Sweet Dreams on Center Street (31 page)

This was a dark day for the Sterlings, indeed. There went their
last hope for keeping their company from floating down the River of No
Return.

The thought of Sweet Dreams Chocolates winding up in the hands
of Trevor Brown, the king of cheap chocolate, made Samantha want to throw
up.

So, what are you going to do about
it?

Good question. She went to the office and locked herself in to
eat truffles and think.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Love makes heroes of us all.

—Muriel Sterling,
Mixing Business with
Pleasure: How to Successfully Balance Business and Love

“I
wish you weren't leaving, sweetie,” Mom
said as Cecily pulled her carry-on from the trunk of Mom's car.

“It's time. There's nothing left here for me to do,” Cecily
said.

She wished there was, but the chocolate festival was over,
they'd finally lost the battle to keep the company and that was her cue to ride
off into the sunset. Yesterday they'd pulled their hopes off life support. There
was nothing more she could do for her sister now. They were out of options.

“Are you sure you have to go?” Luke had asked when she stopped
by Sweet Dreams to say goodbye to everyone. He'd walked her outside. Although
her mother was waiting at the curb, the car engine idling, and people were
passing on the street, it had felt like it was just the two of them standing
here.

“I've got my ticket,” she'd said.

“You don't have to use it.”

“I have a life back in California.” Consisting of an
ex-boyfriend who still tried to hit her up for money and a business she'd shut
down. Some life.

“Overpriced real estate and shallow people?”

“You can find that anywhere.” And they weren't all shallow.
She'd met some great people in the City of Angels.

“Not here,” he'd said. “Look, Cec, I know you made it pretty
clear that you weren't interested in starting anything, but I think we could be
good together.”

Luke needed a woman who would appreciate him, not a woman with
a foolish heart who was constantly falling for bad boys, not a woman who was fed
up with love and men. “I've got to go,” she'd said, and backed away. “Take care,
Luke.”

“He's a nice man,” Mom had said as they drove off down the
slushy street.

“Yes, he is.”

“He's going to make some woman a wonderful husband.”

“Yes, he is. I wish I knew someone for him.”

“I do.”

It had been impossible to misinterpret that motherly
expression. “Not me.”

“Why not? You're a lovely woman, he's a wonderful man.”

“There's just no chemistry,” Cecily had said with a shrug.
Well, maybe a little, but not enough.

“Maybe you haven't spent enough time in the lab together.
Feelings can grow.”

So she'd heard.

“After the big city, Icicle Falls must feel ridiculously small,
but the people who live in it all have big hearts. I think it did you good to
get away, but maybe it would do you even more good to come back.”

Cecily hadn't said anything to that and Mom let the subject
drop. Their conversation turned to other topics as they drove over the pass, but
her mother's words lingered at the back of her mind.

Once she was in L.A. she'd pack up and sell her condo. And then
what? She had no idea. What did she want to be when she grew up? And where did
she want to be?

She wanted to be in Icicle Falls. She hadn't realized how much
she'd missed the place until she'd returned and gotten involved.

Everyone says you can't go home,
she reminded herself as her plane touched down in sunny California. But she
wanted to. Wanted to indulge her creativity and spend time with her mother,
wanted to start her mornings with lattes from Bavarian Brews or stop by
Gingerbread Haus to sample Cass's cookies.

The plane finally taxied to a stop and cell phones went on all
around her. The whole plane buzzed as people told loved ones they'd arrived
safely, took their luggage off the racks and began to jostle their way off the
plane. Everyone had somewhere to go, someone waiting for them, and she felt
oddly alone in that crowd.

She couldn't help remembering the fun she'd had planning the
Mr. Dreamy contest, of the nice people she'd met while working at Zelda's. (What
was so wrong with being a restaurant hostess, anyway?) She remembered that dance
with Luke at the ball. And, unbidden, Todd Black's smirking pirate face came to
mind.

