The Chocolate Touch (Love at the Chocolate Shop Book 8) Read online

  The Chocolate Touch

  A Love at the Chocolate Shop Romance

  Melissa McClone

  The Chocolate Touch

  Copyright © 2016 Melissa McClone

  Kindle Edition

  The Tule Publishing Group, LLC

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  ISBN: 978-1-946772-34-3

  Cover design by Rhian Awni at www.reanidesigns.etsy.com

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  Dedication

  For everyone who hangs out on the Love at the Chocolate Shop Facebook page!

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  Acknowledgements

  About the Book

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chocolate with Chantelle

  Epilogue

  Love at the Chocolate Shop Series

  About the Author

  Acknowledgements

  Thanks to Air Force Colonel Mike Cannon (Ret.) and Mrs. Beth Cannon, Air Force veteran.

  Special thanks to Kimberly Field, Tina Jones, Terri Reed, Melanie Snitker, and Melissa Storm for their support and friendship.

  Chocolate expert Chantelle Cummings arrives in Marietta, Montana with two goals—sign copies of her new book and research a quaint local chocolate shop. When she meets a gorgeous guy passing out chocolate samples, her visit turns sweeter than she ever imagined. The man melts her heart, but her dream of working in France with her family makes her hesitant to pursue a romance.

  Former Air Force captain York Parker has one month before embarking upon a consulting career. He never expected to be selling chocolates, but he’s happy to help his sister and her boss. He also likes spending time with sassy, pretty Chantelle. His new coworker may have the chocolate touch, but he’d rather taste her decadent kisses… until he learns the real reason she’s in town.

  Will the truth harden his heart, or will love pave the way to a sweet future?

  Chapter One

  Walking into Paradise Books in Marietta, Montana, York Parker was a man with a mission. He might not be a captain in the air force any longer, but he was the big brother of two incredible women—Dakota and Nevada—and one needed his help tonight. He was used to scanning code on his computer screen and watching trajectories on monitors, so he went into surveillance mode to find Dakota.

  Rows of chairs and a wooden podium suggested a reading or some other event had taken place recently, maybe tonight, but his sister wasn’t there. She also wasn’t among the bookcases or with the customers who stood in a line along the left-hand side of the store.

  Where could she be?

  The place wasn’t that big.

  Someone crashed into his back, and he took a step to maintain his balance. He was fine, but he couldn’t say the same about the person clinging to his left arm and shoulder like a dead weight.

  “Oh, no.” The voice was feminine and breathy. “I’m so sorry. I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going.”

  “That’s okay.” And man, was it.

  Soft curves pressed against York. The scent of vanilla surrounded him. He couldn’t see her face, but everything else about her was near perfect. If he were looking for a hookup.

  Which he wasn’t.

  He went into big-brother mode, turned, and put his free hand on her waist to help her balance. “Are you hurt?

  “No, just a big ball of nerves.” She straightened, and he missed her warmth and scent. “Though don’t tell anyone I said that please.”

  “Your secret is safe with me.” He took a good look at her.

  Hello, gorgeous.

  She was in her mid-to-late twenties with a beautiful face that could stop a convoy of Humvees and long, blond hair that belonged spread over a pillow or a man’s chest.

  Like his.

  York’s pulse kicked up a notch. Okay, more than one.

  She wore a pale blue above-the-knee skirt and matching jacket. Attractive and well dressed. A combination that was hard to resist.

  “Thanks, but…” A big, blue-eyed gaze—the color of the sky on this fine day in May—met his.

  His breath caught in his throat. Something twisted in his gut. He stared, captivated.

  Not the reaction he was expecting, nor like anything he’d felt while charming scantily clad women on the beach last week.

  “Did I hurt you?” she added.

  Reality returned in an instant. He bit back a laugh. If she could hurt him, he needed serious help. She was average height to his six-two. Not skinny by any means. She had curves a man could hold onto or sink into. Just his type. And too small to do much damage to someone as big as him by accident… or even if she’d tried.

  But he heard her concern and appreciated that she knew she was the one at fault. “I’m fine, Miss…?”

  York wanted to know her name.

  “Good.” She glanced around the store instead. “I need to find the restroom. Do you know where it is?”

  “Sorry, first time in here.”

  “Well, I’d better keep looking. Thanks for keeping me from hitting the floor. That would have been more embarrassing.”

  “No need to be embarrassed. You can bump into me anytime.”

  With a quick smile flashed in his direction, she hurried away.

  The sway of her hips and heels that showed off her long legs had him watching her go. He didn’t get her name, but that was probably for the best.

  “York. Thank goodness you’re here.”

  He turned toward the sound of his sister’s voice. She stood by an artful display of chocolates that had been set up on a large, rectangle table.

