Whiskey and Gumdrops: A Blueberry Springs Chick Lit Contemporary Romance

by Jean Oram

  He pointed to the back area he'd chalked out. "This will be for your office, storage and prep. Not big, but sufficient, and I'm guessing by the way you put yourself together, staying organized won't be an issue." He glanced at her outfit again. "You can dress up anything and make it look absolutely gorgeous."

  She frowned, unsure why she was displeased with the comment.

  He marked off more areas for fridges, freezers, the 'creation counter,' which was where the 'creators' made the subs, wraps, and pitas. Hands on his hips, he looked at the unmarked space at the front of the shop. "The rest is dining."

  Mandy chewed her bottom lip, trying not to feel disappointed. There wasn't much space for people to sit and relax. And no space for her coffee bar, where people could pull up a stool and have a coffee and dessert. Set up like this, it wasn't going to be a comfy place for folks to spend their mornings chewing the fat and talking about the weather. It would be a get in, get fed and get out kind of place.

  "This will work well," he said, hands on his hips. "You don't want anything bigger in a town this size or it'll look perpetually empty. You want it to look occupied so it entices more people to come in, but not be so comfortable that people stay to socialize after their meal."

  Oh, dear lord, please tell her he was joking.

  Seth nudged Mandy in the arm. "Check this out." He grabbed his binder off the couch and flipped to a page of figures that showed the benefits of buying food with the chains' bulk ordering discount. "There are some genuine benefits of joining a chain."

  Mandy blinked at the numbers, not quite ready to believe them. She plunked down on the couch, sending up a cloud of dust that made her sneeze, as well as a slight fishy aroma. No wonder the couch was in the alley. "Can I get a copy of this?"

  Seth pulled the binder from her hands with a smile. "Don't worry. You'll get a whole package with everything you need to know on how to run this place after the papers are in order. Besides, I take care of everything from suppliers to accounting so you can relax and do what you do best—deal with the customers."

  Mandy nodded. "You're the one with the successful chain and the fancy SUV!"

  Seth grinned. "I think Blueberry Springs is going to love our homemade buns and healthy food."

  Through the window, she watched Beth help her grandmother into the hair salon and Mandy slowly shook her head. "I don't know, Seth. You send the frozen dough already made, formed, and risen to me, right?" She crossed her arms. "I pop them in an oven, which thaws and bakes them and then I say it's fresh and homemade made like Grandma's?" Yeah, that was going to fly in Blueberry Springs about as well as a helicopter without gas.

  "It's a cost-efficient way to have a reliable, uniform product across the chains. It's easier and cheaper for you and tastes great. People won't know the difference."

  Mandy tried to think positively, despite feeling as though she was going to be washing rotten tomatoes off her store's windows if she had to hang posters claiming her buns were homemade like Grandma's. Her own grandmother would be the one throwing the first tomato. Her buns had won at the fall fair more times than Mandy's brownies.

  Seth sighed. "Mandy, must I remind you that a chain isn't perfect? It's an efficient way to make money. You have a much better chance of making it with a chain than you do starting your own place from scratch. There will be compromises." He gave her arm a squeeze. "You'll be surprised what customers are willing to accept for a reasonable price. And that's what you told me—you want a healthy alternative for customers who don't want to spend a lot when eating out."

  Mandy nodded her head. "You're right." It didn't matter what she thought or felt in her gut, he had stats to prove his gut was the one to follow.

  * * *

  "So you want the building now?" Frankie asked, leaning against the parts counter. "To go with that guy?"

  Mandy nodded, cringing at Frankie's hesitation. "I thought we settled this? I would lean on someone with the business know-how and with enough cash that he'd be okay if I failed." She watched Frankie's expression. "I thought we were good. I got a start-up loan from the franchise, my permits are in order, I've paid my deposit, and signed my letter of intent. I'm ready to sign the contract with John this afternoon. All I need is to lease your building like we agreed." She bit her bottom lip and waited. If Frankie pulled out now...

