𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 21

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“Dude, you’re in my light.” Spencer slanted Tyler an exasperated frown.

Tyler couldn’t help it. He was almost jittery with anticipation.

Spencer’s work in the lab had always seemed mystical to him—like his brother was some sort of wizard with his formulas and potions—but watching him recreate historic Candy King recipes had been downright cool.

Spencer had walked Tyler through the processes of roasting and winnowing the cocoa beans, then grinding them into chocolate. Then he showed Tyler how to use the tempering machine, which formed the chocolate into bars.

He leaned closer to watch Spencer pull the chocolate from the candy mold. Shiny and a rich, earthy brown, the rough-hewn block almost glowed under the light.

“Is it staying together?” he asked.

“So far so good. And no mutton suet needed.” Spencer extended his gloved hand to show Tyler the finished lump of chocolate. “Pure chocolate with only sugar, salt, and spices.”

Tyler picked up a knife and broke two pieces off the block. He handed one to his brother before taking a bite. Though grainier in texture than modern chocolate due to the traditional process of stone-grinding, the chocolate was pretty good—semisweet with hints of pepper, nutmeg, and cinnamon.

“I think we got it.” Spencer took another bite. “The brittleness is a result of the manufacturing technique. This kind of chocolate would probably have been grated and melted into milk to make hot cocoa. There’s another recipe that includes musk, ambergris, and pistachios. I’m going to work on that next. After I figure out if musk and ambergris are even food safe.”

“What about the Gold Rush bar?” Tyler asked.

“It’s a more recent recipe, so it’s smoother and sweeter. As close to the original as we can get.”

Tyler broke another piece of chocolate off the block. “And the other candy recipes?”

“The honey candy isn’t too different from what we’ve done recently,” Spencer mused. “I’d like to give the lollipops a try, though based on the formula I think they might be too soft.”

“They were supposed to be,” Tyler said. “Edward King sold them in food carts on the street, and he put them on sticks because it was more convenient for people to eat on the go. So the candy itself had to be soft so it would be easier to fit onto the stick.”

Spencer’s eyebrows lifted. “Sounds like you’re doing more than just shuffling books in the library. Good for you.”

“It’s neat, this whole history thing,” Tyler said. “I never knew King Confectioners sold chocolates and candy that we don’t even make anymore. Don’t you think that stuff is an important part of the company’s heritage?”

“Well, sure, but times change,” Spencer said. “Maybe they didn’t sell, or there was a problem with suppliers and the company had to cut back.”

“Still, we have all the recipes.” Tyler spread out his hand to indicate the digitized pages he’d given his brother. “Cream candy, molasses candy, vinegar candy. How many of them do you think you could recreate?”

“As many as we want.” Spencer shook his head, amusement lighting his eyes. “Man, I’ve never seen you so into anything that didn’t have big tits and long legs. What’s going on with you?”

Tyler was too excited to be insulted. He and Kate had come up with a big idea that could be even bigger, if he could get his brothers on board. And why wouldn’t they want to be? This was King Confectioners and Candy King’s history all bundled up with shiny gold foil and ribbons.

“Text me when you finish the bar and the truffles,” he told his brother. “When do you think you’ll have them ready for tasting?”

“Soon as I can, man.” Spencer still looked amused. “I’ll let you know.”

“Thanks.”

Tyler left the lab and hurried across the campus. He was eager to get back to the library and see what else he could find about the King Confectioners’ recipes.

As he approached the Gumdrop Bistro, the door opened. His father and Julia stepped out, their heads bent in conversation. With Warren in his tailored suit and tie patterned with candy hearts and Julia in a navy sheath dress, they looked like they should be holding court.

Julia saw him first and came to a stop. “Tyler, I sent you an email about a fundraiser for the Cocoa Bean Team. Don’t forget to reply.”

“I won’t. Hey, thanks for helping Kate out. She looks great. I mean, she always looked great, but she’s been wanting to get new clothes.”

