by Terra Little
He promised to do just that as they walked out of the conference room through the hotel lobby. The thought of the Rival Hotel being taken over by new ownership saddened Tracee. The hotel was a staple in the community and the only place outside the Coleman House she liked enough to consider doing business. Contrary to what she’d told Mr. Patel, there was no guarantee he’d keep her posted like he’d said. If she wanted that space, she’d have to do everything in her power to find the prospective buyers and approach them herself. She needed Mae with her now to shoulder the news. Wasn’t that what partners were supposed to do?
Chapter 11
Tracee had missed her baby sister’s presence at the Coleman women’s discussions over breakfast. This morning, Kyla was back to tell everyone about her trip to Africa with her fiancé, Miles Parker.
The minute Tracee and Kyla were alone, Tracee filled her in on her current business situation.
Kyla set down her cup of tea. “Didn’t Mr. Patel say the space was yours once you came up with the money? He knows someone in our family has rented that space ever since he opened. We expected to keep that tradition in the family.”
“That’s what I’m trying to do.” Tracee shrugged and leaned back in her seat.
“If he won’t tell you who the prospective buyers are, have you tried Raji? You know that boy can’t keep his mouth shut. He gossips more than any woman I know.”
“No, I haven’t, but I don’t know Raji like you. You guys went to school together, so maybe the next time you see him, you can poke around for me.”
Kyla ran her fingers through her ponytail. “I’ll just come out and ask him. Raji’s like a kid. If he knows you want something and he has the answer, he can’t keep it to himself.”
“Thanks, Kyla. Business is really picking up, but I can’t do the type of marketing I want to do until I have a signed lease on the space. I’m already servicing several downtown businesses.”
“And I heard you landed Melanie Jefferson’s wedding. That’s a major feather in your cap, girl. Your unique cakes are such a huge hit. I can’t wait until you create one for my and Miles’s wedding.”
Tracee sat up and clasped her hands together. “Me neither! But I do wish you were getting married here, since the bed-and-breakfast is famous for our weddings, too.”
“I know, and I’m sorry.” Kyla stuck out her bottom lip. “But Miles and I talked it over, and we want the ceremony performed in church.”
Tracee stood up and walked around the table to hug Kyla. “I understand, and I’m so happy for you.”
“Thank you.” After they embraced, Kyla placed her hands on her hips. “So, what are you doing to make sure you get that space in the hotel?”
Tracee sat back down. “I had an idea for the potluck this weekend, so I invited Mae’s cousin who’s a photographer and writer for the paper.”
“So, he’s going to cover the potluck, but how does that help you?” Kyla asked.
Tracee smiled. “Oh, you’ll see.”
* * *
If anyone had told Laurent that at any point in his life he’d be in Kentucky attending a potluck dinner, he would not have believed them. However, the Coleman House Farm had some of the best fresh organic vegetables he’d ever put in his mouth. Plus, Tracee had invited him, and he didn’t want to miss an opportunity to see her again. He’d seen her twice over the last couple of days, and like teenagers who’d discovered sex for the first time, they couldn’t get enough of each other.
Tracee met him as he approached the house with her hair pulled into a long poufy ponytail cascading down her back. She had on a low-cut white top with a matching jacket and a pair of distressed jeans with some cute flats. The first thing that came to his mind was how well she would fit in in California. She greeted him with a kiss.
“How has your day gone so far?” she asked.
“Great.” He eagerly returned the kiss, tasting some sort of cherry lip gloss. He wished they could skip the potluck and go back to her place. “My morning started with a good run. Thanks to you, my run is more interesting now that I have a better lay of the land. After that, I had a great conference call, which set the tone of the day.”
The potluck was being held in the U-pick barn. Tracee led the way down the path to the big barn. She smiled. “A conference call on a Saturday morning. My, my, you are a busy man.”
“And now I’m a hungry man,” Laurent said as they strolled inside the barn full of colorful people and flavorful smells. The barn was a tad drafty, but huge heaters strategically hung about kept it from being too cold.
Once inside, Tracee gave him what she called the potluck tour. She grabbed a couple of plates and escorted him around the table as they filled their plates with food from every color of the rainbow. At the same time, she introduced him to several of their neighbors.
“What are those crackers there with bacon wrapped around them?” He could feel his stomach growling but had to question some of the dishes.
Tracee smiled and elbowed him. “That’s Joyce Ann’s famous goat cheese and bacon creation. She brings them every month. Want to try one?” she asked with a raised brow.
The way she cocked her brow at him said it all. He cleared his throat and glanced away. “I think I’ll pass. I’m excited to try these dishes prepared by the Coleman House cooks.”
With full plates, they walked over to sit down across from Corra and her husband, Chris. Laurent found the dinner conversation enlightening. Chris was a businessman much like himself. They shared a passion for golf and football. Later, Tracee left the table and Laurent noticed her talking to a young man who was taking pictures of the dessert table she said she’d worked on most of the day.
Laurent hadn’t realized how caught up he was in watching them until Corra pointed it out. “That table is amazing, isn’t it?”
