Part 32 (2/2)
”You'd better,” Elena said. ”So many people have called this morning to talk about the festival. My ear hurts and I am getting no work done.”
”You're a gem. Have I told you that recently?”
”No, but this I already know,” Elena said, and Samantha could hear the smile in her voice.
”Go help yourself to some caramels and take a break,” Samantha offered. ”Oh, wait. Save your taste buds. I'll bring you something new when I come in.”
”New?” Elena was intrigued now.
”We have new recipes,” Samantha announced proudly. And maybe even one that would put them on the map.
”Why are you wasting time talking on the phone? Hurry up and get here.”
Samantha smiled as she ended the call. Oh, yes, she could build some buzz with this.
At the house, her sisters and mother were waiting eagerly. ”Oh, my gosh, this is so exciting,” Bailey said as Samantha opened the little box.
”They're lovely,” Mom said reverently.
Yes, they were. White-and-dark-chocolate truffles topped with a delicate pink rosebud. ”First I give you the chocolate rose,” said Samantha.
They all took one and she watched as her family bit into them. Cecily's eyes widened in surprise. ”This is incredible.”
”Oh,” Bailey moaned. ”I'm having a chocolate o.r.g.a.s.m.”
Mom frowned at her, then turned to Samantha. ”It's lovely, a wonderful tribute to your great-grandmother.”
”It was the least I could do,” Samantha said, and told them about her dream.
”Wow,” breathed Bailey. ”That is so awesome. What's this one?” she asked, pointing to another candy.
”Cleanse your palettes,” Samantha reminded them, producing a baguette.
The next goody paired milk chocolate and lavender. ”This is lovely, too,” Mom approved.
The final treat in the trio was yet another floral, and all three of the Sterling women gave it a resounding thumbs-up. ”We've got a winner,” Cecily said. ”Three winners. We could put these in a pretty floral box and call it the chocolate garden.”
”Oh, I love that!” Bailey cried. She snapped her fingers. ”I need to give these to Caroline. The minute she tastes one, she'll want Mimi's producer to try them.”
”Mimi LeGrande?” Mom asked.
”Bailey met someone who knows her producer,” Cecily explained.
”Oh, my goodness,” Mom said faintly.
It was their last chance to pull out of the red. And the clock was ticking. Samantha had no intention of waiting around for the alarm to go off. ”We need to get you on a flight right away,” she said, and went up to Mom's upstairs office to make arrangements.
”I'll go pack,” Bailey said.
They got Bailey out on a late-afternoon flight and while Cecily ran her to the airport, Samantha went to the bank to hand-deliver a check to Blake. It wasn't for the full amount they owed, of course, but it made a sizable dent.
”Very impressive,” he said when he looked at it.
”Does it impress you enough to convince you to bend the rules? We're on the verge of getting a spot on a big show on the Food Network.”
Lying wasn't a good business principle, but Samantha decided she wasn't so much lying as making a prediction. If they got themselves featured on All Things Chocolate, they were golden. And why shouldn't they? Bailey had an in with the producer's cousin. The chocolates were incredible. Mimi LeGrande would be all over this.
Blake let out a sigh and looked at her steadily. ”I told you, I'm on your side, and believe me, I've argued your case. But there are some things I can't control, and this is one of them.”
”It's a poor way to do business,” she informed him.
His jaw tightened. ”It's the way I have to do business. I'm locked in, Samantha. I don't own this bank. I only work for it.”
As its henchman. ”How do you sleep nights?” she asked in disgust.
”These days? Not so well.”
”That's a comfort.”
He frowned and shook his head. ”Look, there's got to be some way we can get the bank out of this. Isn't there some family member who can help you?”
”You're kidding, right?” she said bitterly. What family member would that be? Her mother, who was upside down on her house and had no life insurance money? Her sisters, who were nearly as broke as she was? Maybe Uncle Ralph, Dad's older brother who was off in the Florida Keys, living on retirement and working part-time on a fis.h.i.+ng boat. How dumb do you think I am? ”If I knew someone with that kind of money I wouldn't have come to the bank in the first place.” She could feel her eyes filling with tears and blinked furiously to drive them away.
Blake took a deep breath. ”I can barely imagine what you're going through right now, but I want you to consider something.”
She was already considering something-how wrong this all was.
”Let's say when you got back to your office one of your employees came to you and told you she's about to lose her house. She owes three months' rent and she asks you to pay it. What do you do?”
”I give her the money to pay it, of course,” Samantha snapped, in no mood for a business parable.
”Do you?” Blake countered. ”But you have no money. It's not in your power to help her.”
”Then I...” Samantha stumbled to a stop. What would she do?
”Would you take money from your struggling company, jeopardize your other employees?” Blake pressed.
He didn't have to say any more. She got the point. She dropped her gaze, trying to hide the tears that were escaping in spite of her effort to hold them back.
”Samantha,” he said softly, and reached across his desk to lay a hand on her arm.
Here she was in enemy territory, and yet that big hand felt comforting. Pathetic.
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