Chapter One #2
“The recipes for everything we make were all Grammie’s.
We haven’t altered those, other than finding more cost-effective ingredients from different suppliers and changing up our seasonal offerings.
But our customers are demanding unique, locally sourced ingredients, as well as gluten-free and sugar-free alternatives.
Unfortunately, they seem to expect a lower price than what we can offer. ”
“Have you considered investing in more social media advertising? Or emailing promo codes for discounts to current customers?”
“We’ve tried. I had a virtual assistant helping with that last fall, but the outcome wasn’t significant. More ads aren’t the solution.”
“Then what is?”
Isabel paused. “I need you, Jovi.”
“Me? I’m afraid I don’t have any quick fixes either. Honestly, I wish I did.”
“You’re a hard worker, and with Valentine’s Day coming up, we need all hands on deck. It’s been challenging to retain employees lately, and I need someone reliable to take customer service calls and pack and ship orders. And I really need you to help me figure out how to save this company.”
Jovi nibbled on her thumbnail. Those were all tasks she could handle. Mostly. Except for that last part.
“We’ve done everything we can to fine-tune our marketing, including highlighting how we incorporate locally sourced ingredients whenever possible,” Isabel said, her voice laced with frustration.
“It seems like we’re constantly troubleshooting any issues with the production line that might impact our quality control.
Sadly, nothing seems to boost our sales.
We need a stellar product. Something fresh and interesting that will appeal to a new generation of savvy customers. ”
Jovi couldn’t argue. It wasn’t like she’d been around to help run the day-to-day operations. But it sort of sounded like Isabel’s expectations were way too high. “What are Mom and Dad saying about all of this?”
Isabel’s hesitation sent a jolt of trepidation zipping through Jovi’s veins.
“That’s the kicker. They’ve given an ultimatum. If we can’t course-correct and increase our sales this quarter, they want to sell. And believe me, there’s a global conglomerate waiting in the wings with an appealing offer.”
No.
“I’ll come home.” Jovi sprang into motion, hurrying to the hall closet where she kept her suitcases stashed. “How soon do you need me?”
“How soon can you get here?”
“I’ll shop for a plane ticket as soon as we hang up.”
What if the hospital in Evergreen needed a traveling nurse?
She’d scrolled through the available options for her next contract last week but hadn’t seen any openings close to home.
She’d check again. Because there was no way she’d let her parents sell the company, and spending the rest of the winter in Evergreen would be better than moping alone here.
* * *
Isabel loved her younger sister. Really, she did.
But sometimes Jovi’s choices made Isabel want to scream.
Who gave away a brand-new beautiful wedding dress?
Sure, visiting the seamstress was probably a painful reminder of Michael’s cold feet and his abrupt rejection, and Isabel didn’t blame her for not wanting to keep the dress in her closet. But why not resell it?
Her desk chair creaked as she drew in a deep breath, held it for a count of seven, then released it while she counted to eight.
A stress-management technique she’d added to her repertoire when she sensed her blood pressure had spiked.
Thirty seemed a little young to be worrying about medical issues, but she couldn’t ignore the tension that dogged her lately.
She wasn’t going to prod Jovi about her decision. If the girl wanted to give up thousands of dollars, that was on her.
Besides, she couldn’t be too critical. Jovi had agreed to come home.
Without a fight. Even if she only stayed through Easter, at least there’d be an extra set of hands.
Because they were running out of time to save the company.
Isabel flipped open her planner, pausing to admire the color-coordinated stickers she’d selected to accessorize her weekly spread.
A reminder she’d written in her planner to check in with the manager at Grammie’s new place caught her attention.
She rubbed at the tightness in her chest. As soon as Jovi came home and got settled, they’d have to squeeze in a quick trip to Anchorage to visit Grammie.
She opened an app on her phone and tapped out a quick email, requesting an update.
The case manager at the care facility had said that the first two weeks of adjusting to life in memory care were challenging.
She’d gently but firmly recommended the family stay away and let Grammie get used to her new routine.
Isabel never backed away from a challenge, but moving Grammie in there had been the most heart-wrenching thing she’d ever had to do.
Even worse than Grandpa’s funeral last January.