He tore his eyes away from them and turned to Corra. “It is. Tracee’s an amazing pastry chef.”
“Oh, she’s more than that. Tracee is an artist. The title pastry chef doesn’t begin to describe the designs she comes up with for cakes. And her theme parties and weddings are off the chain. We’re going to hate to lose her once she opens her own place.”
Laurent nodded in agreement with Corra. “In the little time I’ve been here, I’ve definitely come to understand that Tracee is a very special woman. She told me how she helped build your line of baked goods.”
“She actually started the line. My aunt Rita bakes desserts for dinner and afternoon tea, but nothing on the scale of what Tracee started. She had us serving two to three different desserts with every meal. I am, however, proud to say we’ll be her first regular customer. She has some recipes she’ll reserve just for us.”
Laurent turned his attention back to Tracee and the young man, who now held a tape recorder to her mouth. After a few minutes, Tracee walked away with her chin held high and a smile on her face.
After dinner, Laurent spent some time talking to Rollin and Chris before Rollin gave him a quick tour of the organic farm. The property was impressive, and he’d never met a brother who owned a farm and a bed-and-breakfast. Although Rollin confessed the women ran most of the bed-and-breakfast. The story of their humble beginnings reminded him of his father’s rise in the boutique hotel industry.
After the farm tour, and when most of the guests had left, Laurent found Tracee sitting at a table looking less than enthused. A stark contrast from the happiness she’d displayed not long ago.
“Hey, what’s up? Why are you sitting over here all alone?” he asked before he noticed she was looking down at her cell phone.
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m just hoping my little plan pays off.”
He sat down beside her. “What plan is that?”
She took a deep breath, sat up straight and placed her cell phone on the table. “Monday I found out some bad news, and I’ve started putting a plan in place to help myself.
”
He frowned. “Is it something you want to talk about?” He had to acknowledge that he was developing feelings for this woman, and he didn’t like to see her hurt and sad.
“Well, you know I’m trying to open my own café in the Rival Hotel. So, I met with Mr. Patel Monday and found out he’s selling the hotel. He wouldn’t say to whom, but I’m not going down without a fight. I’m determined to find out who the prospective buyer is and have that space for my café.”
Laurent jabbed his jaw with his tongue. Mr. Patel had shared information that Laurent had hoped he’d keep close until the deal was announced. From experience, Laurent knew to keep his mouth shut until he achieved his goal. Sometimes, a simple slip of the tongue could set you back and destroy all you’d worked so hard for.
He took one of Tracee’s hands in his, and massaged her knuckles. “How do you plan to do that?” he asked, eager to hear her answer.
“I can’t say, but I was texting somebody about that when you walked up. I also arranged this whole photo shoot today. I need to position myself as a great tenant to the new buyer. Although I don’t know who the potential buyer is, a front-page story about me can’t hurt. You know what I mean?”
The determined eyes that looked up at him sent a chill through his body.
“The minute you think things are looking up, somebody throws a boomerang at you and you’re back at square one.” She rested an elbow on the table and her forehead in her palm.
He looked down and caressed her long slender fingers. “I know I’ve asked you this before, but have you considered another location?”
She shook her head. “Nope. Remember me telling you the location was special to me?”
“Yeah, I do.”
“Someone in my family has leased that space from him for years.”
“Really? There’s a connection to the Coleman House?”
“No, that’s my father’s side of the family. My mother’s mother opened a coffee stand in the hotel not long after Mr. Patel open his doors. After a few years, she expanded the space to the size it is now. When she became ill, my cousin took over. She ran it until she got married and moved away. Mr. Patel has used it as storage space ever since. It took me a couple of years to get my finances straight, but now that I’m ready, he’s ready to sell it off. My mother’s family has lost a lot over the years, so I wanted to at least keep this tradition going.”
Laurent nodded. “I understand. It has more sentimental value to you than anything.”
“I don’t even want to consider another spot.”
Laurent hoped what he was about to say would be understood. He cleared his throat.
* * *
Tracee felt as if something wasn’t right. Laurent squeezed her hand so hard it hurt. His palms were warm, and he kept rubbing her knuckles.
“Remember when you asked me what my business was in Danville?” he asked with his head down.
“Yeah, and you said you’re a brand manager. Don’t tell me that wasn’t true?” She hoped to God he wasn’t about to tell her he’d lied or something like that. A queasy feeling started in the pit of her stomach.
He chuckled, but his focus stayed on her hand.
Before he looked up into her eyes. “No, that’s true, I am a branding manager. One of the things I handle is acquisitions. So, the reason I’m here is...uh—” he stalled before clearing his throat again. “I’m here to purchase the Rival Hotel.”
“What!”
“Yeah, we’re negotiating to buy the hotel chain.”
A sudden coldness hit Tracee to her core. Her eyes widened, and in her head she could hear herself yelling, uh-uh. He did not say that!
“We’ve assessed the business and made them an offer. Right now, I’m waiting on a few more particulars to be worked out, but after that we’ll own the chain.”
She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “So, all this time I’ve been talking about opening my business, you knew you were purchasing the hotel, or trying to?”
