by Cara Marsi
Gail threw her a knowing look. She ignored it. “We should get ready for the meeting.” Mary Beth opened one of the cabinets and pulled out a teak serving tray and several more mugs.
“Coffee smells good,” Gail said. “I’ll get the petit fours.”
Gail took the plate of dainty cakes from the refrigerator and set them on the counter in front of Tom. “I’m the pastry chef. Mary Beth couldn’t bake her way out of a burning oven, but the girl sure can cook.”
“Mary Beth always did everything well,” Tom said. “Her intelligence scared the hell out of me in school. So did her beauty.” His gaze, hot as a blue flame, locked with Mary Beth’s.
Uncomfortable under his scrutiny, she looked away. “There will be four of us at the meeting, right?” Trying to get her mind off Tom and the heat that swirled between them, she set mugs and a carafe on the tray. Keeping busy would also distract her from the overwhelming sadness and frustration that the business she had struggled to conceive and build might owe its survival to the man who’d mortally wounded her young heart.
She groaned inwardly. She was thinking like an over-dramatic teen again. Maybe Tom hadn’t mortally wounded her, but his betrayal had kept her from completely trusting any man despite the two serious relationships she’d had since him. No, she had to be honest—her father’s actions had peeled away her trust. Tom had merely pulverized what was left.
“How long have you two been partners?” Tom asked in a cool voice. Mary Beth glanced at him. The rigid set of his chiseled features gave no hint of the longing that had softened them a minute ago.
She let out her breath, convinced tension had her imagination working overtime. Tom didn’t care for her, had never cared for her.
She poured coffee into the carafe, concentrating on the steady stream of hot liquid and trying to ignore the small drips of hurt that seemed to burn her heart.
“To answer your question,” Gail said, “as my usually vocal partner seems to have lost her voice, we’ve been friends since college and attended the Culinary Institute together. Mary Beth opened the business two years ago and I bought in six months later.” She pushed the plate of pastries toward Tom. “Here, try one of these.”
Tom popped a small cake into his mouth. The surprised pleasure on his face made the women exchange grins.
“Wow!” He licked his lips.
His tongue gliding over his full lips made Mary Beth’s knees wobble like half-set gelatin. She gripped the counter for support and stared at Tom’s mouth. What would it be like to kiss him again?
Their eyes met. Awareness sizzled and crackled between them, charging the atmosphere liked downed power lines after a storm.
“Cakes are good, huh?” Gail said.
Mary Beth blinked, breaking the connection with Tom.
Seeming oblivious to the charged interplay between Tom and Mary Beth, Gail rearranged the cakes on the plate and continued talking. “My husband, Pete, gained ten pounds the first couple of months after I bought into the business. He was our official taster. He gave up the job and joined the gym.”
Bless Gail for rambling. Trying to get control over her emotions, Mary Beth fingered the gold chain at her neck, her last gift from her father, and her reminder to always guard her heart.
“Can I apply for the position of official taster?” Tom’s words teased, but his voice was husky and his gaze lingered on Mary Beth.
“We wouldn’t want you to ruin your manly physique,” Gail said.
Mary Beth’s gaze seemed to have a will of its own, attaching itself to Tom’s broad shoulders. The designer cut of his expensive suit couldn’t disguise the width of his chest or the barely leashed power of his muscles under the finely woven wool jacket and brushed cotton shirt. She swallowed as if she could somehow dilute the attraction she felt for him.
<><><>
“Well, that’s done.” Mary Beth put her feet on the oak coffee table in the reception area. With the pleated shades drawn, the only light came from the small lamp on the side table. The room reflected her mood, somber and shadowed. “I feel like I’ve signed away my firstborn.”
Gail sighed. “You’re the one who gave birth to this baby. Even though I’m just the foster mother, I feel bad.”
“When you bought in, you became an equal partner,” Mary Beth said. “You love this business as much as I do.”
“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.
CHAPTER TWO
“I can’t believe you bought a catering business.” Maureen Sackett DiMauro heaved her seven-months pregnant body out of the leather chair and rounded her desk to face Tom. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”
Tom gritted his teeth and prayed for patience. Maureen might be a foot shorter than he, but as older sister, she still liked to flex her authority “muscles.”
“I know what I’m doing, and calm down or you’ll have that baby right now,” he said.
“It’s my third pregnancy.” Maureen patted her stomach. “This fella’s not going anywhere for a while.”
She settled her deep blue gaze on Tom. “I’m AVP and I had to find out about your latest venture from my secretary. Have you at least told Dad?”
Tom rolled his eyes. “Of course Dad knows. I’m acquisitions director. He doesn’t interfere with my decisions. And you would have found out about it at the board meeting next week.”
