Читать книгу Christmas at the Candied Apple Café - Katherine Garbera - Страница 10

“Iona?”

She shook her head to clear it, forced a smile and looked over at Cici. “Sorry, what were you saying?” Iona asked.

Cici looked tired, as was to be expected since she had a two-week-old baby, but also glowy … was that even a word? But she did. Also Cici looked happy. Happier than Iona had ever seen her. She was getting ready to celebrate so much in her life.

“I was just inviting you to a dinner party on Saturday evening.”

“Should you be entertaining already?”

“Well, if you must know Hoop’s friend Alfonso is giving us an evening of cooking as an early wedding present and he said to invite our closest friends and that includes you.”

“Of course, I’ll be there.”

Cici blushed, nibbled her lower lip, cleared her throat and then finally just sighed. “Should I put you down as one or will you be bringing someone?”

This was exactly why she had wanted the matchmaking to work out. Everyone else in their circle was paired up. In the past she could have invited Theo along, but now he had a partner too. “Put me down for two. I’ll find someone to bring along.”

“I will, you know it’s fine if it’s just you. It really is going to just be our closest friends … in fact Xavier — you remember him? He works with Garrett on the force … he’s single and he’ll be there,” Cici said.

She shook her head. Xavier was still in love with his ex-wife. Anyone who’d spent ten minutes talking to him could easily see that. Xavier was a detective who worked with Hayley’s fiancé and had been divorced for a year. “You should invite his ex. He still loves her.”

“Really?”

“Yes. He did nothing but talk about her at the cook-out that Garrett and Hayley had at Labor Day weekend.”

“Interesting. I think he has two kids. Maybe I’ll suggest we make it family-friendly,” Cici said. “But that still leaves us stuck for someone for you.”

“I said I’d bring someone,” Iona said firmly. “And I will.”

“Okay,” Cici said, reaching across the small table and putting her hand on Iona’s. “I was hoping that things would have worked out with Nico.”

“Me too,” she said. Cici and Hoop had gone on her first date with the Greek millionaire.

“Are you two having fun without me?” Hayley said, coming from the back of the store and her candy kitchen.

“I thought you were in the kitchen concocting greatness,” Iona replied.

Hayley’s blonde hair had grown out since last January, when she’d shorn it all off, and it now brushed her shoulders. She had on a pair of leggings and a thick tunic sweater. “As a matter of fact, I had a genius idea for a new truffle that I have made some samples of. And I need your opinions.”

Hayley put a small plate on the table between the three of them. There were six truffles lined up in white, milk, and dark chocolate.