Chocolate Caramel Dreams

By Roni Denholtz

Damaris Mulligan can't wait to see her favorite teacher at her tenth high school reunion. She had a huge crush on Greg Collins when she was his student.

Greg always admired Damaris for her dedication and enthusiasm for history. But now, ten years later, he's face to face with a beautiful young woman who stirs other feelings inside him.

As they spend time together, Damaris realizes they come from very different worlds-- Can her schoolgirl crush turn into the real deal?

• Language: Unknown
• Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
• Release date: Aug 23, 2021
• ISBN: 9781509238477

Book preview

Greg looked up and caught her eye.

His brilliant smile caused sparks to arrow through her.

He said something to the other teachers, then left their group. And headed straight toward her.

She couldn’t help smiling as exhilaration at seeing him flowed through her.

Hello, Damaris, he said, his voice low.

Hi, Mr. Collins. Why, oh why, did her voice have to sound so breathless?

We’re adults and equal now. Call me Greg. I hear you’re teaching US History at the high school.

Yes. She took a sip of her drink, which was icy cold. Yet inside she felt hot. Your love of history and fantastic teaching inspired me to study American history in college.

Really? He looked pleased. That’s high praise, that I inspired a student to follow in my footsteps.

You did. She took a deep breath, wondering if she sounded like a fangirl. I’ve thought about you a lot during the last few years. Senior year she hadn’t been in his class, but would try to run into him; but once in college, he still occupied a big space in her mind, even after she heard he went for his doctorate.

His smile was wide. I’ve thought about you, too. You were always such a dedicated student. You left quite an impression. Somehow, that last word sent another shimmer up her spine. It sounded almost… intimate.

Chocolate Caramel Dreams

by

Roni Denholtz

One Scoop or Two

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

Chocolate Caramel Dreams

COPYRIGHT © 2021 by Roni Paitchel Denholtz

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press, Inc. except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Contact Information: [e-mail]

Cover Art by Diana Carlile

The Wild Rose Press, Inc.

PO Box 708

Adams Basin, NY 14410-0708

Visit us at www.thewildrosepress.com

Publishing History

First Edition, 2021

Digital ISBN 978-1-5092-3847-7

One Scoop or Two

Published in the United States of America

Dedication

In loving memory of my friend, MaryKate Schweiger (aka M.Kate Quinn)

I was privileged to get to know you well

over the last six years.

You knew I had the idea for this novella,

and encouraged me to write it.

I miss you and your wonderful sense of humor.

Rest in peace, my friend.

Chapter I

I’ll take a dish of chocolate caramel dreams, plus strawberry and vanilla fudge in cones, said the next customer in line.

Satisfaction zoomed through Damaris Mulligan as she went to scoop the requested flavors from behind the counter at Lakeside Creamery. She always felt that emotion deep inside when a customer requested the Chocolate Caramel flavor—the one she had invented herself.

The woman, accompanied by her preteens, smiled as she removed her wallet from her purse. You have the best ice cream. And I just love this flavor. It’s such a great combination!

Thanks, Mrs. Jones. Damaris smiled back at their frequent customer. She and her kids were here at least once a week.

On a warm Thursday afternoon at the end of June, Lakeside Creamery was busy. Situated on the edge of Lake Lenape, people were in and out of the store constantly as they enjoyed the beach in the beautiful June weather.

Damaris finished up the Jones’ order, then went to the cash register.

Next! her cousin Faith called.

The two teenage girls behind the Jones moved up.

After ringing up the order and making change, Damaris said goodbye to them and took a breath. There was a lull, which she knew from experience would be brief.

Need more of anything? Matt, one of the teens who worked for them during his summer break from school, approached.

Damaris took a quick survey of the tubs. Yeah, we need more chocolate and more strawberry.

Matt went to the back room to get the flavors, and Damaris wiped her hands on a dish towel.

She worked a few days a week at her family’s creamery during the summer when she wasn’t teaching history at the local high school. Besides giving her some extra money, she felt enormous satisfaction in helping her mother, aunt and cousin during their busiest season.

Lakeside Creamery had been started by her grandparents after World War II. As people had more leisure time and money in the 50s and 60s, they’d flocked from New York City to northwestern New Jersey to enjoy the area’s lakes and beaches and cooler weather. It was a great opportunity to start a business right on the boardwalk that edged a part of the lake. A dairy farm in town provided fresh cream, making it the ideal situation. Bungalows and vacation homes had sprung up, and the summer population had grown rapidly.

By the 70s, people were moving to the lake areas full time, converting the small homes to year-round residences and building new, bigger houses.

Damaris’ grandparents had moved into a larger home on the lake and raised her mother, aunt and uncle there. Her grandparents were gone now, but her mother and aunt continued the business, while their uncle had moved out of state.

Her parents now lived in that home, with her aunt and her late uncle buying the house right next door.

We’re pretty busy today, Faith observed as her customers left.

Always a good thing, Damaris said. We’re going to need to make more chocolate.

I noticed, and put it on the list.

Damaris surveyed the room. Several tables were occupied, and another group of teens was opening the door, letting in more warm air.

Are you excited about this weekend’s reunion? Faith asked Damaris in a low voice.

Of course, Damaris said automatically. I’ll see lots of friends, some of whom I haven’t seen since high school graduation.

Any favorite teachers you want to run into? Faith asked, her eyes gleaming. Like Mr. Collins?

Damaris had talked plenty of times to her cousin, who was a few years older, about her handsome history teacher, Mr. Collins. Although Faith had already graduated when Greg Collins started teaching at the local high school. But word about the handsome new faculty member had gotten around, and when Damaris’ cousin returned from college for the Christmas break, Damaris had talked constantly about him. Damaris—and most of the girls in the student population—had enormous crushes on the good-looking, personable teacher who taught U.S. History I.

The fact that he was a great, enthusiastic teacher, making the topic fascinating, was a real plus. He had inspired Damaris to take the class seriously—she’d never had much of an appreciation for history before—and sparked her love of the subject.

That, and the discovery of her mother and aunt’s stash of historical romance novels, had really awakened her love of the subject. She now taught history in the high school she’d attended, and was an even more avid reader of their favorite books than her relatives. In fact, they often lent each other books and discussed them.

Now Matt entered the main room, holding a tub of strawberry ice cream, then went back to the kitchen to get the chocolate. Damaris’ mother, Colleen, followed him out.

I’m almost finished with the newest Samantha Dawn regency romance, she told Damaris, if you want to borrow it. She held