. You’re a couple. Alex isn’t going to want his baby sister tagging along.”

“Is this because you’re a famous magazine model now? You have loftier friends?” Laurel teases.

None of what I’m feeling has anything to do with any of that. Or really that my brother—who is more or less my best friend—is moving states away. I’m sure that will hit me once he’s gone. But nope, I’m sad because of a big giant football player who I just can’t seem to forget.

It doesn’t even make sense.

“What doesn’t?” Laurel asks.

I look up at her pretty face. “What did I say out loud?”

“Something about it not making sense.”

I eye her and then exhale slowly. “So you know that football player I took a picture with in New York?”

Laurel leans forward, her smile widening. “Yes…”

“Well, we hooked up.”

“Holy shit!”

“Yes.”

“He’s super hot. And super big.”

“Yes, to both of those things,” I say. “Anyways, I can’t stop thinking about it. I had this conversation with an old lady on the plane and I keep thinking about what she said about not letting love escape me.” I shake my head and frown. “I’ve always believed in soul mates. Ever since I was a little girl and I thought Matt was mine. When he died over there I thought I’d lost my chance at a happy ending. I’ve believed that since then. What doesn’t make sense is that I’ve been missing Sam more than I remember missing Matt. I mean I know I was young, only nineteen when he died. But still.”

“But you want more with Sam,” Laurel provides.

“I do. Greedy of me, isn’t it?”

She frowns. “No. Matt died, Isabel. You didn’t get a happy ending. You got a tragic love story. But that’s not the end of your story. You’re still here.”

I blow out a breath. “Even if—and that’s a big IF—I could find my own happy ending, it’s not Sam. I mean he hasn’t once tried to contact me and who are we kidding here, I mean I think I’m pretty awesome, but he’s this professional athlete who makes millions of dollars and gets recognized everywhere he goes and I’m a small town girl who makes spicy chocolate. We don’t exactly match.” I shrug. “I don’t know. Maybe meeting him was supposed to change my thinking. Maybe that’s all it was.”

“Cookie!”

I still. Surely I imagined his voice.

“Did you just hear the Cookie Monster?” Laurel whispers.

I bark out a laugh because that is kinda what he sounded like bellowing that nickname. Wait, that can’t be him. But when I look up the crowd parts and there he is in all his ginormous glory.

“Oh wow,” Laurel says.

I stand up and walk around the table. “Sam,” I breathe his name when he reaches me.

He’s scowling which seems to be just what his face looks like. Still he’s the most handsome thing I’ve ever seen.

“Hey Cookie,” he says softer, this time his features soften in a smile.

“What are you doing here?”

“I needed to ask you a few questions.”

“And you couldn’t do that through a text?”

His blue eyes search my face. “Never got your number.”

I open my mouth to argue, but then remember that he’s right. We spent time together. We’re friends on social media, but he’s probably not even the one who handles his accounts most of the time.

“I came here to see you right after you left New York,” he says.

I shake my head. “I don’t understand.”

“I came here and drove by your house and I saw you hugging some guy. Are you involved with someone?” His eyes close. “That sounded way more creepy stalker than I meant it to.”

I smile. “I’m going to need to know how you got my address.”

“I saw one of the other girls from your group in the lobby and begged and pleaded until she relented.”

“I see.”

“You haven’t answered my question,” he says.

I point over his shoulder to the taco truck. “Was it that guy in there?”

He looks over and I swear he growls, then he nods.

“That’s my brother, Alex. He and his fiancé are moving to Austin and today is his last day selling his tacos here.”

“I love tacos.”

“Everyone loves tacos,” I say.

“True.” He turns those blue eyes on me. “I live in Austin.”

My heart is thundering in my chest, I glance down just to see if it’s noticeable through my v-neck t-shirt. In case you’re wondering too, it’s not. “What was the other thing you wanted to ask me?”

“I got schooled by my twin sister recently and she informed me that I’ve been acting like a guy from 80’s romance novels.”

“Wow, that’s oddly specific.”

