Heart's Desire (10 page)

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

M
ISS
M
ILSE
, S
ARAH
’
S
middle-aged German housekeeper, carried a hot dish of potato, cauliflower and cheese casserole to the dining room table. Sarah was setting out an impromptu buffet supper for her girlfriends so that Maddie could share the exciting news about her upcoming meeting in Chicago. Aunt Emily was in the kitchen spreading a third coat of brown-sugar glaze on a baked ham. Charmaine Chalmers had brought several bottles of wine and champagne to celebrate. Sarah and Charmaine had pitched in to do the elevations, drawings and interiors of the proposed cafés, but Maddie had kept the news about her investor to herself. So anytime there was cause for celebration, Sarah and Maddie jumped at the chance to throw a party.

Luke, Annie and Timmy helped Maddie bring in four dozen cupcakes for their dessert. The kids were the first to notice the new pineapple upside-down-cupcake recipe Maddie would be testing on their guests that evening.

Mrs. Beabots tossed a green salad with red onion, strawberries, almonds, crisp, apple-smoked bacon and her own homemade hot-bacon dressing. Mrs. Beabots always made it a point to offer to make the salad herself, so no one ever really knew all the ingredients she put in the salad or the dressing.

Miss Milse’s oxford shoes clomped against the kitchen floor as she walked up to Sarah. “You want your mudder’s china plates or the kitchen plates?”

“Oh, that’s a lovely idea, Miss Milse. This is a once-in-a-lifetime night.”

“It is?” Miss Milse looked at Maddie, who was stacking cupcakes on a special, multitiered display tree.

“Very,” Sarah whispered. “Maddie’s store is going to become famous.”

Miss Milse’s small blue eyes brightened. “Famous? Like Justin Bieber?”

Sarah’s jaw dropped. “You can’t possibly know who Justin Bieber is.”

“Yeah. I do. I like him. I hear his songs on the bus. The driver plays Justin Bieber. I ask him. He tells me that Justin Bieber famous.”

“Well, Maddie won’t be that kind of famous, but I suppose for Indian Lake, it might be a little bit like that.”

“I understand,” Miss Milse said as she hoisted the ham and carried it to the dining room table.

Maddie turned to Sarah. “I think I hear car doors slamming,” she said.

“Why don’t you get the door with Beau and the kids. Luke and I will get things done in here.”

Maddie looked at Sarah. “Make sure Mrs. Beabots sits in that nice aqua French chair your mother always liked. I want her to be comfortable.”

“Absolutely.”

“Come on, Annie. Timmy,” Maddie called. “Let’s go see who’s here.”

Beau jumped from his sleeping bed and raced across the room with them.

Charmaine was setting up wineglasses and placing the wine in a special silver bucket that had been Ann Marie’s. “Maddie, this is so exciting,” Charmaine said as they passed through on their way to the door. “I’m just like everyone else. I can’t wait to hear the details.”

“I still can’t believe it,” Maddie said.

Charmaine cast an affectionate smile on Maddie. “Anytime you need my help, you just ask. I’m so honored to be even a small part of your dream.”

“Thank you for offering,” Maddie replied.

Maddie continued to the door, where Olivia and Isabelle were waiting. They were quickly followed by Cate Sullivan, Chloe Knowland and Liz Crenshaw. They all began chatting happily on the porch steps.

Maddie and Sarah urged everyone to start the buffet, and Charmaine served the wine. Once they’d all filled their plates, Sarah asked everyone to gather in the living room, where Maddie would make her announcement.

Maddie stood at the fireplace and looked at the faces of all her dear friends beaming up at her with pride. Annie and Timmy sat on the floor at her feet, petting Beau. She noticed that Timmy was allowing Beau to lick the icing off his cupcake.

“As you all know, I wouldn’t have gotten as far as going to Uncle George with my idea if Sarah and Mrs. Beabots hadn’t pushed me so much over the past year to put my ideas down on paper, trademark my company and protect my recipes, and then finally put together a business plan.”

“That took a lot of work!” Sarah interjected.

Maddie smiled. “Prodding me to do it or the paperwork and filing?”

“Both!” Sarah laughed, and everyone joined her.