  “You called for help,” he said. “I got here as soon as I could.”

  Dakota wore her work uniform—indigo blue shirt, dark jeans, and a copper-colored apron. Her light brown hair was pulled back into a French braid. She looked the same as when she’d left the house at nine-thirty this morning. Not surprising since she hadn’t been home. He and their sister Nevada had been there to let out the dog this afternoon. No reason for Dakota to come back on her lunch break.

  She placed chocolates on a white platter. Wearing plastic gloves didn’t slow her down, but she’d worked at Copper Mountain Chocolates for almost four years. She was an expert at this, and loved her job selling chocolates. He’d be getting a first-hand look at what she did when he filled in at the shop for a couple of her coworkers.

  A smile spread across her face. “I knew I co
uld count on you.”

  The relief in her voice made him glad he’d arrived quickly. The dark lines under her brown eyes, however, bothered him. She’d worked a full day at the chocolate shop and was now at the bookstore. She had to be tired. Yesterday on her day off, she’d volunteered at the Whiskers and Paw Pals Animal Rescue. Only two hours, but still…

  “What’s going on?” he asked.

  “I told you Portia’s baby is due at the end of the month.”

  Portia was one of his sister’s co-workers at the chocolate shop. He hadn’t met her yet. “Is she okay?”

  “I think so. She was supposed to work tonight. When she arrived, she looked exhausted. I sent her home to rest. Sage’s kids have fevers so she couldn’t be here, either. And Rosie is in LA. That’s why I need your help. This is a two-person job.” Dakota handed him a copper-colored apron like the one she wore. “Here.”

  He grinned. “This doesn’t look like my SuperBro cape.”

  “Capes are overrated. And you’ll be wearing one just like this when you work at the shop tomorrow. Put it on, bro.”

  He did and was happy to do whatever she needed.

  Dakota and Nevada were the reasons he was spending the month in Marietta. What better place to be than with his sisters before he started traveling nonstop with his new job as a computer consultant? Being here also gave him time to check out their respective boyfriends—Bryce Grayson and Dustin Decker. York wanted to make sure the guys were as wonderful as his sisters claimed.

  He planned to use Dakota’s place as a home base after his job started since he would be traveling and not around much. If he determined he needed a better location to live, he would move.

  She gave him a once-over, and the corners of her mouth turned downward. “Your hair is wet.”

  “I grabbed a quick shower before I drove over. Didn’t think you wanted me showing up without one after replacing windows all day. Too dirty and sweaty.”

  “You’re right, good call, but you didn’t have time to shave?”

  “Nope.” York tied the strings around his back. He didn’t realize the chocolate shop had such high appearance standards. He’d better come clean on one more fault. “I also couldn’t find an iron.”

  Her smile returned. “That’s because I don’t own one.”

  What? And why did she sound so proud about that fact?

  No matter. He knew what to get Dakota for her birthday.

  “You’re not in the air force any longer,” she said. “A couple of wrinkles won’t hurt you.”

  York was adjusting to being a civilian. He kept thinking he was on leave, but once he was working full time, he’d stop thinking that way. “Don’t let Mom hear you say that.”

  Growing up, their mom ironed everything from bedsheets to T-shirts.

  “At least the colonel’s not here to ground us if we’re wrinkled,” he added.

  The colonel was York’s nickname for their father who’d retired from the army. A name York had never called the man to his face.

  “I hated when Dad did that.” Dakota made a face. “Though you appreciated the extra time to play on your computer, and Nevada loved being able to read more.”

  Neither of those things had appealed to Dakota due to her reading disability.

  “But no kid deserved to be treated like a trainee in boot camp,” she continued.

  Forget the iron. York would get his sister something else for her birthday. “True, but Dad didn’t know any other way.”

  And the three of them hadn’t turned out too badly.

  York smoothed the front of the apron and then struck a pose. “How do I look?”

  “Nice.” Dakota’s brown eyes twinkled. “The copper color brings out your tan and your blond highlights.”

  Both were due to spending last week in Fiji on an all-expenses-paid dream vacation courtesy of Nevada’s boyfriend, Dustin Decker. Except…

  “Not highlights,” York corrected. “Sun streaks.”

  “Same thing.”

  He shook his head. “No salon visits or spa days for this guy. The colonel would kill me if I did anything like that.”

  Dakota returned to putting chocolates on the platter. “Maybe sailing around the Caribbean has mellowed him.”

  York might be thirty-two, but his father was still this larger-than-life, all-knowing figure. One who was a tad intimidating, but that hadn’t stopped York from leaving the air force when the colonel wanted him to reenlist. His father had liked the stability and security of being career military, but earning retirement benefits didn’t make up for the daily routine and lack of control over the future. No way could York keep doing it for another ten or twenty years.

