Chapter 9

Chris had been out of town for a few days and, even though nothing had really happened between them, Seth felt anxious knowing he was coming into the shop today. He tried focusing on the instructions for a new ice cream maker, which was supposed to be a basic model, but was turning out to be anything but. At the moment, he had the parts spread across the counter.

“Karlee,” he hollered over his shoulder.

She pushed through the door from the back room. “Yeah?”

Seth lifted his hands in defeat and shook his head. “The pieces are not fitting together. From the outside, it looks like most of the ice cream makers we’ve had, but this is not user-friendly.”

She trotted over to take a look just as Chris came in.

“I’ve got donuts,” he announced, his eyes landing on Seth.

“Yum!” Karlee practically shrieked as she clapped her hands and jumped up on her toes.

Seth laughed. “What are you, twelve?”

As if to prove his point, she stuck out her tongue. “Hey! Remember, I ameating for two!”