  Frankie pushed away from the counter, and Heart, who had collapsed at Mandy's feet when he figured out she didn't have a tennis ball on her, got up to follow his owner.

  Frankie grimaced and rolled his right shoulder.

  "What did you do to your shoulder?"

  "Nothing," Frankie muttered.

  "Couple a weeks ago at the derby," Dodger added from his spot at the order desk. "Totally got slammed by Rex in the final round."

  "What?" Mandy whirled to face Frankie. "Why didn't you tell me?"

  Frankie gave a half shrug, eyes to the side.

  "Did you see a doctor?" she asked. Probably not. He was Mr. Invincible Daredevil, after all.

  "Said it'll heal."

  "Jesus, Frankie." Mandy stepped toward Frankie, her heart doing a crazy polka while her mind flitted through worst-case scenarios. Why hadn't he told her about it? Sure, she was crazy busy getting this franchise thing sorted, but holy hell. They were supposed to be best friends.

  "It's just bruised and needs time."

  "He's quitting derby," Dodger said from his station, jabbing a thumb in Frankie's direction.

  "For real?" Mandy asked, spinning to face Dodger and his grimy eyeglasses. She tried not to sound too excited. Especially since Frankie quitting wouldn't change anything other than her being able to sleep better at night.

  "Says it's not worth it," added Dodger.

  "Mind your own business," Frankie muttered.

  Mandy focused on Frankie and the way the corners of his lips were softly turned down. "Not worth it, how?"

  "It's a lot of work."

  "Just to smash it all up!" chirped Dodger. "That's what he told me."

  Mandy nodded. So the man was finally thinking with the right head. Nice.

  "Look, Dodger," Frankie snapped, face red. "It's more than that. I'm losing clients." He rolled his shoulder, bracing it with his opposite hand. "I can't sand and paint the Charger now. I've had to subcontract it out." He met Mandy's eye and with a calm, level voice, said resolutely, "Derby is keeping me from the things I really want in life and someone wise once told me it's nothing more than a big pissing match."

  Mandy's knees felt like someone had butted into them from behind and she gripped the counter to steady herself. Frankie pushed the key to his building into her hand, muttering that a deal was a deal, even if she had her head up her ass and there was no way she was paying him for using the place, seeing as he'd beat her around the track fair and square and he was a man who kept his word. She stared at the key, feeling as though it was the key to so much more than an old building.

  * * *

  Mandy slipped into John's warm office, eager to get the franchise agreement signed before her period of exclusivity ended. She took the last swig of coffee from her insulated cup and gave herself a little nod. Caffeinated and ready to burn through a big ol' stack of legal documents.

  Right-o.

  Liz, John's part-time secretary, greeted Mandy from behind her desk. "You can go ahead in," she said. She pointed to the coffee pot full of dark sludge that could burn a hole through anything it touched. "Grab a coffee on your way by, hon."

  Mandy grinned and waggled her cup. "Brought my own, thanks!" She could never figure out how Liz had ended up working here. As one of the town's best gossips, it made sense that she also worked for the local paper as a reporter, but definitely not in a legal office where she had to keep all its comings and goings under her hat. But either way, Mandy liked the idea of Liz having to hold her tongue once in awhile.

  John closed his office door behind Mandy and, nodding to her insulated cup, whispered, "I always knew you were a smart gal." In a louder
voice, he added, "How are you doing?"

  "Great. What did you think of that contract?" Settled at John's big table that served as a desk, she rubbed her hands together. "Any chance we can sign that thing today and get me in business?"

  "Oh, no," he said with a frown. "Contracts are a compromise. You need to engage in some back and forth before you sign something as big as this. You need to individualize this to your needs and the uniqueness of your location."

  Mandy felt the smile slide off her face. John, who was a bit older than her father, was supposed to be the kind of guy who just went ahead and got shit done. Not...whatever this was.

  "I can't get over what a young lady you are now," he said. "I remember when Marisa used to babysit you and your fully energized brothers."

  Mandy smiled politely and waited for him to pick up the giant stack of papers in front of him, but he left them untouched. "How are things at the restaurant? Is Gloria still fussing over Amber being single?"

