California Girl (8 page)
Authors: Sandra Edwards
Tags: #Literature & Fiction, #Romance, #Anthologies, #Contemporary, #New Adult & College, #Romantic Comedy, #90 Minutes (44-64 Pages), #Collections & Anthologies, #General Fiction
“And it’s just as heart-wrenching to lose it.” Gail tucked a blonde curl behind her ear.
Mary Beth leaned her head back on the cushioned chair and closed her eyes. “At least we still own a small portion and we’ve got creative license.”
“Sackett Industries was surprisingly fair,” Gail said.
“They know better than to change a winning recipe.” Mary Beth sat up and looked at Gail, sitting opposite her. “A year ago we were the new darlings on the block, with more business than we could handle, and now we don’t even have controlling interest in our own company. How did we let this happen?”
“Maybe we got too sure of ourselves,” Gail said. “We ignored those ‘flash and dash’ caterers when they breezed in with their glitzy Philadelphia style and edge.”
“Their food is terrible,” Mary Beth said. “Remember the roast beef at the Larson wedding? Ugh. And they use canned mushrooms. Here, so close to where they grow the best mushrooms in the country. But people don’t seem to notice.”
“Because they’re fooled by the pretty wrappings. Some people would rave over cardboard if it were wrapped fancy. Now with Sackett’s money and influence, we can give them glitter too. Only we have substance behind our packaging.”
“Sackett,” Mary Beth said in a low voice. Tom. Appealing. Dangerous. Her boss.
She tightened her jaw. “This is only a temporary situation. As soon as we can, we’ll buy back our business. I will not be dependent on any man, especially Tom Sackett.”
Gail put up a hand. “Don’t bite off my head. Since I’ve known you, you’ve had this thing about making your own way. You’ve scared off a lot of good men with your stubborn self-reliance. Maybe you should loosen up a little.”
“Never. Besides, I wouldn’t want a man I could intimidate.”
Gail’s mouth quirked into a grin. “Maybe you’ve met your match.”
“What do you mean?”
“Tom. He impressed me in the meeting. He’s strong, forceful, a take-charge kind of guy. And he’s fair. I like him.”
Mary Beth narrowed her eyes at Gail. “I told you what he did to me. He’s not the paragon of virtue you think.”
“He was eighteen. People grow up.”
“What would Pete say if he knew how outrageously you flirted with Tom?”
“Pete knows I love him. And I wasn’t flirting. I was just responding to a delicious hunk with a killer smile.”
A small kernel of jealousy opened in Mary Beth. So what if Gail found Tom attractive? She didn’t care what other women thought of him. She didn’t care about him in any way, except what he could do for her business.
“And you, my dear, sprouted green horns,” Gail said with a laugh.
“What?” Mary Beth bolted upright.
“Don’t act the innocent with me.” Gail’s eyes crinkled with amusement. “I wasn’t in the room two minutes when you asked about Joey. You wanted to be sure Tom knew I was married, and therefore unavailable.” With a smug look on her face, she crossed her arms.
“Joey is my godson. I’m concerned about him. And you brought up the subject of your husband.”
“I know you care about Joey,” Gail said. “But the way you blurted it out was a little obvious, although I don’t think Tom noticed. Men are clueless about those things.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Mary Beth shifted uncomfortably, wishing she could ignore the inner voice that screamed her friend was right.
Unable to sit still, Mary Beth jumped from the chair and stalked to the window. The truth of Gail’s words was hard to digest.
She rubbed her forehead as if she could erase the confusion tumbling around her mind. Tom meant nothing to her, nothing at all.
Pulling up one of the shades, she stared out. The street lamps cast a pale glow on the dusk-filled sidewalk. Like her life now—pale shadows with no clear definition.
Sirens cut the quiet, adding an edge and danger to the air. Tom was like the sirens. Dangerous. Ready to wreak havoc on her heart.
She was older and wiser now. She would never let him get close enough to hurt her again.
“Mary Beth?” Gail stood behind her. “I was just teasing. I didn’t realize Tom still meant something to you.”
