Chapter One – Adam
Ice cream was supposed to make people happy, but today it was making me sweat. Well, not ice cream specifically, but the step I was taking because of it. Almost seven years after opening the Bright Spot Ice Cream Shop in my hometown of Fable Notch, New Hampshire, I was signing the papers to officially make me a multi-location business owner.
“You’re doing great, Adam,” Nadine, my real estate agent, said, giving me an encouraging smile. She slid the next sheet across the table. “A few more signatures, and the new store is yours.”
“Right,” I said, forcing a smile.
My hand ached from all the signing, but it wasn’t the paperwork that made a wave of nerves prickled the back of my neck. My brain kept circling the same question: What if I’m not ready for this? Expanding wasn’t just about adding a second location or growing the current one. It was about proving that I could take the Bright Spot to the next level—proving that I was more than the “Stuttering Stewart” as my classmates used to tease.
I’d found the perfect location about an hour away in Meredith, a town known for its summer tourists and foot traffic. I’d scouted for nearly a year, tracking pedestrian patterns and talking to shop owners, before settling on the space. It checked every box—except for the one about being a risk-free investment. And now that the moment to make it official was here, all I could see were the risks. Finances. Reputation.
“You’re almost there,” Nadine said, bringing me back and sliding the final pages toward me. Her tone was light, but I could tell she was trying to keep me from bolting out the door. I’d dated someone in real estate once. She said until everything was signed, a deal could always go south.
But I was committed to making this happen. I was about to be the first of my siblings to grow their business outside of Fable Notch, and for all my nerves, I was also excited. I picked up the pen and scribbled my name one last time, forcing myself not to think about how much was on the line. Nadine’s grin widened as she collected the stack of signed documents.
“Congratulations,” she said. “The Meredith store is officially yours.”
“Great,” I said, leaning back in my chair and shaking the cramp out of my hand. The pressure in my chest eased. I’d been looking forward to clearing this hurdle and getting on to the next steps in the process. Then Nadine’s smile turned apologetic.
“Now, let’s get started on the paperwork for the expansion purchase,” she said. Apparently the two properties I was acquiring required separate contracts.
My stomach dropped. “T-t-there’s more?”
Nadine winced. Yeah, nerves equal stammer. The papers she handed me blurred together as the familiar tension crept in, tightening my throat. I’d gotten good at managing my stutter over the years, but anxiety always brought it back, especially in high-stakes moments like this.
“I know it’s a lot,” she said kindly, “but we’re almost through. Besides, you get to keep the pen.”
Oh goody, a pen. I gave her a thumbs up instead of replying, letting my silence pass as polite agreement. The last thing I needed was for my words to betray me again.
I don’t know how long the next set of contracts took, but when the final paper was signed, Nadine gathered everything and with a triumphant flourish handed me two sets of keys which I curled my hand over protectively, warming the metal. Proof that the places were mine.
We shook hands and she offered me a pair of champagne bottles, which I accepted, and the pen, which I turned down.
As I walked out into the cool November air, the chill on the back of my neck told me I’d been sweating in the office. No surprise. This was a lot. After I put the champagne on the floor in the back seat, I tugged off the tie I’d borrowed from my brother, Lucas, and unbuttoned my shirt. I’d agreed to wear the tie for the meeting, but it felt like a noose. A polo shirt with the store logo was more my speed. Less choking, more breathing.
I took a slow, deep inhale and let my heart rate slow. The crisp breeze carried the smell of wood smoke and damp leaves, grounding me for the first time all day. I’d done it. By next summer, the Bright Spot Ice Cream Shop would have two locations, and if all went well, maybe a third in the future. Once I’d had the idea for expanding, I couldn’t help but wonder how far I could go. While I wasn’t considering franchising or mass production, there was nothing wrong with thinking bigger.
But standing in a parking lot wasn’t going to get me any closer to my dreams. I got into my car and plunged into my day. In the warmer months, the store was opened Tuesday through Sunday at eleven, but once we were passed foliage season and Halloween, I had until one. Even if there wasn’t as much foot traffic at this time of the year, there was always production to be done for the local businesses we had contracts with. Honestly, I had the best job. Who wouldn’t love a career creating a product that made people happy?
I did want to share the news, so I texted my best friend, Theo Hanson. Contracts signed. The places are mine.
The three dots that appeared told me he had his phone next to him and wasn’t too focused on work. He sent a champagne bottle and a confetti emoji followed by the words, Thrilled for you. The world needs more ice cream.
I agreed with him. Available to join us at the Varnum tonight? Drinks on me.