Julia blinked, as if she couldn’t fathom why he was thanking her. “You know Kate?”

“Sure.” Suddenly realizing he should have been less obvious, Tyler shrugged. “I mean, she’s helping with the tech stuff at the library.”

“She’s invaluable,” Warren said. “Josh is lucky to have found her.”

So was Tyler, but he wasn’t about to confess that to his father and aunt. He switched the topic so he didn’t inadvertently say something else to give himself away.

“We’re well into getting the library resources installed in the system,” he said. “And we’re initiating proper handling procedures as well. Nothing has been stored right, but we’re fixing it all now.”

“Good.” Warren nodded, a pleased gleam appearing in his eyes. “You seem to be doing well, Tyler. We’ll get together this weekend, and I’ll give you a check for your work so far. You can bring it over to Sam Corrigan, both as a first payment and a good faith gesture.”

The reminder of why he was working at the library didn’t bother Tyler nearly as much as it once would have. Yeah, he was being punished, but he deserved it. He’d fucked up. But he was fixing his fuck-up.

Though it would take him months to make all his payments, he was starting to find comfort in having a plan. He’d never had a plan before. For the first time in his life, he knew where he’d be tomorrow and the next day. The schedule didn’t seem as confining as it did predictable.

And of course, there was always Kate.

“I’ll text you,” he told his father before moving past them into the bistro. “Hey, I also need to talk to you and Josh about digitizing the collection, especially the old recipes and handwritten journals. It would be great to have everything stored in a centralized database so anyone can access it.”

Julia and Warren exchanged bemused glances.

“That’s a great idea,” Warren said. “We’ll talk about it this weekend.”

And Tyler would be ready. He’d learned more about digital collections in the past week than he’d known his entire life.

He ordered two smoothies, then headed back to the library to both work and wait for Kate.

*

“So ultimately data analysis drives decision-making.” Miles sliced a cherry tomato with his knife and slipped half of it into his mouth. “But first the company has to improve key metrics to reach its strategic objectives.”

Kate nodded in agreement, though she was only half-listening. Miles ate the way she’d imagined he would—with careful precision and neatness. Not like Tyler, who dived into his food with ravenous pleasure, wolfing down bites and licking his fingers as if he’d never be able to satisfy his appetite.

He fucked the same way. Greedy, hungry, messy. Delicious.

She shivered.

“Are you cold?” Miles glanced up at the clear blue sky. “We can move more into the sun, if you’d like.”

“I’m fine, thank you.” Kate poked at her salad with her fork. “So have you seen any good movies lately?”

“Yes, I saw an excellent independent film at the San Francisco film festival last week.” He patted his lips with his napkin and reached for his bottle of vitamin water. “It was by the German director Reinhold Werner Hollister, and it was a very provocative attack on the gestalt of German cinema.”

Was Tyler in the library right now? Maybe he was grooving to “Hot Chocolate.” She pictured his hips gyrating, his muscular body moving with easy fluidity…

Miles was still talking. Kate snapped her attention back to him. Gestalt.That was important, relevant stuff right there. Much more cultured than ’70s disco music. She was enormously interested in topics like gestalt and zeitgeist.

“That sounds great,” she said, half-wondering if she should get more dressing for her Chinese chicken salad. “What other films were at the festival?”

Miles went on about a few more movies from Russian and Spanish directors. Kate was glad that he didn’t seem to notice she wasn’t participating in the conversation very much.

When he started talking about the conceptual framework of modern cinema, she discreetly reached into her jacket for her cell phone to check the time. Her fingers touched the empty holster. She’d forgotten her cell phone. She never forgot her cell phone.

“Miles, I’m sorry.” She gave an apologetic smile and rose to her feet. “It seems I’ve forgotten my phone. I should get back to my desk and check in with Josh.”

“Oh, okay.” He squinted at her. “This was a pleasure. Thank you for joining me.”

“Thank you for asking me.”