Here she was in a big, exciting city and all she could think
about was a small town nestled in the mountains. But there was nothing for her
to do there, no real way to make a living and build a future.

Just get on with your life,
she
told herself as she picked up her luggage from baggage claim.

* * *

Just get on with your life,
Samantha told herself as she hung up the phone. Tears sprang to her eyes.
Sorry, Great-grandma. I tried, I really did.

At least it looked as if her company might end up in good
hands. If the Elegance Chocolates people liked what they saw when they came up
on Friday.

What was not to like? They were getting a fabulous company at a
bargain price. Yes, the past year had been a bit of a mess, but she'd sent them
the financials for the past five. Anyone with a head for business could see this
was a temporary blip.

She'd been assured her people would be able to keep their jobs.
The only one out of a job would be her. She could hardly stand to think of
someone else coming in and taking over Sweet Dreams but that was exactly what
would happen. After a brief transition period, she'd be history. The Elegance
executives would, naturally, want to move in their own person to run the
company. She knew that without even asking.
A new broom
sweeps clean. Out with the old, in with the new.

She'd never thought of herself as old before, but in this
instance that was exactly what she was.
You did the right
thing,
she reminded herself. If Elegance took over the company, all
would end well. Yes, Sweet Dreams would be no more, but their chocolates would
live on and her employees would still have jobs. That was what mattered. As for
her, she'd do…something.

And speaking of that, what would she do if, after seeing it,
the Elegance people decided they didn't want her company? She felt sick.

Elena buzzed her. “Blake Preston is here to see you.”

That didn't make her feel any better. This was how it felt to
be dying in the desert with the vultures circling.
Well,
we're not dead yet.
She set her jaw. “Send him in.”

He entered her office like a man on a mission. “Blake, I don't
know what you're doing here but I still own this company till the end of the
month,” she said.

He smiled at that. “Till the end of the month and beyond,” he
corrected her, and laid a check on her desk.

“What's this?”

“It's about keeping a family company where it belongs—with the
family who started it.”

She felt like Alice after she'd tumbled down the rabbit hole.
“I don't understand.”

“Merry Christmas early, or happy Valentine's Day late. Or
whatever you want to call it,” Blake said, and nudged the check closer to
her.

She picked it up and stared at it. What in the name of— “A
personal check?”

“All you have to do is endorse it and deposit it. I'll expect
you in tomorrow.” He turned to leave.

“Wait.” She jumped up from her desk and ran to him. “But where
did you get this kind of money?”

“Does it matter?”

“I need to know,” she insisted. How on earth had he come up
with it?

“Let's just say I used my bank connections,” he said.

Her brows knit. “What do you mean?” Suspicion turned to
horrified understanding. “Tell me you didn't take out a loan.”

He shrugged. “Even bank managers can qualify for employee
loans. I should have thought of it sooner. My only excuse is that there was no
way I could come up with what you needed at first, so this wasn't even an
option. But after you left for California I got thinking and realized that,
thanks to the festival, we were down to a number I could manage.”

It was still a huge amount and a huge commitment, and she
couldn't, with a clear conscience, let him make that kind of sacrifice. “I can't
accept this,” she said, holding out the check.

“Why not?” The look in his eyes lit those sparklers inside
her.

“It's too much.”

“Yeah? You're saying your company isn't worth saving?”

“I'm already saving it. I'm going to sell it to Elegance.”

He nodded, apparently thinking that over. “I assume they make
good chocolate.”

“Fabulous,” she said, struggling to keep her voice even.

“Is that what you want, Samantha?” he asked softly.

“Of course it's not what I want,” she cried, “but I can't just
take money from you.”

“Can you take a personal loan from a friend?”

How she needed a friend! She bit her lip.

He took a step closer. “From a friend who would maybe, someday,
like to be more?”

“I…don't know.” Were there conditions that came along with this
loan? Would he want to run her company? Expect her to sleep with him? Hmm. Would
that last condition be so bad?