To break out of his routine, a few months ago, my oldest brother, Gabriel, started getting whoever in our family was available together on Wednesday nights at the Varnum Bar and Grill. Basic bar fare, lots of beer on tap, my sister’s beer in bottles, and six pool tables in the back. Every week the group was different depending on who could make it.
Time? Theo’s work as an arson investigator had him based in Concord, only a little more than an hour’s drive away, but sometimes he was on site for a case.
Six, but you can come whenever.
Can do. Congrats again.
Thanks. See you tonight.
A little before six, I headed to the Varnum. It wasn’t a long drive—nothing was around here unless you were looking for a large chain store—and a few minutes later I was parked next to my brother Zack’s SUV. I stepped into the dimly lit restaurant and looked to the back, quickly spotting Zack and Owen. Mid-week at a place frequented mostly by locals wasn’t busy. We never had to worry about table availability and if there were a lot of us, we could take two without a problem.
I was so focused on getting to my brothers, I didn’t notice the woman until she was standing in front of me. I almost banged into her. “Hi, Adam.”
“Tina,” I said, hoping that by not using a greeting she’d get the point. Fewer words also helped keep my stutter at bay since I wasn’t happy to see her.
Tina was my most recent ex. We’d split a little over a month ago. She’d been annoyed on several levels, not the least of which was blaming me for the weight she gained. Not the first woman to do that. Probably not the last. Occupational hazard.
We stood there, the silence between us growing awkward. “I’ve missed you,” she said finally, putting a hand on my chest. “And I’m sorry about the way I ended things.”
“I ended things,” I reminded her. She’d been suggesting getting away for the weekend once the busy season was over. That was usually an indication that the woman I was with wanted things to be more serious. When she mentioned introducing me to her parents, I was done. I’d had one serious relationship in college. It was my first and only broken heart.
“I mean about the door.” She’d been so mad at my decision, the day after we’d split, she’d come by to talk about it more. When I told her there was nothing to talk about, she’d thrown a chair through the door of my store. Luckily, it had been near closing time and no one had been around. “I was just so upset. And…”
“I get it. But I was clear when we got together, Tina.” As I always was with the women I dated. “Casual, no s-t-t-trings.” Fuck, I needed to get away from her.
She winced, either at the stutter or the memory of what I’d said when we’d split, I didn’t know, but it didn’t matter. Either way, her arms crossed over her chest and her features tightened. “I thought, maybe… I don’t know, you might have missed me, too. Might want to get together. See if we gave up too soon.”
I held her gaze as steadily as I could. “Sorry, but no,” I replied. The fact that my stutter disappeared told me I was right about my decision. She’d been nice. We’d had fun. But I wasn’t interested in more. Besides, my business needed my focus, especially now.
She muttered something I couldn’t hear and turned, stalking back to the bar and the friend who was waiting for her. I exhaled, feeling my chest loosen a bit. Hopefully, they wouldn’t stay. I was here to relax, not dive back into whatever Tina thought we had. I didn’t want to play pool while she shot daggers at me.
My brothers were waiting when I got there. They each gave me a clap on the back and Owen said, “Was that who I think it was?”
“Yeah,” I said.
“And she wanted…?”
I rolled my eyes. “To get back together.”
“Because nothing says I love you like a shattered glass door. She’s lucky you didn’t press charges,” Zack said. He was a member of the Fable Notch’s police department and had been the first on the scene when someone called to report the disturbance.
“It’s not like I didn’t tell her up front that I wanted to keep things casual.” I was always honest.
“That may be,” Owen said, “but face it, Adam, you’re a nice enough guy, gainfully employed, and, I assume, fun to be around, so they fall for you hoping either you didn’t mean it or that they’ll be the one to change your mind.”
“Like Gabriel and the children thing,” Owen offered.
“Hey, he meant that.” My oldest brother ended relationships the minute the woman said she wanted kids.
“Until he fell in love with a woman who already had a kid and then that rule went out the window.”
“What are you saying? I’m going to magically f-f-fall in l-love and break my rule?” Yeah, even thinking about it had my tongue tying. Nope. I’d learned the lesson. No emotion. No stutter. “Besides, I promised you guys a few weeks ago that I wouldn’t let dating distract me until the new shop is open. So, who are we still expecting?”
“Jeremy and Lucas,” Zack said.
That would make a good-sized group. “Theo’s planning to come by, too.”
