Authors: Samantha Chase
“Emma, let me explain…”
She held up her hands to stop him. “There’s nothing left you can say. I think you’ll understand if I don’t give two week’s notice.”
William knew at that point that he’d lost.
Everything.
“I’ll make sure that Rose is up to date on what I was working on and then I’ll be leaving.”
“You don’t have to quit, Emma. Take a few days to calm down and then we can talk.”
“It won’t make a difference. But I have one request, Sir,” she said boldly.
William cringed at the title she’d always called him by. He hated the formality and he hated the stiffness in her spine and the fact that he was responsible for putting it there. “Anything.”
“This conversation that we’re having? You are not to share it with Lucas. This is between you and me. He has enough issues with you right now and I don’t need to be any more a part of them than I already am.”
“I really wish you’d reconsider…”
Emma smiled sadly. “You know, I once told Lucas how much I respected you and felt like I owed you so much because you took a chance on me when you promoted me to be your assistant. But now? I can
’t trust you. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to look at you and not remember what it is that you cost me.”
“And what was that?” he asked quietly.
“The chance at a life with the man that I love.” And then she was gone.
The h
olidays had proven to be a great distraction but as Emma stood in her kitchen in early January, she wasn’t sure what was going to distract her now. It had been over a month since her departure from Montgomery’s. The awkward situation had only been prolonged due to the issue with her car. She’d been on the verge of calling for a cab when Jason Montgomery had quietly taken the phone from her and offered to take her to pick her car up. As much as she wasn’t feeling too kindly toward any of the Montgomery’s, Jason had played no part in what had gone wrong.
He’d been the perfect gentleman on the two hour drive and made sure that he steered clear of any talk of business or of his family; he’d been content to talk about her plans for Christmas and New Year’s and then about their mutual interest
in books. All in all, what should have made her feel better, only stood to make Emma feel worse. She really had loved the Montgomery’s and knew that, in time, if Lucas had only given her the chance, she would have fit in with them better than she ever had with her own family.
Damn him.
The thought of job hunting over the holidays had not been appealing and Emma silently was thankful for the severance pay that had appeared in her bank account. She’d wanted to decline it and tell William Montgomery what he could do with his money, but it had allowed her the time she needed to just wallow in her own misery until she was ready to look for work.
Luckily, the week before Christmas, a fairly perfect job had opened up; as if it was created just for her. Her favorite bakery was looking for help. Emma only found out about it because she was craving brownies but didn’t want to be bothered making them herself.
The small bakery was a family owned business and Emma had frequented it enough that she knew the owners well. They had discussed baking techniques from time to time and so when the holiday orders were becoming too much for them to handle and Emma had walked in on her brownie quest, they had asked her if she’d consider helping them out.
It was a godsend.
The crowds had been plenty and the work kept her so busy that most days she came home too exhausted to think. But now with the busy season over, Emma was certain that it was time for her to move on and find a more permanent position. The thought made her sad because as much as she enjoyed working in the corporate world, baking was really a passion for her; one that she was more firmly finding now that she had the time to dedicate to it. Maybe it was time to change careers?
As much as that thought appealed to her, she couldn’t afford to live on a part time
baker’s salary. Maybe she should look into a business loan and starting her own bakery? Then she thought of her bosses and realized she’d be their competition and didn’t want to do that to them.
Sighing wearily, Emma realized she was back to square one. What to do?
“Emma? Would you mind watching the front for a little while so I can go to the bank?” her boss, Mrs. Dupre asked.
“Of course,” Emma replied with a sincere smile. Straightening her apron, she walked out to the front of the bakery and came to a dead stop.
“Emma? Is that you?”
“How are you, Mrs. Montgomery?” Maybe the floor would open up and swallow her right now, Emma thought. She hated the thought of any of the Montgomery’s looking down on her career right now and acting smug, like leaving their company had been a mistake for her.
“Oh, I’m doing fine. Sort of…”
“What can I help you with? We have some fresh from the oven muffins over here,” Emma said brightly, indicating the shelf with the oversized muffins.
“Actually, what I need is enough dessert for say…two hundred people.”
“What?” Emma gaped.
“Well, next month is mine and William’s thirty-fifth wedding anniversary. We’re having a big party at the country club but I absolutely detest their desserts. I’ve made an arrangement with them that we can bring in our own dessert caterer but I’m having a hard time finding one that makes the things that we want.”
“Okay,” Emma said, forcing the cheeriness into her voice. “Why don’t you tell me what you’re looking for and we can arrange a tasting for you to see if we can meet your needs.”
Monica Montgomery looked at her with a combination of love and gratitude. “Actually, Emma, it’s no accident that I’m here. Rose mentioned to me that you were here and I want you to do the desserts. You know how I have always loved all of the goodies you’ve made for me over the years and that’s what I want.”
“I…I can’t do that. You have to understand,” she stammered.
Monica waved away whatever it was that Emma was going to say. “Emma, I may not look like much but having raised three boys has taught me a thing or two about being firm. For starters, Margaret Dupre and I have been friends for ages. I always come here for baked goods and I always told her about how wonderful the things you made for me were. I wasn’t the least bit surprised to find you working here.”
Emma nodded but was unsure of what to say.
“I already talked to Margaret about my plans and she suggested you for the job mainly because she knew that you’d be good at it.”
“I’m not going to take her customers from her; if you’ve come here for years, why hire me?”