Maureen waved her hand in the air. “You’re the prodigal son, returned to the fold. You can do no wrong as far as Dad’s concerned. Humor me. My hormones are surging. Explain how a catering business will benefit Sackett.”
“Sit down and I’ll tell you. You make me nervous, standing up in your condition.” Tom pushed her gently into one of the upholstered chairs in her office at Sackett Industries and perched on the desk, facing her.
Maureen folded her arms on her protruding stomach and narrowed her eyes. Her black hair swung softly around her face.
“You always look most beautiful when you’re pregnant,” Tom said. “Robert is a lucky man.”
“Don’t throw the charm at me. I’m immune. Start talking.” Despite her words, Maureen’s generous mouth tilted in a grin.
“An in-house caterer makes perfect sense.” Tom picked up a sterling silver pen from the desk and rolled it between his fingers, enjoying the cool smoothness of the metal. “We’ve got the monthly board meeting, the quarterly directors’ meeting. We’ll save money by having our own caterer plus earn Sackett a reputation as a class act.”
“But—”
He held up his hand, silencing her. “Hear me out. You and Robert entertain clients, as do Mom and Dad. I plan to do some business entertaining myself.” The picture of Mary Beth working in his kitchen, thick braid swinging and green eyes flashing, sped through his mind. He shifted uncomfortably and laid the pen on the desk. Sunlight bounced off the silver, making the pen seem to wink at him.
“That’s all well and good,” Maureen said. “But will Sackett make money from this deal? Is the business viable? Did you check it out?”
“I’m not a complete idiot, Maureen. I’m an officer in this organization. And a lawyer. Kendrick and Company has the potential to be the premier caterer in this area. The two owners have a solid business plan with a clear focus. They’re graduates of the Culinary Institute. I hear their food is exceptional.” He loosened his tie and smiled at her. “I know they make outstanding pastry.”
Maureen furrowed her brow. “Kendrick. That name sounds familiar.”
A knock sounded on the door. “Ms. DiMauro, can I interrupt for a minute?”
“Come in, Rose,” she called to her secretary.
“I’m sorry, but these letters have to be signed right away so I can get them out in today’s mail,” the middle-aged woman said, entering the office.
While Maureen reviewed the letters and conferred with her secretary, Tom strode to the large window that dominated the room. He stared outside to the pond filled with geese. The fowl were no doubt enjoying the spring sunshine. He envied them their oblivion. No beautiful redhead invaded their dreams at night, filling them with visions of what could never be.
His gaze wandered the rolling hills, pale green with new grass and dotted with pink - and white-blossomed dogwoods. Sackett Industries headquarters sprawled over fifty acres of prime suburban real estate. It felt good to be home. He’d made the right decision to come back and take his place in the family business. His parents needed him. The years had t
aken their toll on them. His dad’s limp, the result of the accident so long ago, seemed more pronounced every day.
His time away had taught him a lot, matured him. He had finally buried the shallow, privileged kid who just wanted to party. The kid who stood by, doing nothing, while others’ vicious words and actions hurt a friend.
His thoughts cut to the day before, at Kendrick and Company. Mary Beth. She had weathered the cruelty and kept her pride and dignity intact. Would he ever be worthy of her?
The office door closed softly. He heard Maureen fidgeting in her chair, but he continued to watch the geese swimming placidly. He wished his own life could be as calm, but seeing Mary Beth again had thrown him into a storm. He could never mean more to her than an unwanted business partner. Regret squeezed his heart.
“Of course!” Maureen exclaimed. “There was a Mary Beth Kendrick in your class at St. Anselm’s. Is it her company?”
Tom turned to his sister. “She’s one of the owners.”
Maureen tapped her bottom lip with her finger. “I remember her. Pretty little thing. Red hair. Always wore it in a braid. Didn’t she tutor you?”
“Junior year English,” he said. “I partied too much and my grades slipped. She helped me.” Self-loathing roiled his stomach. And I let her down.
“She was so intense,” Maureen said. “I never saw her smile.”
“Then you missed something special. Mary Beth’s smile lights up the world. There is no one quite like her.”
Maureen’s eyes widened. “You’re in love with her.”
Tom tensed. “Don’t be ridiculous. She’s just an old friend who needs help.” He let out his breath. “Besides, she hates my guts.”
“I doubt she hates you. I knew there had to be more to this catering deal.” She patted her stomach. “The last two months of a pregnancy are usually so tedious, but this is going to be fun.”
“Fun? What are you talking about?”
Maureen grinned. “There’s Mary Beth. Just an old friend, you say, which I don’t believe for a minute. And Taylor Bennett’s back in town.”
Tom groaned. “Taylor? I thought she lived in Princeton. And Mary Beth and I are business partners, nothing more.”