  "Last I heard, she's found someone in the city. Some newscaster or something." Mandy waved her hand. She was paying him by the hour, and had no intention of wasting time filling him in on the latest gossip. Besides, hadn't he already heard it and its many variations from Liz? She needed to get this contract up to snuff and signed before someone else swooped into her region with a Wrap it Up.

  "Really?" John's eyebrows lifted in interest and Mandy tried not to roll her eyes. What was it about people reaching a certain age and suddenly wanting all the kids to hook up? "That's wonderful. Is he a nice man?"

  "I dunno." She pulled her own papers from her shoulder bag and set them on the table. "So? What did you think of the contract? What kind of changes do you think we need to make?"

  John pulled the agreement out of the stack beside him. "I have a few suggestions. Have you read it?"

  Mandy nodded. It had taken her hours upon brain-draining hours to read through the thick stack of legalese with all its conditions of ownership, regulations, amendments, fees, etcetera. She'd had to take oodles of notes and had gone to bed with legal terms swirling in her head like cookie dough in a mixer. Only not nearly as sweet.

  "Any questions before we go through it page by page?"

  Holy hell. Page by freaking page? This was going to take all afternoon and would surely turn her brain into a thick and fuzzy caterpillar that wouldn't be able to hold a customer's order for the time it took for her to pass it on to the kitchen. "How long do you think this will take? I have a shift at four."

  "Well..." John plunked reading glasses on the bridge of his nose and glanced at what looked to be pages of notes. Mandy swallowed hard. This was going to cost her a friggin' fortune. "There is a lot to discuss." He looked over his glasses at her, his light blue eyes serious. "I'd say at least two or three hours."

  "Shit," she muttered under her breath. What was she paying him for if she couldn't just pop in, ask him a few questions about convoluted clauses, and then breeze back out again? Wasn't it his job to read it and fix it and then have her sign wherever?

  "Why don't we see how far we get and anything we don't get to, we can do tomorrow. It might be good to take a break part way through and mull things over before signing or sending amendment requests for some of the clauses. This is a pretty big contract and I don't want you to sign anything until you're one-hundred percent certain it's going to work for you."

  Chills ran up Mandy's spine. "What do you mean? Is there a problem with the contract? My period of exclusivity ends tomorrow at midnight." There wasn't time to be fussy and idealistic.

  John's brow furrowed. "Will you lose your deposit if this isn't signed by then?

  "Someone else can snap up the region."

  "Okay." He turned back to the document as though they had tons of time. "I wasn't sure what was standard in these types of contracts, but I talked to a lawyer in the city who deals with franchise contracts all the time and he said most of it is, but there were a few clauses we both felt might not be in your best interest."

  Cold dread swept through Mandy. He'd had to consult another lawyer? Was she going to have two legal bills? She could barely afford to pay John, even with the extra loan from Seth. She clenched her cold hands together and tried to relax.

  "So, um...am I paying this other lawyer, too?" She'd naively thought a lawyer was a lawyer and you just signed the damn contract when they pointed to the right line.

  "No, no. That's all covered in my costs. Lawyers often consult on different things. All it costs you is my time." He smiled warmly.

  Great. She had to pay for him to ask someone something she'd assumed he'd already known.

  "Mandy," he said quietly, "it's normal for lawyers to consult each other."

  "What? No that's fine," she said quickly. "I'm glad you talked to an...expert."

  "If it makes you feel any better, he charges a lot more per hour than I do so you still come out ahead. His expertise at my price."

  "Right. Of course. Very nice." Her mother's soap operas were starting to look like a fine way to spend her down time.

  He raised his bushy eyebrows at her. "Shall I proceed?"

  She wanted to say no and walk out, but she nodded and pushed all doubts from her mind. She was paying for every word out of his mouth right now, so the sooner he got specific, the better. "Let's go." Her hands clenched the armrests and refused to let go. She glanced at the walls, seeking a clock.

