Chapter 10
10
Libby was still reeling from Katy’s mad business idea. Could she really make five hundred boxes of chocolates in just under four weeks? Could she produce five thousand truffles, entirely from scratch, in that length of time?
For a second, she found herself thinking that if she knuckled down to some serious hard work, perhaps she could. Perhaps this time luck might be on her side.
But as her friend stepped back from giving her an enormous hug, Libby looked over at the tiny kitchen in the apartment once more and was suddenly struck with horror.
‘I can’t! I just can’t accept the order,’ she said, her heart plummeting as her dream sank as quickly as it had almost become reality. ‘You’ll have to say no.’
Katy looked at her with wide eyes. ‘What are you talking about?’ she asked. ‘Why not?’
‘Because I can’t create chocolate on an industrial scale at home,’ Libby told her. ‘You know the size of the kitchen. It’s not much bigger than yours. And then there’s Dad. He doesn’t even know that I make it and I can’t upset him. There’s just not enough time when he barely leaves the house…’ Her voice trailed off. Well, the dream had been nice while it lasted, she thought.
Katy frowned. ‘Give me a minute,’ she said, tapping her chin in thought. ‘There must be a solution.’ She looked up at Ryan. ‘Can you think of anywhere?’
He blew out a sigh. ‘That’s got a kitchen big enough to upscale Libby’s business? What about the farmhouse? You know that Grams wouldn’t mind.’
But Libby shook her head. ‘It’s always so busy over there, with Flora, Nico and Grams living there now. Besides, I’d only be in the way. No, I need somewhere empty. Or at least, a big kitchen owned by someone who doesn’t like cooking!’
It was a joke, but as soon as she’d finished talking, Katy broke into a wide smile. ‘I’ve got it,’ she said, with a nod.
‘Where?’ asked Ryan, looking at his girlfriend in amazement.
‘Your brother’s new home,’ she told him with a smile.
Libby gave a start as her friend’s words sank in. ‘Brother?’ she gasped. ‘As in Ethan? No way. No way on earth!’
‘Think about it,’ said Katy quickly. ‘It’s the only kitchen big enough in Cranfield. And it belongs to Ethan! He showed us around last night. It’s huge and everything is brand new!’
Ryan was nodding along. ‘Seriously, it’s my dream kitchen,’ he told her. ‘It’s amazing.’
‘Yes, but it belongs to Ethan,’ Libby told them slowly, trying to make her friends see the huge problem.
‘You know, he’s going to be crazy busy with this Halloween train idea,’ added Ryan. ‘They’ve got loads to do to get the train and carriages ready, so he’s bound to be out a lot of the time.’
‘Not helping,’ muttered Libby, shooting him a scowl. ‘I thought you were on my side.’
‘I am, Libs,’ said Ryan, looking at her with a soft smile. ‘And I can assure you that my little brother won’t be using that lovely kitchen at all, apart from the kettle and the toaster.’
‘And that’s still too much for my liking,’ she replied.
‘Do you want the business?’ asked Katy, putting her hands on her hips and looking stern. ‘Do you want to try to make a go of making your chocolates as a job? I thought this was your dream.’
‘Of course it is,’ Libby told her.
Katy stared at her for a moment before drawing out her phone. ‘Then let’s see if this might sway your mind,’ she said, swiftly typing a message.
Libby’s phone lit up. ‘What’s this?’ she asked, looking at the text.
‘It’s the agreement that the hotel forwarded onto me last night,’ replied Katy. ‘Scroll down to that big number at the bottom.’
Libby did as instructed, somewhat confused by all the legal mumbo-jumbo until she saw the figure that Katy was talking about. She blinked and peered closer at her phone. No, she wasn’t seeing things. That figure after the ￡ sign was as big as she thought it was.
‘Wow,’ she said, blowing out a big sigh.
Ryan leaned over her shoulder and let out a long whistle. ‘Definitely wow,’ he said. ‘You can’t give up that kind of money.’
It was a lot, she thought. Enough to keep her and her dad’s bills paid up until the new year. Maybe even beyond that.
Katy smiled at her. ‘Good job I’ve already agreed on your behalf. And I’ve just registered you as an official food business with the local council so you’ve got no excuses now!’
Katy was laughing as she drew her into a warm hug.
Libby relished her friend’s embrace, but all the time she was wondering how on earth she was going to produce so many chocolate truffles in time for the deadline.
‘Besides, what other job options do you have?’ Katy carried on, when she stepped back.
And that was the problem, thought Libby. There was no other choice. She was literally stuck between a rock and a hard place. And she could see no way out of her predicament other than asking Ethan for a really huge favour.
And that was the worst problem of all.