Shine Like Silver--A Small Town Southern Romance by Alicia Hunter Pace

Author:Alicia Hunter Pace [Pace, Alicia Hunter]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Carina Press
Published: 2022-06-21T14:46:40+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

In the break room at Heirloom, Ava Grace made a pot of coffee and set out the remains of the sharlotka—apple cake—that Luka had made for dessert last night.

It was cold out—spitting rain, mixed with some sleet. It had been hard to leave Luka in her bed this morning, especially when he’d begged her to stay. But she hadn’t failed to arrive at Heirloom before Jen and Piper since she’d turned over a new leaf and she wasn’t going to start today. So she’d pulled the blanket tighter over him and said she’d see him after the game tonight.

Jen entered and hung her coat. “Good morning, Ava Grace.”

“Good morning. It’s cold. Have some coffee.”

“Cake!” Piper sailed in wearing patchwork overalls and purple Converse shoes.

“My, aren’t you bright?” Jen said as she poured coffee. “Are you going to plow today?”

Piper took the coffee Jen had poured. Jen grimaced a bit, but just reached for another mug.

“At least I’m not trying to be Ava Grace,” Piper said.

“What?” Jen looked down at her clothes—gray wool pants, black twin set, pearls, and black flats with bows.

Ava Grace bit her lip to keep from laughing. Had Piper not pointed it out, she wouldn’t have noticed that, except for the colors and shoe bows, she and Jen were dressed pretty much alike. Maybe she ought to try to mix it up a little.

“Not that there’s anything wrong with being Ava Grace.” Piper cut a hunk of cake. “It’s just that Talbots and Ann Taylor ain’t big enough for all three of us. I made my outfit, if you can believe it—that is, I bought the overalls at Goodwill and added the patches.”

“I can believe it,” Jen deadpanned.

This banter didn’t fool Ava Grace. They liked each other. She’d seen them out together when they didn’t have to be.

Piper bit into the cake and moaned. “So good! Ava Grace, did the hunk make this?”

Ava Grace had made the mistake of telling them Luka had made the leftover piroshki she’d brought for lunch one day.

“Don’t ask Ava Grace about her personal life,” Jen admonished.

“I think I want a hockey player, all my own,” Piper said. “Ava Grace, can you get me one? Preferably one that looks as good as the hunk and can cook—and in time for Valentine’s Day?”

“No, Piper, I don’t think I can do that.”

Piper sighed and finished her cake. “I guess I’ll have to work that out for myself. I’m going to sweep the front sidewalk.”

“I’m going to straighten up the displays.” Jen picked up her coffee and left.

Ava Grace was only a little bit afraid of how Piper was going to “work that out” for herself.

The cold rain continued to fall, making for a quiet morning. Piper and Jen worked together photographing merchandise and posting the pictures to Heirloom’s social medial accounts, while Ava Grace perused estate sale sites for vintage linens. True to her vow, she wasn’t looking for dresser scarves and dollies because they’d suddenly caught her fancy. She’d had an inquiry and hadn’t had much in the shop.

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