Hold Me If You Can by Stephanie Rowe Read Free Book Online Page B

least you’re moving.” Ella flicked the end of the spinning bar and it flew off her finger, spiraling through the air as it soared across the store, landing on the floor and sliding another ten feet before it came to a rest beside a vintage candy machine. “See? Even running in circles can launch you forward. Always keep moving. Always.”
    “I’m not giving up.” Natalie fisted her hand. “I’m just a little out of ideas for how to move forward.” How could she influence a deedub not to kill her if she couldn’t even give Dick Small an erection? Nigel would come back for her, and she would have no defenses when he pointed out her inability to defend herself.
    But if she couldn’t heal men sexually, then what did she have anyway? Without it, her soul would die.
    Ella smiled. “Doesn’t matter. Just do something. Anything.” She grinned and gestured at the store. “You have enough chocolate in here to combat the PMS of all the women in Boston. Start with a chocolate binge, then go from there. Doesn’t chocolate always help?”
    Natalie couldn’t help but laugh. “Of course. Why didn’t I think of that? Chocolate bingeing is the answer to all of a woman’s problems.”
    “Always and always.” Ella grinned back. Then her smile faded, replaced by a more serious expression. “Just know that I’ve been where you are, and if there’s anything I can do to help, just let me know.” She winked. “Off the record, of course.”
    Natalie smiled, feeling like she had an ally. Ella had come in waving a bloody knife. Who knew? Maybe the woman had talents beyond wielding an iPad and writing dissertations. “Well, as long as it’s off the record—”
    “Natalie Fleming? It’s really you?” A young woman in cut-off jeans and a torn T-shirt shoved open the front door, her eyes wide with disbelief.
    Natalie groaned. “Listen, I’m not open right now. I—”
    “My name is Maggie Valtese.” The visitor shoved her tangled brown hair out of her face. Her face was peaked and drawn, her eyes worried. “I’m here about your job posting for an assistant chef. I have my resume with me.” She began to rifle through her purse. “I’m a Sweet, so I’m really good with chocolate. You don’t even have to pay me. I just need a place to sleep and maybe some food. Please. I really need this job.”
    Natalie felt a tinge of empathy for Maggie. She knew what it felt like to be desperate. “Listen, I’m not sure when I’m going to reopen. I’ve got some things I need to address first.” Like how to get her mojo back in time for the inspection. A gleaming store wasn’t the only thing she’d need to show them to get her rating.
    Natalie began to pull out some ingredients to make another batch of virility balls. Maybe she’d failed with Dick because the chocolate had gone bad. Maybe fresh ones would do it.
    But even as she set a mixing bowl on the counter, a dark dread pulsed inside her. One that said maybe it hadn’t been the chocolate. It had been her.
    Ella patted her shoulder and started to clear off the counter to make more room for cooking. “Good girl, Nat. Taking action is the first step.”
    “My ex-boyfriend is hunting me.” Maggie inched closer to the counter, like a furtive puppy dog hoping to snatch a steak off the counter. “I didn’t know he was a deedub until he lost it one night and tried to have me for dessert.”
    “What?” A bowl slipped out of Natalie’s hand, and Ella barely caught it before it crashed to the floor. “Has he bitten you?”
    “No.” Maggie picked up a piece of chocolate and turned it over in her hand, her fingers caressing it with a reverence Natalie had seen only in her family, only in other Sweets.
    “Good.” Natalie let her breath out and took the bowl back from Ella. She’s okay, she’s okay, she’s okay. Maggie was not destined to the same fate as Natalie and her family. As long as she could get Maggie out of there, the girl would be safe. “You need to