He stood respectfully as she collected her tray and crumpled napkin. Manners, indeed. Though for all his party-boy reputation, Tyler had manners too. He always opened doors for her, stepped aside to let her precede him, and made sure she came first.

Kate choked back a laugh. She had to stop comparing the two men. It was like comparing day and…quiche. The bright, blazing sun of Tyler King and the pleasant, if a bit bland, taste of Miles.

Her stomach twisted as she walked away. Much as she loved being warmed in Tyler’s presence, she was fair-skinned and always ended up burning if she stayed in the sun too long. She wasn’t an outdoorsy type anyway, what with all the bugs and mosquitos. Not to mention, she didn’t dance, didn’t eat junk food, and she held a high-level, respectable position in an enormously successful company.

Serious, dedicated Miles, who would be perfectly content to sit at home on weekends, was her tribe. Not party boy Tyler, who’d be out painting the town red with his bros and at least half a dozen hot girls.

At least, she needed to convince herself of that.

With new resolve strengthening her spine, she returned to the office. She found her cell phone on her desk and sent Miles a text: Thanks again for lunch. Let me know if you need any help with the reports.

Her phone buzzed with an incoming text.

T. KING:What kind of pastry comes with a thesaurus?

K. DARLING:?

T. KING:Synonym rolls.

K. DARLING:Cute.

T. KING:C’mere. I have a large smoothie for you.

K. DARLING:Is that what you’re calling it now?

“Kate?” The door to Josh’s office opened.

She turned. “Yes, sir?”

“Could you come in for a moment, please?” Josh stepped aside and gestured for her to enter his office.

Kate’s heart began a slow sink into her belly. Her boss’s expression, as usual, gave nothing away but usually when he summoned her into his office, she had some idea of why she was needed. Now all she could think about was that between Tyler and the library, she’d somehow let one of her EA balls drop.

“Of course, sir.” She reached for her notebook.

“You don’t need that,” Josh said.

Well, shit. Her notebook was her armor.

She smoothed the wrinkles from her skirt and preceded Josh into his office. Her heart sank a few more inches when she saw Evan King sitting in one of the leather chairs. Then it plummeted to her toes when Warren King—Warren Freaking King—turned from looking out the vast windows.

“Hello, Kate.” Warren crossed the room to her, all corporate presidential in his tailored gray suit and silk tie patterned with candy hearts. “Nice to see you again.”

Kate struggled not to start shaking. Under normal circumstances, she liked Warren and had a good relationship with him, but he could be unforgiving and even a little scary when something went wrong. Which seemed to be the case at the moment, though she had no idea why.

“Have a seat, Kate.” Evan rose from his seat and extended a hand to the opposite chair.

A touch of panic rose in her. Was she about to get fired? How would she explain that to her father? Don’t cry, Kate. Whatever you do, don’t cry.

She sat down and forced a smile. “Did I miss a memo?”

“No.” Josh sat in the chair beside his brother, and Warren took the seat opposite him so they were all in a tidy little square seating arrangement. “We have something we want to discuss with you.”

She’d made a mistake. A horrible one, if it meant two of the King brothers and their father had to “discuss” it with her.

Kate scoured her brain for what she might have done, but came up empty. Surely it couldn’t have anything to do with Tyler because Josh would have asked her about that privately, if it were an issue—not ambush her like this.

“How do you like working here, Kate?” Warren asked.

“Very much so, sir.” She gripped the arms of the chair. “I told Josh not long ago that I love my job. I think I’m good at it too.”

“You’re better than good,” Josh agreed. “You’re an exceptional assistant. I would hate to lose you.”

Kate tried to smile. “Is there some reason you would?”

Evan and Josh exchanged knowing glances.

“We’ve been very impressed with the work you’ve not only done for me,” Josh continued, “but for the other executives at Candy King. Your work with Evan’s Cocoa Bean Team has been invaluable, not to mention your help with the website content and reports for all the global divisions. As a former workaholic, even I’m amazed by how you manage to do it all without letting anything fall by the wayside.”