  Oh, very clever, John. No clocks. Just soothing prints of whales in the ocean. Of course he didn't want her to know what time it was. This was like bringing someone a full course meal and not telling them what the final bill was going to be, just giving them an estimate, which could be off by a whole heck of a lot.

  She slowed her breathing, reminding herself this was a business expense that had been calculated into her budget. This was what business people did.

  "John?"

  John's pen, which had been tapping its way down the page as he highlighted his biggest concerns with the contract, from her having to lease the equipment to the size and amount of signage she would have to pay for, paused as he looked up. "Yes?"

  "Nothing." She shook off the doubts.

  John continued down his list as though there hadn't been an interruption. "You don't get to price around for your supplies, but I hear that's normal. And the franchise fees seem a tad high. We might be able to knock them down, even though they do offer a fair amount of support. They seem to have an overinflated marketing plan, which could kill your initial cash flow—"

  "Wait. You saw the marketing plan? I haven't even seen that."

  "Liz!" John called through the closed door. It popped open in a matter of seconds.

  "Yes, John?"

  John handed her a thick document. "Be a doll and copy this for Mandy, would you?"

  Liz vanished with the document, looking slightly disappointed.

  John returned his attention to his list. "What if you get sick? Can you afford insurance?" He looked over his glasses at her. "Have you looked into permits, registration, benefits and taxation?" Another look made her want to shrink in her chair. There were so many things to apply for, so many things she hadn't thought of or had merely skim-researched that it was all turning into a big jumble of knotted yarn in her mind. "Will you be the manager as well as the owner? Will they provide adequate training? Is Frankie okay with you modifying his building and do you pay for those costs or does he, as the building owner?"

  "Um..."

  John made a note on a fresh notepad and all Mandy could think was that she was paying for that notepad and he'd better take it easy.

  "If you need any lease documents witnessed or anything notarized, I can do that for you."

  "Thanks." Geez. Why didn't he just follow her around for the next few weeks and find more jobs for himself?

  "Furthermore," John said, and Mandy had to suppress a stressed laugh. He was starting to sound like the damn documents. "What happens if they don't allow you to renew your franchise license? And what about this o
pen loan he's offering? What about parking? We're going to need to request some bylaw exceptions or changes. There's a lot to consider here, Mandy." He swept the glasses off his nose and gave her a serious look. "Are you prepared to take on all of this?" He sized her up, assessing her fortitude as he had back when he'd coached her soccer team. Only in soccer, she had been certain of her limits and skills. But right now? She had no clue. Was she in over her head?

  Probably.

  Could she handle it?

  Not a clue.

  But she wanted it. Bad. And when she wanted something, she usually got it. One way or another.

  She had a fortitude that could blast through walls. And right now, nothing was holding her back, other than figuring out a ton of monetary and business details.

  "John," she said, leaning forward. "Just tell me if there's anything in here that's going to sink me, because otherwise I'm going to just sign this damn thing and get myself in business."

  He sat forward and plucked the pen from her grasp. "There's always room to negotiate in a contract. Tell me what you want and I'll protect your ass like Attila the Hun."

  Chapter 10

  Mandy stepped out of Benny's to cool off in the fresh spring air. Her uniform was sticking to her after working the busier-than-usual breakfast shift. Jen had a big excursion today and obviously, none of her clients had eaten before hitting the road to come enjoy nature—which probably said a lot about the kind of lunches they'd packed. They probably expected to paddle up to a McDonald's when they got hungry.

  And of course, because they had to be at Wally's Sporting Goods by eight-thirty to meet up with Jen, they were in a rush, pissing off all the locals who wanted their usual breakfasts at the usual time and at their usual tables. And making Mandy—who hadn't broken a sweat waitressing since Benny's air conditioner broke during a heat wave three years ago—ended up hustling so bad, she was now a gross mess. But also up an extra fifty dollars in tips compared to a typical Saturday morning. Not bad. She just needed to do that an extra couple hundred times to meet the little gap in her finances. Every time she turned around, there was a financial complication or more paperwork or another fee keeping her at a frustratingly long arm's length from her dream.