Page 32 of Scoop Me Up (Love in Maplewood #7)

Gabe

Early the next morning, I found Sam still in their pajamas in the kitchen looking harried and scattered.

They had half of the kitchen cabinets open, the coffee machine was on the counter but unplugged while Sam stared at it fruitlessly, and water was running in the sink. I’d never seen them like that.

“Hey.”

Sam’s gaze snapped up from the coffee maker to meet mine. “What’s wrong?”

I laughed a little. “You look like you don’t know whether you’re coming or going. Is everything okay?” When they frowned, I gestured at the coffee maker. “It’s not plugged in.”

“I guess that explains why it wasn’t lighting up.” They shook their head and chuckled. “Oops.”

I moved around the kitchen, closing cabinets and turning off the running water while Sam pushed the plug into the outlet and successfully started the coffee brewing. Once everything was settled, I pulled Sam to me and wrapped my arms around them.

“Everything’s going to be great.”

“But—”

I kissed them quickly. “It will be. Trust me.”

Sam sighed deeply and sank into the hug, resting their head on my shoulder. “I’m just so nervous.”

“I know. But you’ve got my help. And Ellie. And the whole town loves and supports you. It’s all going to be okay.” They nodded and released me, so I stepped back. “Now, go get dressed. I’ll finish the coffee. You even have time for a shower, if you want.”

A little while later, Sam padded into the kitchen, barefoot, hair damp from their shower, and sank into a chair at the table. “Thank you. I feel better already.”

“Good,” I said with a grin, setting their coffee cup in front of them.

They took it gratefully and sipped, groaning a little in satisfaction as they put the cup back down. “I guess we should get going.”

I kissed them quickly on the head. “Finish your coffee first.”

An hour later, Sam and I got into their car and headed into town. They had wanted to walk, as usual, but I suggested a drive might be easier after a long day than walking so many blocks home. As we approached the shop, I spotted several townspeople milling around.

Sam’s brow dipped in confusion. “What’s this?

” The front of the shop was decorated, streamers hanging above the windows, balloons swaying in the gentle summer breeze.

We parked and got out of the car and as we did, it became evident that the sidewalk had been chalked up as well.

Images of ice cream cones, stars, and other decorative elements dotted the sidewalk in front of the store, stretching to the end of the block. “What is this?” Sam repeated.

Seemingly out of nowhere, Ellie came bounding up. “Daddy! Sam! Look what we did!”

I glanced around and spotted Jennifer on crutches, coming around the far corner of the shop. As she did, bubbles appeared behind her, drifting along and rising.

“Jennifer?” Sam looked even more confused than they had been five minutes ago.

“Hi, Sam,” she said. “I hope this is all okay. I just finished setting up the bubble machine.”

“We’re throwing a party,” Ellie explained. “Mommy did it, but I helped.”

Jennifer laughed. “We had lots of help, didn’t we?”

Ellie nodded, her blonde ponytails bouncing. “Everyone helped.”

Sam looked around. “Everyone?”

From behind the shop, Cooper approached us. “Everyone helped,” he confirmed. “Everyone we could gather up today pitched in to decorate the shop for your grand opening. They’ll be back for ice cream when you open.”

Sam’s eyes were wide and bright. “This is amazing.”

Without warning, Cooper wrapped his arms around Sam in a tight hug. “I’m proud of you. You never gave up on your dream.” After a few moments, Cooper let Sam go. “Should we go inside?”

Ellie’s blue eyes lit up. “Yes! Ice cream time!”

We all laughed and headed inside. An hour later, it was time to open the doors. Sam kept hurrying around, adjusting things as if they hadn’t been moved a hundred times already.

“Will you open the door?” they asked me.

I shook my head. “No way. You should be the one to do it. This is your dream.”

They nodded and went to the front to open the door. I watched Sam flip the sign to Open before tugging open the shop door. Instead of coming back right away, they stopped and looked at the rest of us. “There’s a line. A long one. It looks like it wraps around the block.”

“Well, get back here and get scooping,” I said.

Mayor Axlerod was the first customer in line. She congratulated Sam on a job well done, telling them again how proud she was. After she tasted her scoop of Love You Berry Much, she smiled at Sam. “You've got something special here.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

“Not just the flavor,” she clarified. “All of it. Your new family, your shop, everything. You’re doing a great job.”

Sam’s cheeks colored pink as they ducked their head. “Thanks, Mayor.”

“Looks like you’ve got quite a line here. I should get out of your way. How much do I owe you?”

Sam nodded in my direction. “Gabe will ring you up down there.”

There was a steady stream of customers after that, including a reporter from a nearby town.

The reporter interviewed Sam for their local interest column while Cooper scooped ice cream in Sam’s place.

Quite a few of Sam’s former students stopped by with their parents, choosing their flavors carefully as their parents watched or helped.

At one point, I looked up and noticed someone out on the sidewalk in front of the shop, a younger guy, holding a guitar and strumming a tune. I couldn’t suppress my smile at how quaint and small-town everything felt. As I was watching the guitar player, Sam tapped me on the shoulder.

They dropped their voice to a murmur. “We’re out of Berry Much.”