She couldn’t fathom staying away for two solid weeks.
Tomorrow was only day eight. Thankfully, she wasn’t alone in her sorrow.
Mom and Dad were upset too. She’d even caught Mason swiping at tears on his cheeks when they’d walked back to their cars after moving Grammie in.
And she could count on one hand the number of times she’d seen her husband cry.
Her front door opened and closed. The familiar sound of work boots thumped in the entryway. Mason. Oh, no. Was it six o’clock already? A little late to defrost anything for dinner. Maybe he wouldn’t complain if she served frozen pizza and a bagged salad for the second time this week.
“Hey.” He stopped in the doorway of her home office, his ruddy cheeks flushed from the cold.
His green eyes met hers, and her pulse sped.
Funny how she still got the same feeling when he walked into the room.
He was more handsome than he was fifteen years ago, but she’d still never forget the day she’d spotted him walking into Evergreen High School.
A brand-new ninth-grader who’d just moved to town because his folks had taken jobs at Winterhaven, the local ski resort.
“Hey.” She offered a smile. “How was your day?”
He shrugged one muscular shoulder. “I’ve had better.”
“Oh?” She tried not to look worried. He’d been saying that more often when she asked about his job with the Department of Transportation.
Sure, things got hectic this time of year, especially when they were already on track to break their record of more than one hundred and sixty inches of snowfall.
But he rarely complained about the demanding workload.
“Jake and Wendy invited us out for dinner. I need to shower real quick, and then we can go.”
She winced. “I’m sorry, babe. I can’t. The board of directors for the library meets at seven thirty.”
He scowled. “It’s Thursday. I thought you said you were free tonight. And last time I checked, you aren’t on that board.”
Oh, no. She’d forgotten that he’d asked her this morning if she’d had anything planned. He was right. She had said no. Because twelve hours ago, her calendar was wide-open.
“They’re meeting with a team of architects who are in town for a few days.” Isabel tried to keep her voice neutral, but she was super excited about the project. “They’ve drafted a proposal to build an expansion next spring.”
“So why do you need to be there?” Mason shoved his hands in the front pockets of his black hoodie. “Are you in charge of the library now too?”
Ouch. She realigned the five colored pens she kept next to her planner to color-code any additional notes. “No, but I am the mayor, and this is a big change for our community.”
“You didn’t answer my question.” Mason’s tone had turned icy. “Why do you need to meet the architects?”
“Because they asked me to come to the meeting. It was a last-minute thing.”
“Your best friends, who you barely ever see anymore, invited you to dinner. Along with your husband. Aren’t we more important than an out-of-town architect?”
“Mason, I—”
He held up his hand, irritation flashing in his eyes. “Don’t bother making another excuse.”
She jumped to her feet, his words piercing her. “But you don’t understand.”
“You’re right. I don’t.” He turned to leave. “I don’t understand why you’ve put your friends and me at the bottom of your massive to-do list.”
Emotion tightened her throat. “I haven’t put you last.”
He turned back to face her. His silence and the muscle twitching in his cheek indicated that he did not agree.
How had their marriage come to this? A standoff over a Thursday-night meeting.
“You know what? I’ll go without you. But you have to tell Wendy why you said no.”
“Mason, wait.”
“I need to get in the shower.” He left and strode down the hall.
She sank in her chair, propped her elbows on her desk, and buried her face in her hands. Why couldn’t he appreciate that she was working so hard to keep everyone happy? This was their seventh year of marriage, and they’d fought more in the last few months than they ever had in the six years prior.
Her phone chirped. A text message from Jerry, one of the long-time employees at the candy company, filled the screen.
Call me, please. The pulling machine just broke. We need to get a mechanic here ASAP.
“Seriously?” She blinked, then read the message again.
Failure of a crucial machine three weeks before Valentine’s Day could tank their first-quarter sales completely.
Her folks did not need another reason to entertain an offer to sell the company.
Thankfully, her strategy with Jovi had worked.
Sure, her sister hadn’t been involved in day-to-day operations since, well, ever.
But that didn’t mean Jovi wouldn’t be upset if they sold.
She’d responded exactly how Isabel hoped she would—by offering to get on a plane.