Chapter 16
“I guess we’ve another week to wait.” Frank met Sam and Chloe on the sidewalk outside the city hall. The air was thin, if not a bit cool, with a starlit night washing over them.
“You presented your case well,” Sam said with a bit of hesitation. Chloe slipped her hand into his for support. Speaking to Frank this way was huge for Sam.
“I had a speech writer, Sam. You spoke from the heart. I think the council will lean your way.” Frank clapped him on the shoulder. “In fact, I’ll ensure they do.”
“Don’t, Frank. Let them decide for the town.”
“I’m a town member, aren’t I? I can give my two cents.” Frank started to go but turned back to Chloe. “Don’t worry about your mother while you’re in France. Janice and I will take care of her.”
“Oh, um, th-thank you, Frank.”
“France?” Sam gazed down at her, the white of his eyes evident even in the darkness. “You’re going to France?”
“Well, I’ll leave you to discuss it,” Frank said. “Sam, call me when you can. I’d like to talk to you about something.”
Sam turned from his father, searched her face. “Chloe, what’s this about France?”
“Care for a cruller and chocolate milk?” Chloe started for the bakery, trying to find the pieces of her rehearsed speech about France and Jean-Marc’s surprise.
When she’d set Sam up with comfort food in the corner booth, and a few petit fours for herself, she told him the whole story.
Vivienne’s call. The surprise. Her need to go to Paris.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I meant to but then we were getting ready for the town council meeting.”
Sam dipped his cruller in the chocolate milk but didn’t take a bite. “Sounds more like an excuse. We weren’t that busy with the town council meeting. Or the bakery.”
“I know…I’m sorry. I guess I wanted the right moment to tell you. It never occurred to me Mom would tell Frank. Or that he’d tell you.”
Sam’s smile relieved a bit of the tension. “No one would’ve anticipated that one.”
“It feels weird to talk to you about Jean-Marc. I don’t want you to think I’m comparing you to him, or that there’s no room in my heart for you because of him.”
“I get it. Look, babe, go.” Sam took her hands in his. “But come back to me, please.”
“Of course. I love my job, I love you. Mom still needs me.”
He smiled, the one with the right side of his mouth tugging a little higher. “That’s the first time you’ve said that.”
Her cheeks felt warm. “I guess it is.”
After a moment, he turned his gaze back to his snack. “So, what’s this surprise Jean-Marc has for you?” Sam dipped his cruller again and took a bite.
“I have no idea.” Chloe considered one of the petit fours but decided against them. It was too late for such rich treats.
“You have to have some idea. What were things you two wanted to do? Did you own a house? What about a car?”
“I didn’t need a car. I biked to work.”
“Ah, the mystery of your amazing legs, finally solved.”
Chloe laughed and blushed. “We talked about buying a café in the country one day but he was way too busy with his family’s company, Sport de Qualité.”
“That’s Jean-Marc’s? I love their microfiber shirts. Huh. Well, I guess it’s a mystery until you get there.” Sam polished off his cruller then leveled a serious look at Chloe. “As long as we’re confessing, it looks like I’m going to the Raiders.”
“The Raiders? In Las Vegas?” Chloe changed her mind and reached for a petit four. News that Sam might be moving called for fortifications.
“The Titans have been shopping me, and Bruno has done his best to land me with another champion team. I don’t want to go and to be honest, it hurts that the Titans are using my trading power to get more draft picks, but that’s the game.
I’ve seen it a lot over the years.” He got up and moved to Chloe’s side of the table.
“Mostly, I don’t want to be apart from you. ”
“But it’s only for the season, right?”
“Only? Feels like an eternity. Unless—unless you were with me. Then it would be bearable.”
She set the petit four back on the plate again. “Sam, a-are you proposing?”
“Maybe. What would you say if I was?”
“I-I’m not sure.” She loved him, but moving to Las Vegas? What would she do with herself? And what awaited her in Paris?
“I know I said I’d give you time and I will, but Chloe, I do love you. I want to marry you.” He pushed his plate away. “Ah, man. I didn’t plan to ask you like this. You deserve the whole romantic thing. Maybe not a hot air balloon ride—”
“Thank you very much.” She grinned. Was Sam really proposing? Were they really talking about getting married? Or was this just “what ifs?” What if he moved to Las Vegas? What if Jean-Marc left her—oh, she had no idea…the patent rights to a new ski design?
“But definitely somewhere with twinkle lights and champagne. Me on one knee—my good one.” He winked and she laughed. “A ring in a box. Maybe a string quartet.”