  “Let’s hope so.” A sigh welled up inside York. He hadn’t spoken to his parents since he’d gone to Fiji. “What can I do to help? Taste chocolate?” York asked in a hopeful tone.

  “You can do that at the shop tomorrow.” Dakota handed him a pair of plastic gloves. “Tonight, you’re going to pass out chocolates.”

  He made a sad face. “None for me?”

  “You can have any leftovers,” she said in that patient voice she used with her many foster animals. Her current menagerie consisted of an old, gray-faced dog named Fang and a sleeps-all-day cat named Sapphire, who would go to her forever home tomorrow. “Though there might not be much left with this crowd. Marietta loves Sage’s chocolate.”

  “Me, too.”

  Sage Carrigan O’Dell owned Copper Mountain Chocolates. He’d met her the last time he was in town. A nice woman.

  York put on the gloves.

  Dakota looked at the line of customers against the far wall. “More people are here than expected. I’ll prepare another tray and pour hot chocolate samples.”

  “You’re going all out.”

  “All of our events are important, but this one is…special.” She double-checked the platter. “Be sure to smile.”

  “When I’m around chocolate and you, smiling happens naturally.”

  Dakota beamed. “You’re the best brother.”

  He couldn’t let her words go without saying something. “I’m your only brother.”

  She stuck out her tongue at him.

  That made York laugh. He missed her. And Nevada, too. Spending a few days with them during the holidays wasn’t enough.

  Being a big brother meant looking out for his sisters and teasing them, too. Dakota and Nevada meant more to him than anything. Yes, they could push his buttons, but he could press theirs right back. That was what being siblings was all about.

  Growing up, he’d worn sparkly tiaras and pink boas, attended more tea parties than he could count, let his sisters cry on his shoulder, and taken care of the jerks who broke their hearts.

  Who was he kidding?

  He still did those things—minus wearing the crowns and feathers. Although, he would if they needed him to.

  He picked up the platter. “Looks like I’m good to go.”

  Dakota dragged her upper teeth across her lower lip.

  Funny, but their mom did the same thing. He’d never noticed his sister doing it, too.

  “Keep Chantelle’s plate full of chocolate,” Dakota said. “We want her to fall in love with Sage’s special recipes.”

  Chantelle was a name he hadn’t heard before. “Who?”

  “The author. Chantelle Cummings.” Dakota’s voice held a hint of awe. “She gave a talk earlier, and now she’s signing her book The Chocolate Touch.”

  The title explained why Copper Mountain Chocolates was catering the event, but… “Never heard of her. Or the book.”

  “Shh.” Dakota looked around as if to see if anyone heard him. “Chantelle’s an expert in the industry. Her book is a collection of reviews and articles she’s written about the chocolate from the shops she’s visited. A positive review from her can bring in customer orders from all over the world.”

  “Sage seems to be doing well on her own.”

  “Yes, but new customers keep a busines
s growing. Can you imagine if Cooper Mountain Chocolates made it into Chantelle’s next book?”

  Based on Dakota’s excited tone, that would be a big deal. “I’ll make sure the plate is full.”

  His words seemed to appease his sister.

  “Sage invited Chantelle to tomorrow night’s tasting, but we don’t know if she’ll attend.” Dakota handed him a stack of small napkins. “When you interact with her or anyone, please be my charming brother. Not my annoying one.”

  Come on. She had to know he wouldn’t do anything to embarrass her.

  He grinned. “I’m only annoying when it’s you, Nevada, and me.”

  York walked to the end of the line. That seemed like the best place to start since these people had to wait the longest to meet the author whose name he’d forgotten. He handed out pieces with a smile. A few people he recognized from his past visits, but most he didn’t. His last visit to Marietta had been over two years ago.

  The size of the crowd, however, surprised him. Marietta residents must either support their local businesses or be addicted to Sage’s chocolates.

  Maybe both given how fast the platter was emptying.

  When he reached the front of the line, only four chocolates remained. So much for leftovers that he could eat. Oh, well. Maybe there’d be more left with the next round.

  Laughter—a sweet, almost melodic sound—caught his attention. York looked over. He did a double-take.

  The woman sitting at a table stacked with books was the same one who had bumped into him. She spoke to an older woman with gray hair who stood on the opposite side of the table.

  That must be the author.

  Her smile was warm and genuine. He could tell she liked speaking to people about her book. Passion gleamed in her eyes.

  Passion for chocolate.

  Or more…?

  Awareness hummed through him, followed by a rush of anticipation.

  Uh-oh. He’d better stop staring. Dakota had told him to keep the author’s plate full—it wasn’t. But he remembered how she felt against him—how she smelled—and that was more of a turn-on than he wanted to admit even to himself.