He grins and he looks so boyish despite his size and his man-beard that my heart turns to goo. “Yeah, she’s a weird one. Anyways, I was mooning about you and she caught me and said I was perpetuating the big misunderstanding and that I needed to get my head out of my ass and use my words like a real man. So here I am.”

I nibble on my lip as he talks. “You were mooning over me?”

“I was. I came here after you left and saw you hugging your brother and jumped to all the conclusions.” He grips my arms, stepping close to me. “Here’s where I’m going to use my words, Cookie. Maybe people will think I’m nuts, but I don’t care. I’m in love with you. You’re it for me and I need to know if there’s a possibility that you feel the same.”

“Lois was right.”

His heavy brow frowns. “Who is Lois?”

“This old lady from the plane. She saw me looking at pictures of us and she said that you looked like a man in love and I didn’t believe her.”

“Lois is wise. I am very much a man in love.”

I know I’ve got tears in my eyes, but I don’t care. “I’m scared, Sam. I thought I found my soul mate years ago, and I lost him and I thought that was it for me. But you give me hope.”

“Nothing wrong with being scared, baby. That’s the best part of finding your other half. You get to share the burden together. I’m sorry you lost someone you loved, Cookie.” He thumbs away the tears on my cheeks. “If I could, I’d tell him that I promise to take excellent care of your heart.”

Gah, this man! “I do love you, Sam. That’s what scares me. I don’t think I could survive losing you.”

He pulls me into his arms and the sound of his heart pounding echoes my own.

“I’m not going anywhere. Except Austin, I do have to go back there or I’ll be in breach of my contract. Think I could persuade you to come back with me?”

I smile up at him. “I might could be persuaded.”

“Come on.” He threads our fingers together and pulls me towards the taco truck.

“What?”

“Tacos,” he says with a shrug. “Plus, I should probably meet your brother.”

We walk, hand-in-hand, to the order window at Alex’s truck. I’m pretty sure there was still a line, but they’ve parted like the proverbial Red Sea. I’m guessing it’s the power of The Viking and has absolutely nothing to do with me considering most of these people have known me my entire life. Laurel has already made her way inside the truck with Alex and is standing next to him beaming at me. I’m pretty sure she’s got tears in her sea-green eyes.

“Alex, this is Sam. Sam, this is my brother, Alex and his fiancé, Laurel.”

Sam reaches into the window to shake their hands. “Great to meet y’all.”

“Likewise. I’m a huge fan, man. Seriously.” He points a finger at us and motions it back and forth. “So what’s going on here?”

“I’m in love with your sister,” Sam says as if it’s not a completely earth shattering statement.

Alex grins. “Oh yeah? She’s pretty damn special.”

Sam smiles down at me, then hugs me to him. “That she is.”

“And have you tried her chocolate?” Laurel asks. “It’s so good it makes me cry.”

“It makes you cry because you can’t handle the spice,” Alex says teasingly.

“Bite your tongue! I am a Texan and can out spice you any day.”

“I was just trying to talk Cookie here into moving to Austin to be near me,” Sam says.

“Cookie?” Alex asks, with a cock of his brow.

“Don’t even start,” I warn him.

“Payback is hell, mi hermana.”

Sam laughs. “I have a sister, but she’s a lot scarier than either of you.” He eyes the chalkboard menu. “You still serving?”

“Sure. What can I make for you?” Alex asks.

“I want to try the Frito Pie tacos. Cookie, what do you want?”

“Yeah, Cookie, what do you want?” Alex mimics.

“If she stops giving me chocolate because you’re teasing her too much, I’m cutting your ass off,” Laurel says. Then she looks at Sam. “Did Isabel tell you that Alex and I are moving to Austin this weekend?”

“No, she hadn’t mentioned that.”

“Seems kinda perfect, if you ask me.”

Sam pulls me into a big hug. “I love you, Isabel. And I’m serious. Come live with me. Come be my forever.”

I nod against his chest. “Yes, I very much want to be your forever.”