All right. This had gone on long enough. Time for a reality check. “Sam. Come on. I’m like the Black Widow. My men die.”
“Chloe, please don’t say that.” He pressed her hand over his beating heart.
“One, it’s not true, but two, I’m not going to die.
I’m going to live a long, long life just to prove you wrong.
” His kiss was quick and sure, then lingering on her lips until she could almost taste his love.
It tasted like chocolate milk and sweet dough.
They were startled from the kiss by someone hammering on the paned glass window. Chloe glanced around to see Sophie standing outside the bakery, her distraught face ghostly in the streetlight, tears glistening down her cheeks.
“H-he broke up with me,” she said, her voice muffled against the glass. “Er-Eric—broke up with me.”
Happy to see the back of @SamHardyQB15. Good luck in Vegas. #hateRaiderNation #theygetwhattheydeserve
– @No.1TitansFan on Twitter
“Gather around everyone.” Chloe began the staff meeting at five-thirty a.m. Monday morning, when Laura Kate already had flour and sugar in her hair net and dusting her hairline.
Ruby was on her third cup of coffee. And Chloe ached with love of the place.
Whatever Vivienne and Albert had in France would not compare.
Mom suggested last night perhaps they wanted her to see Jean-Marc’s final headstone.
Maybe they had purchased an accompanying plot for her.
But that seemed like an odd surprise. Chloe was sure graves were not what Jean-Marc had planned to give her as a surprise.
“This is our last meeting before I leave for France early tomorrow.” She tapped the schedule in her hand. “I presume you reviewed this. Everyone will have to work a bit more, but you can do it. Rick has approved the overtime. You can have some extra cash for your Christmas savings accounts.”
“But why are you going to France?” Ruby said, her eyes wide with a bit of sadness. “What on earth for?”
“My in-laws need me to come. They said something about a surprise but either way, I think we all need closure. Perhaps we’ll talk about Jean-Marc and laugh, cry, and go away feeling the grief has loosened its grip.”
“What does Sam say?” Ruby again with her bold inquisition.
“What can he say? Of course, as my boss, he—”
“Forget boss, he loves you.”
“Yes, but he’s also a kind man and letting me do what I need to do. Is that okay with you, Ruby?”
“Well, no, but I guess it’ll have to be.” She waved the schedule at Chloe. “I’m doing all the banking?”
“I’ve shown you how. You can handle it.”
“What about me? The schedule says I’m doing all the baking.” The schedule trembled in Laura Kate’s thin hand. “Chloe, I’m not you. I-I can’t.”
“Yes, you can. And no, you’re not me. In some ways, you’re better. You know where my recipes are if you forget something. We’re a bakery, not saving lives.”
“That’s what you think,” Ruby said with a huff.
“If something doesn’t get done, no big deal. Well, except for the special orders.”
“And the Triple Chocolate Fudge Cookie. I tell you, I still hear rumblings of an insurrection.”
“Ruby,” Chloe said, “I’m beginning to think you’re the one starting the rumblings.”
“Oh, look at the time. I’d better get the coffee started.”
Yeah, just as she thought. Ruby was the sweetest kind of troublemaker.
“Are you sure I can do this?” Laura Kate said.
“I am. And oh, sad news. Eric broke up with Sophie.”
“What? I thought they were so in love.”
“Me too. Apparently, the wedding cake testing put the fear of commitment in him, and he said he wasn’t ready for the ole ‘ball and chain.’”
“I’d like to ball and chain him.” Laura Kate tacked the schedule to the bulletin board and punched the air with her chocolate-frosted fist.
“Get in line behind Sam. He asked Sophie if she wanted him to talk to Eric, but she said no. If he doesn’t want her, she doesn’t want him guilted into going through with it.”
Oh, love. Why was it so glorious yet so provoking and painful?
Chloe had known a great love with Jean-Marc. Could she have it again with Sam? And so soon?
“Chloe, do you mind if I work on the TCFC while you’re gone?”
“Please. Save us from Ruby the Rebel. Oh, Laura Kate, see if you can’t get Robin to come in on time for the next week. Early would be better, if you can talk her into it.”
“Will do, boss.”
By noon, she’d done all the banking and caught up on all the invoices and ordering. Chloe announced to Ruby and Laura Kate she was heading home. As she exited the kitchen door, she ran smack dab into Robin…coming into work…early.
I’ll be, there is a God.
Hardy Insurance was a spectacular office building. Modern with wide windows, concrete floors, and wood accents. Sam could see the appeal of Donut Heaven to a man like his dad.
Meredith greeted him as he approached the executive office. “Go on in. He’s expecting you.”