She whirled around. “He means nothing more than a business arrangement. Tom Sackett may have supplied the ingredients to get our careers cooking again, but he has no other place in my life.”
“Okay.” Gail shrugged and a grin split her face. “Why are we acting like gloom and doom? We’re back in business. Give me a high five!”
Forcing a lighter mood, Mary Beth exchanged high fives with Gail. “Let’s toast with that champagne we’ve been saving. Those upstart caterers from Philadelphia may have stolen our customers, but we’re taking ours back, and theirs too. We’ll show this town what real cooks are made of.”
“Way to go,” Gail said. “With Sackett’s financing, we’ll be the toast of Wilmington and beyond. And we’ll make tons of money.”
Mary Beth followed her to the kitchen. “And we’ll buy our company back.” She would take care of herself. She wouldn’t end up like her mother.
<><><>
The traffic from Delaware into Pennsylvania was heavy for a Thursday evening. Tom rubbed his hand on the back of his neck to relieve his tense muscles.
He should have bought a house in Wilmington near the family. But after years of living in New York City, he wanted peace, solitude, country. The rolling hills of nearby Chadds Ford suited him perfectly.
How much peace would he have now that he’d seen Mary Beth Kendrick again? Cat Eyes. What would she do if she knew his secret name for her? He smiled. Probably slash his face.
She’d always been a spitfire. A red-haired dynamo with flashing green eyes and full, soft lips that begged him to kiss her.
Memories of kissing Mary Beth burned him. He tightened his grip on the steering wheel. Their kiss at the formal had been something else. Special. Hot with longing. Her passion, sweetness and wide-eyed trust had filled him with pride and a need to protect her and hold her close forever. He’d known before she said the words that she loved him.
And then the others ruined it. He hadn’t realized they were there, watching. He should have gone after her. But anger and disbelief had stunned him. Despite how hard he’d tried to overcome the barriers between them, she was so ready to believe the worst of him, and she’d fled before he’d had a chance to explain. The accusation and hurt in her eyes that night still haunted him.
Selfish fears had frozen him and he’d let her run away, out of his life. And then there was the accident. By the time his dad was out of danger, Mary Beth had disappeared.
He’d spent the past twelve years proving his worth to the world, to himself and to his family, making amends for the spoiled, arrogant, wild kid he’d once been.
But only one person’s opinion mattered now. He hadn’t realized Mary Beth still harbored such resentment. The fight would be harder than he’d anticipated, but he’d earn her respect and forgiveness.
Tom slammed on his brakes, almost colliding with the car in front. The other driver made a rude gesture. Tom frowned. He needed to concentrate on the road and not let thoughts of Mary Beth distract him.
He twisted his mouth in a wry smile. Hell, she’d been distracting him since the first time he saw her in the school hall when he was fourteen. He’d bumped into a door, mesmerized by her green cat eyes and her thick red braid, and that sexy body.
Long ago he’d thrown away any chance with her. He owned her company, but he’d never own her heart.
**I hope you enjoyed this preview of
A Catered Romance
. If you’d like to read the book in its entirety, please check Cara’s website at
www.CaraMarsi.com
for purchase info.**
Books by Sandra Edwards
Crazy For You
Incredible Dreams
Secondary Targets
Broken Wings (Soul Searchers: Book 1)
Vegas, Baby (Soul Searchers: Book 2)
Soul Searchers Omnibus
Staked (Time Brokers: Book 1)
Saving Katya
The Memory Bouquet
Trading Up
The Marriage Bargain
Coming Soon
Hot Commodity (Time Brokers: Book 2)
Desert Heat (Soul Searchers: Book 3)
The Lonely Hearts Club
Forever For You (Sequel to Crazy For You)
About Sandra Edwards
Sandra is an award-winning author of romance. She has eclectic tastes, penning tales in a variety of genres such as paranormal (mostly time travel and reincarnation), contemporary and suspense. Sandra’s books often push the envelope and step outside the boundaries of conventional romance. She lives in the U.S. (west coast) with her husband, two kids, four dogs and one very temperamental feline. For more info on Sandra's books, check out her website at www.SandraWrites.com or visit her fan page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SandraEdwards.Author.
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