“And you don’t do it partway either,” Evan added. “You complete all the tasks thoroughly and very well.”

“I like to triple check things,” Kate said, unsure if she should be relaxing a bit or getting more nervous. This didn’t sound like the start of a reprimand, but maybe they were waiting to drop the bomb. “And I’ve enjoyed helping out wherever I’m needed. I’ve learned so much about the company and business in general.”

“We’ve noticed that,” Josh said. “And we’ve thought for a while now that we’re underutilizing you by keeping you in an assistant position.”

Tears sprang to Kate’s eyes, and she couldn’t keep the question in any longer. “Are you firing me?”

The three men stared at her in astonishment. Evan’s mouth even dropped open.

“Firing you?” he repeated.

“What gave you that idea?” Josh asked.

“Well, it sounds like you’re about to get rid of me.” Kate sniffled and tried to discreetly wipe the corner of her eye. “Telling me everything I’ve been doing right before giving me a list of everything I’ve done wrong.”

Josh laughed—not his humorless laugh or his mild chuckle, but his booming, genuine laugh that filled the room with warmth. In response, Kate smiled tentatively, though her stomach still roiled with nerves.

“Kate, we’re not firing you.” Warren picked some papers off the table. “But we do think that at some point, you’re going to realize that what Josh just told you is true. As excellent an assistant as you are, you’re not being utilized to your full capacity.”

“And that’s what we want to change,” Josh added, “before another company lures you away from us.”

“Sir, I’d never leave Candy King,” Kate assured him emphatically. She was so relieved at hearing that she wasn’t getting fired that she’d have accepted a demotion, if necessary. “I care too much about this company and everything it does.”

“Which is why…” Josh took the papers from his father and handed them to Kate. “We’d like to offer you a promotion to the position of Vice President of our new Corporate Social Responsibility division.”

Kate stared at him. His face faded in and out of her vision.

“Excuse me?” she squeaked.

“Candy King has always had a strong mission toward sustainability and social responsibility,” Warren explained. “But with the launch of the Cocoa Bean Team, we want to make it more a part of our corporate infrastructure. The CSR division will continue to ensure that all our candy is made with ethically sourced products, to work with sugar and coffee plantations toward sustainable farming methods, find ways to reduce the company’s environmental footprint, and create education and employment opportunities. Evan is already doing all of that with the Cocoa Bean Team, but we want it to be the driving force behind the whole company.”

“And we want you to spearhead the initiatives,” Josh said. “You know our brand as well as we do, you’ve worked with every department, and you have a strong knowledge of our global strategies and best practices. Not to mention, no one in this company knows how to organize and deploy an agenda better than you do. We have no doubt you could do that very successfully on a global scale.”

Kate was about to cry again, but this time for a very different reason. She blinked hard to keep the tears at bay and tried to scan the job description Josh had given her.

“We don’t want an answer right away.” Warren nodded at the folder she held. “Take your time. Look over all the paperwork, the mission statement. Consider what you like about it and what you don’t like. Think about what strategies you’d use, what goals you’d want to achieve. Write a list of any questions you have. Then we’ll set up a meeting to talk about it more.”

“I don’t know what…” Kate stopped and cleared her throat. These three men were among the most powerful corporate leaders in the country, if not the world. And they wanted her. She’d always known she was good at her job, but to be told that she was meant for so much more, that she could do more…

All this time she’d thought she was so unnoticeable. That hadn’t been the case at all. They had noticed her. Good lord, how they’d noticed.

“Thank you.” A smile bloomed across her face, pride and happiness bubbling inside her. “I’m so honored and flattered. Thank you so much.”

“We’re honored to have you consider it.” Josh stood, returning her smile. “Evan and I will always be available to help you and answer questions, if needed.”

With another round of thanks, Kate shook their hands, resisting the urge to hug them all, before hurrying back to her desk.

Funny how sometimes opportunities dropped right into your lap when you least expected. Even if you didn’t know you were ready for them, the universe believed you were. And sometimes the universe was right.

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