“So true,” Maddie admitted. “Once George came into the picture, things really started rolling. He told me how to improve the business plan since there were a few details missing from the research I did online. Anyway, George made some phone calls to his friends in Chicago, who steered him to Ashton and Marsh, and so now, here we are.”

Cate Sullivan, always the businesswoman and always expecting specifics, asked, “So, is this truly a national franchise they are talking about?”

“Yes and no. My first and only investor at this point is from Chicago. He intends to open two locations. If they go well, he’ll buy four to six more.”

“And is it going to be just like your place here?” Liz Crenshaw asked.

“Somewhat. Sarah, Charmaine and I worked on some ideas that would be easy to incorporate into any space the new owner wants to try. We do have several signature pieces, such as the Italian theme, a real cappuccino machine, the blend of coffee beans I put together myself. Believe it or not, the stainless-steel rack I hang my icing bags on is a signature piece, as well as the display counters. And I want a yellow-and-white-striped awning to hang over the entrance.”

“You need to get one for Indian Lake first!” Cate laughed.

“You’re right. It’s been something I’ve wanted all along, but I’ve been so busy, I never got it done.”

“We forgive you.” Cate laughed merrily again.

George stepped up to Maddie and put his coffee cup and saucer on the mantel. “May I add something here?”

“Of course.” Maddie stepped aside.

“I’ve only glanced over the documents Maddie brought back from Chicago. Everything seems to be in order, but I want to study them. The details shouldn’t be shared with anyone until after everything is finalized. But I think it’s safe to say that Maddie’s Cupcakes and Coffee Café is in the beginning stages of becoming a franchise.” George turned to Maddie. “You have another meeting with these people on Tuesday, is that right?”

Maddie nodded. “Yes. I’m meeting with Alex Perkins and the investor himself in downtown Chicago. They’re sending a car for me.”

Olivia gaped at her friend. “A car? You mean a limo? All the way from Chicago?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t ask. I was too stunned. Alex had a Lincoln Town Car that drove us to the restaurant last time.”

“You had lunch? Where?” Isabelle asked.

“Bandera, I think. It was really nice. It was on the second floor so you could watch all the shoppers.”

“Cool,” Olivia muttered.

George cast a sideways glance at Emily, who caught his gesture. She rose from her chair. “Maddie brought cupcakes for us all and I have fresh coffee that was just brewed,” she announced, then she turned to Maddie. “Let us all say, congratulations, Maddie! You deserve this success!”

“Yea, Maddie!” The cheer went up from the group.

Then the flurry toward the desserts began.

Maddie noticed that Annie and Timmy remained on the floor petting Beau and did not scurry quite as quickly as she would have expected. “Hey, guys. What’s up? You don’t want dessert?”

Timmy was sitting cross-legged with his little hand on Beau’s head, stroking the golden retriever lovingly. “I don’t want to disturb Beau. I don’t get to see him as much as I’d like.”

“And how much would that be?”

“Every day,” Timmy replied.

“All day,” Annie added as she looked up at Maddie. “Besides, we already snuck our cupcakes, and my dad would be mad if we ate more than one.”

“Yeah, especially since it’s nearly our bedtime,” Timmy added sadly. “I wish our bedtime was at ten o’clock so I could pet Beau for a couple more hours. See how much he likes it?”

“Yes, he does,” Maddie answered. “But before you know it, your dad and Sarah will be married, and then you’ll be living here and you can pet Beau all night long if you want.”

Timmy sunk his cheek into his palm with a very glum look. “It’s taking forever for them to be married. I keep waiting and waiting. I don’t see why we have to wait anymore. This is just stupid.”

Annie exhaled deeply. “It’s because of the wedding. They have to finish planning the party and everything. It’s a lot of work.”

Timmy gazed up at Maddie again. “I don’t need to have a party. I just want us all to be together and be a family.”

Luke, who was listening to the entire exchange from the entrance to the dining room, walked over to them. “I agree with you, Timmy. I wish we were all together already, as well. But see, this is Sarah’s wedding, and she wants it to be very special. Do you know why?”

“No.”

“Because we’re very special to her. We are a unique situation, when you think about it. She’s not just getting married to some guy, she’s getting a whole family all to herself. She’ll have me and Annie and you. And I can’t think of anything more wonderful than that, can you?”