“Oh, Emma,” she said wearily, “you have created quite a hole in our lives. I don’t think any of us realized just how big of a part of our family you were until you weren’t there. William just didn’t lose an assistant, he lost a friend. And I lost my brownie supplier,” she laughed and Emma couldn’t help but join in.
“I know that you think things may be…awkward if you do this party for me but I can guarantee you that I am the only Montgomery that you will have to see. You and I will work on the menu and you’ll bring everything in before anyone arrives at the club. Please say yes, Emma. I would really appreciate your help with this. I trust you to help make this party special.”
How was Emma supposed to say no to that? There was a war waging within her and as much as she wanted to say yes, to give herself a shot at not only helping someone who had always been kind to her but to take that first step toward changing her career, she just couldn’t do it.
“I’m sorry, I really am, but I just can’t. I’m…I’m just not ready to take that chance on seeing…”
“Lucas?”
Emma nodded and cursed the tears that were beginning to well up. “I know that you said that I’d get in and out of there before I’d have to see anyone but I just can’t take that chance.” She looked up at the older woman and smiled sadly. “I’m not ready to take that kind of risk.”
Monica looked at Emma and her heart broke. Her family had done this to her. The once vibrant and joyful young woman was now emotionally devastated and it was all her son’s and husband’s fault. She wanted to smack them both right now.
“Emma, tell me what I can do? How can I make this right?”
Swiping a stray tear away, Emma cleared her throat before she could speak. “I wish there was something that you could do, I really do. But this is just the way that it has to be.”
Shaking her head, Monica
refused to admit defeat. “No, I don’t accept that. I’m going to be a bit of a brat right now and say what should have been said a long time ago.” Squaring her shoulders, she looked Emma in the eye. “I’m not going to make excuses for my husband or for Lucas; that’s not my place. In this whole rotten situation, you were the victim. I know Lucas likes to play that part but this time he’s out of luck. I was furious when I found out what happened when Lucas confronted the both of you and as much as it pains me, he hasn’t come home since.”
“Oh, no…” Emma gasped. “Surely you saw him for Christmas?”
The older woman shook her head. “Not a phone call or a card.”
“That’s horrible! Dammit,” she said with disgust, “I cannot believe that he would do that to you!”
A laugh escaped before Monica could stop it. “To me? Sweetheart, I didn’t extend those to him either. I’m appalled by his behavior and I’m tired of tippy-toeing around him. He’s a grown man and it’s time he took some responsibility for his actions. To that end I can say with great certainty that Lucas will
not
be at this party.”
“No! He’s your son! Surely you’ll make up by the time the party comes around.”
“It’s doubtful and you know what? There’s a lot less tension with Lucas back in hiding. For far too long this whole family has been on edge trying to not do or say anything that would upset him and you know what? I’m tired of it. He’s my son and I love him but for two years we’ve all made him the focus of everything and it’s time to move on to something else. William and I have had thirty-five wonderful years of marriage and as much as I’d like to stay mad at him, I can’t. I want this party; I deserve this party and I am going to have this party no matter what!”
Emma couldn’t help but smile. “Good for you.”
“That being said, young lady, you are the only one that I want to do the desserts. You don’t have to worry about Lucas; there isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell of him making an appearance. You will most likely risk seeing William but I think that between the two he is the lesser threat to your well-being.” She leaned forward and took Emma’s hand. “You have no reason to be in hiding, Emma. If anything, you should walk into that club with your head held high that you stood up for what was right and refused to be a part of this ridiculous game.”
As far as pep talks went it was a good one. Emma chewed her bottom lip as she thought about it. “I don’t know that I can do all of the baking; my kitchen isn’t big enough.”
“Use this one.” They both turned and saw Margaret Dupre standing behind the counter. She walked toward them and smiled. “Emma, you have a passion for baking and the energy to make it happen. I’m getting to the point where it’s just a chore to me. Monica knows what she wants and you can make her party perfect. Use the kitchen here. I really don’t mind.”
“But…but…” Emma stammered looking from one woman to the next. “It just feels wrong to use your facility for this. I can pay you for the time!” she suggested but Margaret just waved her off.
“You want to know how you can pay me?” Margaret asked. “Do a fantastic job and promise me that when you are ready to admit that you want to do this full-time that you’ll let me know because I can’t think of anyone better to take over this business for me.”
Emma’s heart was beating so wildly that she thought she was surely going to pass out. “Are you serious? I didn’t even know that you wanted out!”
“I’ve been toying with it for a while but I didn’t want to get serious about it until I found the perfect person that was going to love it like I once did. You can do that, Emma. You have a gift and the customer’s love you. Do this party for the Montgomery’s and get the word out that you’re opening your own place. The place will be packed with customers like it used to be.”
She didn’t know what to say. It was all too much.
It wasn’t every day that you got handed what you wanted without really trying. It was too good of an opportunity to pass up. She could handle seeing William and the threat of Lucas was gone. Emma turned to Monica Montgomery and smiled widely. “I’ll do it!”
****
The weeks that followed were the kind that Emma thrived on. She was learning the business of running a bakery while meeting with new clients on catering special events. The Montgomery’s anniversary party was her first priority and she was pleased with the progress they were making.
Besides a traditional yet customized cake that would be their centerpiece,
Monica had requested at least a dozen different kinds of cakes, cookies and pastries for her guests to enjoy. They had met several times to finalize the menu and Emma was thrilled with what they had decided upon. From cheesecake bites to truffles and gourmet cupcakes, Emma was certain that her desserts were going to be a definite hit with the guests.