I beamed at Sam. “I told you it was a winner. What do you have in the back to replace it with?”

“I’m not sure. Can you hold down the fort while I go look?”

I glanced at the long line. “I’ll do my best.” I scooped ice cream and rang people up as quickly as I could while Sam searched the freezer for the perfect flavor to put out.

Cooper even jumped in to help again, scooping while I held down the register.

Eventually, Sam returned with a big tub to settle into the case.

“What’s this one called?”

“Swirled Away. It’s a salted caramel swirl in a sweet cream base.”

I nodded once. “Got it.”

Eventually the line died down and soon there was just a trickle of customers coming in and out. It seemed like the entire town of Maplewood had come out to support Sam’s new shop, and even people from nearby towns had stopped in.

The reporter came back in toward the end of the day, a camera around his neck. “Can I get a few pictures for the article?”

Sam nodded and did their thing while the reporter took the pictures they needed.

“One last one? Can I get you to stand in front of the shop?”

“Of course,” Sam said. “Can you handle the customers for a few minutes?”

“Actually, I’d like to show the whole team if that’s a possibility.”

Cooper, Sam and I made our way to the sidewalk, where Jennifer was watching Ellie draw with chalk.

As we gathered in front, Sam cleared their throat. “If it’s going to be the team, it’s going to be all of us. Jennifer, you and Ellie need to get in this picture too.”

“Oh, that’s okay,” Jennifer protested. “We’ll stay to the side.”

“Absolutely not. He said he wants the whole team. You count,” Sam said. My heart felt too big for my chest, warmth spreading through me as Sam included the two of them.

“Alright, alright. Ellie, come on. Let’s get our picture taken.”

We all lined up in front of the shop while the reporter took a few more pictures. Before he left, he promised to send Sam a copy of the article to read over and some of the photos.

Cooper spoke up once the reporter was gone. “Let me get one for you on my phone. Just the family.” Sam frowned and started to step aside.

“Don’t be ridiculous.” I pulled Sam toward me so they were back in the frame. “You’re family now too, whether you like it or not.” We posed for a few more photos before Cooper was satisfied with his work and we all returned to our posts.

After the shop closed for the night, Jennifer hugged Sam. “Thank you for including us,” she said. “I’m glad you’re a part of our family now.”

They looked at their feet for a moment, rubbing the back of their neck. “It’s… you’re okay with it?”

She laughed. “Of course I am. I couldn’t be happier for you two.” A moment later she turned to Ellie. “Let’s get you home, Bug.”

Ellie yawned, but her face turned down into a pout. “Do we have to?”

“It’s past bedtime. Time to go.”

Reluctantly, Ellie followed her mom out. Cooper stood up from where he’d been resting. “That’s my cue. I’m their ride. Great job today, Sam.”

A few minutes later, that was that. We were alone in the shop, the sun had set, and it was quiet once again. I pulled my phone out and opened the music app, pressing play on a slow, romantic song before reaching for Sam, who had been wiping down the counter.

They laughed and put their dish rag down. “What are you doing?”

“Enjoying myself.” I pulled Sam to me, holding them close, and started to slow dance with them, right there in the middle of the shop among the borrowed tables and chairs. The music played, the singer crooning about love as we held each other and swayed to the music.

“I love you,” I murmured to Sam, my throat thick with emotion.

Sam held me tighter. “I love you.”

I hesitated before speaking again. “I have a confession,” I blurted.

They froze in place. “What’s wrong?”

I didn’t know where to begin or how to explain to Sam that I’d been hiding a major secret. “I wanted to talk to you about the building’s new owner.”

With a frown, their brow furrowed and they squinted. “You met the owner?”

I reached into my pocket and pulled out a key on a small, silver keychain that was shaped like an ice cream cone, handing it to Sam. “Not exactly. I am the owner.”

They pulled back, looking at me intensely. “You what?”

Panic gripped me. What if Sam didn’t like the idea of me owning the building?

What if something went wrong? “I know I should’ve told you sooner.

Remember how Miles promised to help me find an investment opportunity?

Well, ultimately that opportunity was to buy and renovate this building.

I spoke to the previous owner, who inherited the building from his dad.

He didn’t want it anymore, considering it needed a lot of updating and renovation.

I bought it for a steal. Including your two-year lease. ”

“So you’re my new landlord?”

I shrugged. “Something like that. But I want you to take whatever money you’d planned to spend on rent and invest it in the shop. I know you’ve had to tighten your finances and cut corners wherever possible. I still want us to live together. Upstairs. In the shop we own. Together.”

They cleared their throat. “Why didn’t you say something sooner?”

I reached for Sam’s hand and took it in both of mine. “I didn’t want to risk messing anything up if it fell through. I got the final closing paperwork today. It’s official. This place is mine. Ours. ”

Sam’s Adam’s apple bobbed as they swallowed. “Ours,” they repeated in a dreamlike tone.

I nodded. “Ours.”

A moment passed before Sam stepped closer and pulled me in for a tight hug, the keychain jingling as they did. “Thank you.”

I closed my eyes and kissed their cheek. “I’m just glad you’re not mad.”

“How could I be mad? The man I’m in love with just gave me the opportunity to make all my dreams come true.”