“I did, but I couldn’t talk about it until the deal was completed. However, I see how distressed you are about possibly losing the space, and I don’t want you to feel that way. Once I close the deal, your problem will be solved. I’ve seen the space you’re referring to, and I think it will be great for a café. I can lease it to you.”
She slid her hand from his. He looked so pleased and satisfied with himself, as if he’d just solved her problem. “Laurent, you haven’t purchased the hotel yet, so I think it’s a little premature to think you’re the answer to all my problems.”
He clasped his hands together. “Tracee, under normal circumstances I would have never said anything. But I think this is a done deal that I can have wrapped up by the weekend.”
She leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms over her chest. “What makes you so sure of that?” she asked, wondering if he knew about the other prospective buyer.
“Mr. Patel likes my deal. We’re ironing a few kinks out, but I’m sure by our next meeting everything will be to his satisfaction and he’ll sign the papers.”
No, he didn’t know about a second buyer, and Tracee didn’t think it was her place to tell him. If Mr. Patel had wanted Laurent to know, he would have told him. She pursed her lips and acted as if she knew nothing.
Laurent reached out and pinched her chin. “That’s better. I like to see you smile.”
“Laurent, I know you think you’re my solution, but what if Mr. Patel doesn’t like your offer? If it’s all the same to you, I’d rather not put all my eggs in your basket.” She pulled her hand back.
His shoulders dropped, and he clasped his hands together again. “What choice do you really have?”
She jerked her head back. “I have choices, and just like you, I prefer to keep them close to my chest for now.”
“Tracee, come on. That came out wrong. I’m just saying that—”
“I know, you’re the only option I have. But, Laurent, if I’d known you were trying to purchase the hotel, our friendship would have taken a much different turn. I would have had a choice in that matter. And my meeting with Mr. Patel where I learned about a surprise sale wouldn’t have thrown me for a loop.” She stood up to leave.
He stood up as well. “Tracee, let me just say I’m confident things will work out. Give it a couple of days—you’ll see.”
“I hope you like surprises, because you might be in for a big one.” With her chin held high, she turned and headed out of the barn.
Chapter 12
Bright and early Saturday morning, Laurent met Sam and a few of his buddies at the nine-hole Sweetbrier Golf Course in Danville. The weather was perfect, the crowds were nonexistent and the fall foliage was absolutely breathtaking. Since college, both Sam and Laurent had improved their golf games. Sam’s coworkers, also professors at the local college, were avid golfers as well. The course wasn’t the best Laurent had played on, but it was sufficient to get a good workout. After about five holes, the conversation began to pique his interest.
“The landscape of downtown will definitely change once the Rival Hotel has been sold,” Danny, an economics professor, said.
“I just hope they don’t tear the place down, or turn it into an eyesore,” Paul, another professor, replied.
Laurent and Sam shared a glance. Sam was aware of his interest in the hotel but kept that between them. He hadn’t shared any pertinent details about Laurent with his colleagues.
“I don’t think we have anything to worry about. If, or rather when, the hotel is sold, I’m sure the new owners will keep it right where it is. I know I’d hate to see too drastic of a change,” Sam said, glancing at Laurent.
Danny walked over to switch out clubs. “I don’t know, from what I hear, these companies specialize in mergers and acquisitions, then they destroy anything that resembles the original.”
T
hat wasn’t true of Martin Enterprises, so Laurent wondered where this guy got his information.
“Do you know who’s trying to purchase the hotel?” Laurent asked Danny.
“The Stephenson Group out of Lexington, and some other company from California. That’s all I know right now. And I’m sure old man Patel is trying to squeeze them for everything he can get. He’s a shrewd businessman.”
The rest of Laurent’s game went downhill. All he could think about was how he needed to get off that course and to a computer. He needed to find out all the details he could regarding a second buyer. Did his father know this bit of information? If so, why hadn’t he told him?
“So the old man didn’t say a word about negotiating with anyone else?” Sam asked Laurent as he placed his clubs in the trunk of his car.
“Not a word.” Laurent set the clubs Sam had loaned him into the trunk as well. “How can I be expected to compete when I don’t even know there’s a competitor? That might explain one thing, though.”
“What’s that?” Sam asked as he closed the trunk.
“Why he’s stalling. He told me he wanted to sell to someone who understood their connection to the community. So I’ve spent the last week getting a feel for the community and how the Rival Hotel fits into the landscape. Now I’m curious to know if he’s asked my competitor the same thing.” Laurent climbed into the passenger’s seat.
“You think he’s trying to play the both of you to get a better deal?” Sam asked.
“Without question,” Laurent replied. “Aside from him not feeling comfortable with my knowledge of Danville, he threw in several other stipulations that I’m trying to work out. But now I feel like I’ve wasted my time.” Laurent looked out the window as Sam pulled away. There was only one good thing that had come out of him being in Danville so far. That was Tracee. But unless he could seal this deal, his efforts wouldn’t pay off for her, either.
“Thanks for the invite this morning. This has been a very enlightening day, and it’s going to make for a very exciting Monday.” Laurent pulled out his cell phone and searched for his father’s number.