“There are no strings attached,” he said as if reading her
mind. “I think you can rebuild this company and that will be good for the whole
town. If you're uncomfortable with doing this on just a handshake we can draw up
a contract. Either way, that money is yours. I went into banking to help people,
and there's no one I'd rather help more.”

“I can't believe I'm hearing this,” she said. She had to be
dreaming. Where was Great-grandma Rose with more recipes?

“I told you, Samantha, I'm not your enemy.”

Her mind was a Tilt-a-Whirl, sending thoughts zooming in all
directions. She'd tried so hard to keep this company, run down every blind alley
she could find, and in the end her solution was as simple as someone unexpected
coming through for her? How could that be? “I don't know what to say.”

“How about thank you?” he teased.

“Thank you,” she said, and burst into tears.

He gathered her in his arms and she felt his lips brush the top
of her head. How wonderful it was to be held by her archenemy.
Make that former archenemy,
she corrected herself.

“There is one more thing you could say,” he murmured.

“What?”

“That you'll go out with me.”

Now she was crying and laughing. “I might have some free
evenings on my calendar.”

They sealed the deal with a kiss, a big juicy,
melt-your-panties kiss. Oh, yes, there
was
something
better than chocolate and Blake had just given her a very nice sample of it.

He suddenly turned serious. “I do have a confession to
make.”

Uh-oh. Samantha braced herself. “What's that?”

“I'm allergic to chocolate.”

She gaped at him. “Those chocolates I brought you?”

“My gram's book club loved 'em. Everybody loves Sweet Dreams
chocolates.”

“Except you.” How ironic.

He grinned. “That's okay. I'm more interested in the woman who
makes them.”

And to prove it, he kissed her again.

“So when do you think you might be open to that date?” he said
after they'd come up for air.

“Oh, maybe as soon as I call Mom and my sisters and tell them
the good news,” she said with a grin.

She called Cecily first. Her sister was happy for her but
didn't sound all that surprised. “I just had a feeling,” she said.

“What else have you got a feeling about?” Samantha asked,
smiling at Blake.

“Well, I've got a strong feeling that Blake is still there with
you. Am I right?”

“Oh, yeah. By the way, we're going to be pretty busy rebuilding
the company and I could use help with the marketing and advertising. I know
you've got a life down there but I'd love to have you back here. I don't suppose
I could talk you into coming home?”

“I don't suppose you could keep me away,” Cecily replied.

Oh, yes, life was looking good.

* * *

Samantha and Blake celebrated by going to dinner at
Zelda's. “Are you having dessert?” Maria asked.

Samantha smiled at Blake. “Yes, but not here.”

Maria, no fool, cracked, “Let me guess. You're going someplace
for chocolate kisses?”

“Something much better,” Samantha said with a grin.

* * *

Muriel was walking on Lost Bride Trail with both her
husbands. “It looks like Sweet Dreams will be around for a long time,” she told
them. “Samantha saved it.”

“That takes a load off my mind,” Waldo said.

“Mine, too,” Stephen agreed. “The only thing that would please
me even more is to know that she's found someone who can make her happy.”

“I think she has,” Muriel said.

He smiled. “I'm glad to hear it.” He looked up the path. “We
have to go now. Will you be all right?”

She smiled at both of them. “Yes, I will. You two go on ahead.
I'll be fine here.”

They both kissed her and then walked up the path. She stood
watching until a mountain mist swallowed them.

She awoke to find herself alone in her bed, morning sunlight
filling her bedroom. She smiled, then threw off the covers. It was a new
day.

* * *

May had arrived and the countryside was lush and green
with vineyards come back to life and blossoming fruit trees. This particular
Saturday was a perfect day for a hike, all blue sky and sunshine.

Blue skies or no, Samantha had planned to get caught up on her
laundry and maybe clean her apartment. And she said as much to Blake when he
suggested a hike. Cleaning had never sat high on her priority list but these
days, between running Sweet Dreams and spending her free hours with Blake, it
never happened. If she didn't do something soon, her condo was going to be
condemned by the board of health.