“Theo’s here,” said a familiar voice. I turned to see my friend stepping into our area. I was glad to be able to share this with him. We’d been close as kids, then hadn’t talked for years after he left town. A little over two years ago, he came back—something he swore he’d never do—to help with an arson problem. As he solved the case, we reconnected. More importantly, he’d fallen again for his first love, Eden Barrett. They were married this past May. Part of me was still surprised to see him so happy, which was nothing like the teenager who left. He put his arm around my shoulder and said, “Such a great day. What are we celebrating with?”
“Beer, beer, and beer,” I said as Kenzie, the Varnum’s newest waitress, came over with drinks Owen and Zack had ordered. I was surprised to see she kept her head lowered. She must be having a tough day because usually she was all smiles and light conversation. Theo and I placed our orders with her, and she left quickly. “Just don’t make me sign anything else. Not even the check. You would not believe the amount of paperwork I had to sign.”
“Scooping ice cream doesn’t give you the muscles you need?” Theo asked.
Actually, scooping and other parts of the ice cream making process were incredibly good for upper body strength and more than one woman in my life had commented on my chest and arms. “That’s a completely different kind of grip. I needed something a little more delicate.”
“Please tell me why we’re discussing grip so I don’t get the wrong idea,” Lucas said, appearing across the table with a grin on his face that suggested he was thinking something decidedly off color.
“Signing forms for hours on end,” I said.
“And?” he prompted.
“And I read everything, as promised.” I turned to look at my friend and family. Raising my voice, I said slowly and carefully, “You are looking at the new owner of 112 Center Street in downtown Fable Notch and coming next summer in Meredith, Another Bright Spot.”
They all cheered loudly. Aware that this brought the attention of everyone in the place to us, I glanced over at Tina and her friend. It was a relief to see they were gone or at least had moved to another area of the restaurant. I tried not to think about people staring at us. Being stared at by strangers was a sure way to bring out my stutter. I managed a clear, “Thanks.”
For the rest of the night, I enjoyed the company and focused on the games. But even though these were the people I was most comfortable and confident with, the stress of my business choices was never far from my thoughts. Every time I was about to join the conversation, I could feel my heart rate elevate and by the time I’d calmed myself, they were on to a new topic. I didn’t mind. For tonight, I was happy to play and listen with people I cared about.
The next day I was prepping to open when Olivia, my only full-time employee, came in the back door.
“Well?” she said in a hopeful tone.
“It’s ours. They are both ours,” I said, spreading my arms to the side and taking a dramatic bow.
She gave a happy squeal and clapped. “Congratulations, Boss. That’s awesome.”
I smiled. It was fun to be the boss. Maybe it was because I had six older brothers who cast long shadows. “Thank you. And you’ll keep my offer in mind, right?”
“I will,” she said with a nod. I’d offered her the manager’s job for the new site if she wanted it. She was good at what she did, and I’d be happy to keep her on. She promised to let me know as soon as possible, so in case her answer was no, I could hire someone else. “You know I love working with you. Just a little nervous about managing the place by myself.”
“I get that. But, remember, you wouldn’t be completely on your own. I’ll be there regularly.” I wasn’t sure how I would manage that yet, but these businesses were mine, and I intended to be active in both.
As the week went on, the family I didn’t see on Wednesday reached out. Drew, who was doing team building work for a company in Seattle, sent me massive tin of flavored popcorns, one of my favorite non-ice cream treats. Gabriel texted from Italy and said we’d celebrate when he got back. My mother, Valerie, came to the store with her closest friends, Rosie Kinsman, who ran the diner, and Millie Sinclair. They toasted me with hot chocolate and ordered ice cream with extra hot fudge.
I was a little nervous about the news spreading past family. This was a big leap and though it was what I wanted, part of me wanted to keep it under wraps so not too many people would know if I failed. But if Rosie knew, it wouldn’t be long before everyone in town knew. And sure enough, after she’d been by, more locals asked when the new store would open and what I planned to do with the extended space. By the weekend, I’d gotten good at saying “By Memorial Day,” and “I’m considering several options.”
Late Saturday afternoon, as I was bringing out some pecan pie ice cream, the bell over the door rang. I placed the tub on the counter with a thud, and I looked up to greet the customer. The greeting lodged in my throat.
Standing in the doorway was one of the most beautiful women I’d ever seen. Her blonde hair was pulled into an elaborate updo, ringlets framing her face, a thin tiara catching the light. Her eyes were so big that even from a distance I could see they were green. And for some reason, my first thought was that she was glowing. Then I took another look and realized the glow was from the light of the afternoon sun illuminating her dress.
Her big, white wedding dress.