Maddie stared at Luke with tears in her eyes. In all her life, she’d never heard a parent talk to a child the way Luke just had. And she’d never seen so much love and sincerity come from a man. Sarah was more than lucky to have found Luke.

Maddie had grown up without a dad and had seldom reflected on what a father’s role should be. Watching Luke, she realized that someday, she actually would want children and a real home...and a man who truly loved her and cared for her.

What’s happening to me? I’ve never had these thoughts before. Is it because of Nate?

“No, Dad,” Timmy said. “I guess that does make us very special. But I still don’t see why a party has to take so long to get here. Maddie and Sarah made this party in just one day and I think it’s a really good one,” Timmy said.

Luke looked up at Maddie and saw her tears.

Quickly, she wiped them away with her fingertips.

You okay?
he mouthed.

She nodded. “You just have the most wonderful kids. And Sarah is so blessed to have you.”

A smile born of understanding and humility curved his lips. “I’m the lucky one here. And there’s no question in my mind that Sarah was heaven sent to me.” He looked down at Annie and Timmy who were watching him. “No question.”

Just then, Maddie’s cell phone rang. It was Alex.

“Hey, beautiful! Excited about tomorrow night? I am,” he said breathlessly.

“I am. I just told my friends you were sending a car. They’re very impressed.”

“Really? Good. I’ll send one every week. That should bowl them over. Anyway, I just wanted to check in and see how you’re doing.”

“You’re working?”

“On your deal. As always. Nothing I wouldn’t do for my beautiful girl.”

“Thanks, Alex,” she said with a smile as Sarah walked by. Maddie turned away from Sarah’s probing eyes and went to a corner to finish her call. “Listen, I have to go.”

“Call me after you’re in the car and on your way. We can talk then. Have a good time tonight,” he said. “Be well.”

“Good night.” She hung up, looking down at her phone. Alex was truly going the extra mile for her. She wondered if he worked this hard for all his clients, or whether his dedication was tied to the crush he clearly had on her.

George walked up to Maddie and placed his hand on her elbow. “Could we step over here? I’d like to have a word.”

“Sure. What’s wrong?” Maddie asked.

George led her to the far corner of the living room near a pair of upholstered club chairs and an English Hepplewhite table with a crystal lamp on it.

“Before you go to Chicago and meet the investor, I want to see you to go over a few points in the contract.”

“Is there anything wrong?”

“Not wrong. But I want to make certain you understand the particulars. Mostly just legalities.”

“Okay.”

“When you meet with him, you ask any questions you feel like. From this first investor, all others will come. He needs to believe that you’re not desperate or needy in any way.”

“But I’m not.”

“If he were to meet with you and decided he didn’t want to go through with the deal, would you be disappointed?”

“Yes. No. I...” She looked around the room at her friends who were all chattering about her news. She turned back to George. “I would go back to things as they were.”

“Precisely. And we would try to find another investor. That’s the truth of it. But the other side of it is that it might never happen again.”

Maddie looked down at her wineglass. “I see what you’re saying.”

“Maddie, I also think you should pay Austin McCreary a visit.”

“Austin....”

“If Ann Marie hadn’t gone to him and talked him into putting up the loan money for you to start your business, you wouldn’t have Cupcakes and Coffee at all.”

“I’ve paid him back in full. You know that, don’t you?”

“Yes, you told me when we worked on the business plan. He never signed any kind of paperwork that entitles him to your recipes or concepts, so legally, he can’t sue you for any of the money from the franchise. But anybody can sue anybody for anything. Winning is another matter.”

“Sue me?” Maddie’s eyes flew wide open. “Why in the world would he do that?”

“Greed. I don’t know how his family actually made all their money. It’s none of my business.”

“A lawsuit.” Maddie put her palm on her flaming cheek. “Uncle George...” She was once again filled with fear of the unknown.

“All these issues are part of the world you enter when you become a big business. You’ve been lucky that someone hasn’t pulled a lawsuit on you already, blaming you for an allergic reaction to a cupcake or coffee that was steamed too hot. Remember that lawsuit against McDonald’s? The woman who spilled the brew on herself? She won.”

“Oh, God.”

“I’m just saying these are all situations that can happen to you, so I want to make very, very certain you’re legally protected all the way around.”

“I understand.” She nodded.